Water, drinks and staying hydrated: your questions answered

A glass of water rarely makes the headlines, yet staying well hydrated is one of the simplest and most effective things you can do for yourself in pregnancy. It can help with tiredness, headaches, constipation and swelling, and it supports the extra blood and fluid your body is making. Here are the questions mums ask most.

Why do I need more fluid in pregnancy?

Your body is producing more blood, building the amniotic fluid around your baby and working harder overall. You also lose fluid through sickness, sweating and needing the toilet more often. All of this means your fluid needs go up.

How much should I drink?

A common guide is around six to eight glasses of fluid a day, and more in hot weather, when you are active, or if you are being sick. Rather than counting precisely, a simple test is to look at your urine. Pale straw-coloured urine usually means you are drinking enough. Dark yellow urine is a sign to drink more.

What counts?

• Water is the best choice: free, sugar-free and refreshing.
• Milk, which gives you calcium too.
• Soups and stews, which add fluid along with nourishment.
• Water-rich foods such as watermelon, oranges, cucumber and lettuce.
• Coconut water, enjoyed in moderation.
• Tea and coffee do count, but keep caffeine low and avoid them close to bedtime.

What should I limit?

• Sugary drinks such as fizzy drinks, malt drinks and sweetened juices. They add a lot of sugar without much nourishment. If you drink fruit juice, keep to a small glass with a meal.
• Energy drinks, which are high in caffeine and best avoided.
• Alcohol, which is not safe in pregnancy. Choose alcohol-free options at celebrations.
• Herbal drinks and traditional mixtures, unless your midwife or doctor has said they are suitable.

Is my water safe to drink?

Where tap water is treated and safe, as in the UK, tap water is fine. Where it may not be safe, choose water that has been boiled and cooled, properly filtered or treated, or sealed water from a trusted source. Keep drinking containers clean and covered. Tummy bugs from unsafe water can make you very unwell in pregnancy.

How can I drink more without feeling bloated?

• Keep a refillable bottle with you everywhere: in your bag, on your desk, by your bed.
• Sip regularly through the day rather than drinking a lot at once.
• Add slices of lemon, cucumber, orange or a few mint leaves for flavour.
• Drink a glass with each meal or snack.
• If you are struggling with nausea, try sips of cold water, ice cubes or ice lollies.
• Drink more earlier in the day and a little less in the hour or two before bed, so you are not up all night.

What are the signs I am not drinking enough?

• Feeling thirsty.
• Dark yellow, strong-smelling urine, or not passing much urine.
• Headaches, dizziness or feeling tired.
• A dry mouth, lips or eyes.
• Constipation.

When should I call my midwife or doctor?

Call your midwife, doctor or maternity unit if:

• You are being sick and cannot keep fluids down.
• You have not passed urine for about eight hours or more, or your urine is very dark.
• You feel dizzy or faint, or your heart is racing.
• You have diarrhoea and vomiting that do not settle.
• You have pain or burning when you pass urine, or pain in your back or side, which could be an infection.

Being hot and dehydrated can also make you feel tightenings. If tightenings are regular or painful, especially before 37 weeks, call your maternity unit.

Like a watered garden

Isaiah describes God's care for His people like this: “thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not” (Isaiah 58:11). Every glass of water can be a small reminder of that promise. As you refill your bottle, you might pray for refreshment of body and soul, for you and your growing baby.

A prayer as I drink

Lord, thank You for clean water and for a body that is carrying new life. Refresh me when I am tired, satisfy me when I feel dry inside, and make me like a watered garden in this season. Amen.