| Liquid Health During Pregnancy |
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Now that you are pregnant, you may be more conscious than ever about what you eat. Sure, you need a balanced diet to nurture your pregnancy and your growing baby, but believe it or not, you really need to watch what you drink, too.
What you drink also rounds out your diet – you can get lots of essential vitamins and minerals from fluids. Or not. Many common drinks are full of "empty" calories – calories without any nutritional benefit. And beware: Some drinks could actually harm your fetus. Benefits for Baby
Anything that goes into your stomach (food, fluids and medications) gets absorbed into your bloodstream and is sent around your body for use and storage. This means it also goes to the placenta – and into your fetus' bloodstream. So if you drink a lot of water, your fetus also stays hydrated. If you eat or drink something sweet, your fetus' blood sugar levels go up, too. If you eat enough calcium, your fetus is able to build strong bones. And if you drink something that's bad for your body, it's likely it's bad for your baby-to-be as well.
Not drinking enough can have serious consequences. If you are dehydrated, you are more susceptible to heat exhaustion, cold illness and altitude illness. Dehydration is also the most preventable cause of preterm labor. If you are dehydrated, you are also more likely to suffer from headaches, urinary infections, constipation, dry skin, hemorrhoids and fatigue. So you should take drinking seriously, especially during pregnancy. But remember to choose your drinks with care.Water Matters The best way for you to stay hydrated is to drink plenty of water. Water has no calories or sweeteners and is absolutely essential to your health. Water is second only to oxygen in terms of human survival. Most of your fluid intake should be water – plain, cool water.
Now that you are expecting, you sweat more and, therefore, you actually need more water. Drink at least 10 glasses a day. If you are exercising, drink about a liter of water every hour. Drink even if you don't feel thirsty. Once you feel thirsty, you are already somewhat dehydrated. The best way to keep track of your hydration is to watch your urine: If it is dark yellow or if you urinate less than once every four hours, you need to drink more water.
Not Just Juice
Juices are a good way for you to get some vitamins, but you should not drink juice instead of water. And don't skip your prenatal vitamins, which have nutrients that you will probably not get enough of, even from fruit or vegetable juices, such as folic acid and iron.
You can get vitamin C from orange, carrot, melon or berry juices and especially fresh juice. Vitamin C is important for growing tissues and bones. Mango juice will give you some vitamin E, which boosts your immune system. Some vegetable juices will provide complex-B vitamins, but keep an eye on the high sodium levels that can make the swelling in your ankles and legs much worse. Be aware that if you have a history of diabetes or have developed gestational diabetes (diabetes during your pregnancy), you may need to limit the amount of juice you drink, since it is often high in carbohydrates or sugars.Sports Drinks Many active women choose to hydrate with sports drinks that replace electrolytes (salts) that the body loses with a lot of sweating. If you are exercising, sports drinks may help you stay better hydrated, but they are not a good substitute for plain water. Keep in mind that these drinks may also contain artificial sweeteners and preservatives that are best avoided during pregnancy.
Caffeine Consumption
You can find caffeine in coffee, tea and colas, but also in a number of unexpected sources, like chocolate, decaffeinated coffee, chocolate milk, iced tea, energy drinks and clear sodas. Drinking caffeine may actually make it difficult to become pregnant in the first place. As little as half a cup of coffee per day can cause miscarriages and, in one study, three cups of coffee per day reduced women's chances of getting pregnant by 26 percent.
Caffeine actually interferes with your body's ability to absorb calcium and iron. During pregnancy, these nutrients are absolutely essential to your fetus' growth. In fact, drinking caffeine during pregnancy can even, rarely, cause babies to be born with weak bones because of poor calcium absorption. Caffeine is also associated with low birth weight infants, prematurity and stillbirth. It also can lead to anemia (low iron), future osteoporosis and inflamed gums in both you and your baby-to-be. Dangers of Alcohol Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can cause fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), which is associated with stillbirths, physical and mental retardation and brain damage. Even moderate alcohol use can cause infertility, miscarriage, placental abruption (separation of the placenta from the uterine wall) and low birth weight babies.
Alcohol interferes with your body's ability to absorb folic acid, which is essential for the fetus' development, especially of the brain and nervous system during the first trimester. Some doctors feel comfortable allowing women to drink a glass of wine per week during the third trimester – but remember that alcohol is going straight into your fetus' bloodstream, too.The Importance of Milk Milk is a good source of calcium and vitamin D. Your body conveniently absorbs extra calcium during your first trimester and uses it for your baby's bones. You store that calcium for your baby's bones, which grow during the third trimester. To get the most calcium, drink milk in small amounts during the day and before going to bed. If you're concerned about hormones and antibiotics in milk, consider organic milk.
Soy Drinks
Many people cannot properly digest milk – it causes stomach cramps, bloating and even diarrhea. There are plenty of good high calcium alternatives: low lactose milk, rice milk, goat's milk and soymilk. Soymilk is a good source of calcium and protein and is lower in cholesterol than cow's milk. It may also help prevent some cancers and heart disease. Since you need a lot of calcium during pregnancy, soy may be a very healthy choice.
Sugar Substitutes
When choosing a drink during pregnancy, keep in mind that all sweeteners – even natural sugars like brown sugar or honey – also will affect your fetus. Some women report that their fetus is more active after they drink something sweet. I've actually seen a fetus' heart rate go up (while I was monitoring it) after a woman had some cranberry juice!
So what about artificial sweeteners? The American Dietetic Association says that aspartame (Nutrasweet and Equal) and acesulfame-K (Sunett) are safe during pregnancy if used in moderation. Do not have more than four packages of these sweeteners or two cans of diet drinks a day. These are the most common artificial sweeteners in diet soft drinks. Pregnant women should avoid saccharin because it crosses the placenta and may remain in the fetus' system for a long time and may increase the baby's risk of bladder cancer. Saccharin has been approved by the FDA, so don't worry if you have some by mistake.
Fizzy Favorites
There is nothing wrong with enjoying carbonated beverages during pregnancy, especially carbonated juices or water. Lots of sodas have artificial sweeteners and caffeine, so read the labels carefully before you pick one. Also, you may notice that the carbonation causes you to feel very full and aggravates heartburn, especially during your third trimester.
Drink up during pregnancy, but choose your beverages carefully. Avoid caffeine, alcohol and artificial sweeteners – and make sure you are getting enough water. Cheers!
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