A good intake of water really is important during pregnancy. There are many reasons for this, including the fact that your blood volume and metabolism (how your body uses food) are both increased when you are expecting a baby.
Try to drink six to eight glasses of water or squash a day, in addition to milk or coffee. A mug of tea can be counted as half a glass of water. This is because tea is a mild ‘diuretic’ (a drug that causes you to pass more urine), so you will not benefit from the whole quantity drunk. If you don’t like water, try squash or weak cordials. Beware of drinking too much fruit juice, many are very sugary. Follow the super models and make a habit of carrying a small bottle of water with you. If you sip little and often, you are less likely to have to keep going to the loo than if you gulp down a whole glass at infrequent intervals. And don’t assume that bottled water is necessarily best; tap water is just as clean (or cleaner) and often tastier.
You will have to drink even more in hot weather, or in dry, air-conditioned surroundings – but don’t overdo it. Try to become aware of your body’s needs, and respond to feeling thirsty. Forcing yourself to drink a ritual litre of water at the end of the day is not the answer.
The best guide to whether you’re drinking enough is the colour of your urine. Normal urine is pale straw in colour. Dark orange, strongly smelling urine is a reliable sign of dehydration.