Is anyone aiming for a gallon of water per day?

[GuavaGirl]

I'm thinking about doing it. Wondering if anyone else does.

I'm one of those people who seem to get dehydrated easily and now I don't find it hard to drink 12 cups per day. (which is just 4 short of a gallon) I was in the hospital last week for pre-term contractions and I was a little dehydrated and was given an IV. I'm thinking being as hydrated as an can be will lessen the chances of having to have an IV in when I'm actually in labor.

[chattyprincess]

intresting. I never thought of doing it in measurments so large but my daily goal is to drink half my body weight in ounces a day...so if you are 150lbs you drink 75oz of water a day...I do not count any beverages besides water to my count though....

[Pinoikoi]

Today I had 4 pints before leaving work (around 2pm). I have had another 2 pints since then.. I think I can make it..

I REALLY need to, I have bladder infections, and my midwife doesn't write prescriptions (I am not sure how it work out if I needed another bout of antibiotics).. so I am trying nettle infusion, probiotics, a gallon of water a day... and a lot of prayer.

(my last pregnancy I had early contractions due to uti... thankfully they stopped after antibiotics were started, but it happened twice and is SCARY).

A hint: if you wake up at night regularly, then leave a water bottle at the side of your bed.. and take a few swigs before trying to go back to sleep. I can polish off a pint or so after bedtime that way (hey, I get up to pee anyway, so...)

[thefreckledmama]

While staying well hydrated during pregnancy is a good thing, too much of a good thing isn't always a great thing, KWIM? I think with drinking that much water, you can run the risk of throwing off your electrolytes, so you may want to check that out.

[claddaghmom]

I would like to stay committed to drinking more water. I tend to ignore it until I'm dying of thirst.

The nausea also makes me hate water. DD has been restless nursing and I thought my supply was already dipping...until my nausea broke for about 24hrs and I spent most of the day downing water. Literally just drank and drank. DD was happy that night lol.

I need to drink water!

[MaerynPearl]

personally, if I use the half your weight (in pounds) in ounces rule... I need just under a gallon per day.

Its not as much as you may think.

[Lauren31]

I love drinking water and seem to crave it while pregnant. I also work out though. I probably drink close to 120 oz a day. I am not worried about the electrolytes or anything like that, my body is good at regulating salt, potassium, etc. it seems. I eat throughout the day and salt to taste.

[tanyalynn]

My midwife recommended that during my first pregnancy, gotta say, I could feel the difference between days when I just drank 12 cups vs actually getting 16. Although I live in Texas and was pregnant through the summer, I'm not sure that factored in much, I worked in an office job full-time.

I didn't do it during my 2nd pregnancy and I think I was always borderline dehydrated and had lower energy because of it.

[chai]

Yes... "aiming" being the key word.

Yesterday I drank as much as I possibly could... I could feel that my belly was full of liquid most of the day, and I probably drank 3/4 of a gallon (I'm sure I could have forced down another quart, but I'm worried about reflux).

I also tend to be dehydrated this pregnancy, and the midwife suspects that's why my fundal measurement is small (need more amniotic fluid). I'm trying to "stock up" on fluids before my u/s tomorrow.

I've been doing diluted Gatorade, which seems to be processed easier/quicker than plain water (I bought the powder and make it about half strength). I wonder if electrolytes being out of balance might be the *reason* I'm dehydrated to begin with? The interesting thing is that I don't really pee that much more when I'm maxing out the fluids, so I guess I'm retaining more water when I drink more, peeing out just as much when I drink less.

I also aimed for a gallon at around 33 weeks (can't remember now for sure) when I was having a ton of BH, and that seemed to stop them.

[akat]

My fridge does crushed ice, and I add a big squirt of minute maid frozen lemon juice, and I can't get enough water. I drink it out of a sports bottle and get a bite of ice in each mouthful. I *love* it. It's the most delicious thing in the world. I think my low-side-of-normal iron level is helping me love it, too [ice craving]. I think how much I love water ties in with only gaining less than 20 lbs, too [I was in the 'try to gain 15-25' weight range so that's good].

In fact, I was thinking last night, the one thing I will miss about being pregnant is how much I love this ice water. I know I won't love it as much after, b/c same thing w/ my first pregnancy. I actually like room temp water normally, and prefer half grape juice/half water.

[chattyprincess]

Originally Posted by Lauren31

I love drinking water and seem to crave it while pregnant. I also work out though. I probably drink close to 120 oz a day. I am not worried about the electrolytes or anything like that, my body is good at regulating salt, potassium, etc. it seems. I eat throughout the day and salt to taste.

Same here!! I LOVE water. My MIL when she visit's drinks maybe a glass of something a day and thats it....I am shocked she is even alive most of the time....

Originally Posted by Pinoikoi

Today I had 4 pints before leaving work (around 2pm). I have had another 2 pints since then.. I think I can make it..

I REALLY need to, I have bladder infections, and my midwife doesn't write prescriptions (I am not sure how it work out if I needed another bout of antibiotics).. so I am trying nettle infusion, probiotics, a gallon of water a day... and a lot of prayer.

(my last pregnancy I had early contractions due to uti... thankfully they stopped after antibiotics were started, but it happened twice and is SCARY).

A hint: if you wake up at night regularly, then leave a water bottle at the side of your bed.. and take a few swigs before trying to go back to sleep. I can polish off a pint or so after bedtime that way (hey, I get up to pee anyway, so...)

I used to have a chronic bladder infections/utis...it was awful there is nothing worse then that *feeling* of starting to come down with one. I agree that when I am dehydrated I start to feel that way randomly.
The magic key for me was to drink about 2 oz of HIGH QUALITY (like knudsens or santa cruz brand) 100% fresh squeezed cranberry juice (for some reason I don't think the from concentrate works as well) every morning and evening...so basically 4 shot glass fulls a day. I'll be honest I find it pretty awful because of the super tart flavor but I will do anything to avoid a uti. After a few months of that I started doing only one shot every morning and evening...a maintence program. If I start to feel funny I chug a whole glass down and I am good as gold! the cranberry pills never worked as well as this does...
ETA The cranberry is expensive (like at least $6 a bottle) but you use such a little amount that it doesn't really matter, when I think the bottles been open to long I just pour the remaining little bit into an ice cube tray and once frozen I store them in a ziploc and when I feel that feeling of one coming on I throw one of the ice cubes into my water all day.

[Pinoikoi]

Originally Posted by chattyprincess

The magic key for me was to drink about 2 oz of HIGH QUALITY (like knudsens or santa cruz brand) 100% fresh squeezed cranberry juice (for some reason I don't think the from concentrate works as well) every morning and evening...so basically 4 shot glass fulls a day. I'll be honest I find it pretty awful because of the super tart flavor but I will do anything to avoid a uti. After a few months of that I started doing only one shot every morning and evening...a maintence program. If I start to feel funny I chug a whole glass down and I am good as gold! the cranberry pills never worked as well as this does...
ETA The cranberry is expensive (like at least $6 a bottle) but you use such a little amount that it doesn't really matter, when I think the bottles been open to long I just pour the remaining little bit into an ice cube tray and once frozen I store them in a ziploc and when I feel that feeling of one coming on I throw one of the ice cubes into my water all day.

I take the cranberry pills instead of the juice. I actually REALLY like cranberry juice (I have had utis ALL my life, and it was basically shoved down my throat all the time when I was little, so I have a developed taste for it)... but studies show the pills are more effective. Slightly, but still. Plus I can get a month's worth of organic cranberry for slightly more than the price of ONE bottle of juice here. It is the shipping weight difference for me.. so the pills make more sense for me even though I like the juice just fine.

One of my main problems is that I don't feel a uti at all really. I think maybe sometimes I get an inkling that I might have one, but usually they don't bother me.. it is only when the infection spreads (kidneys for example) that suddenly I am in great pain over them. The other issue of course is pregnancy where they can and have started contractions early.

[Tizzy]

I aim for a gallon, and I try to drink as much RRLT as possible. So I have a coffee maker that is designated for my tea. I drink two of those 12 cup pots every day plus a glass of milk with breakfast and supper. I stay warm and hydrated

But it's awful when I skip it, my lips get so dry to begin with then I just feel like poop.

[organicpapayamama]

Originally Posted by thefreckledmama

While staying well hydrated during pregnancy is a good thing, too much of a good thing isn't always a great thing, KWIM? I think with drinking that much water, you can run the risk of throwing off your electrolytes, so you may want to check that out.

exactly the bolded.

There is such a thing as water intoxication. http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/h...ponatremia.htm

[MaerynPearl]

Originally Posted by organicpapayamama

exactly the bolded.

There is such a thing as water intoxication. http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/h...ponatremia.htm

For most women, 1 gallon will not get them anywhere near hyponatremia.

and I do not think any of these ladies are training for a marathon so they would not have to worry about their sodium levels (unless they cut out sodium... which is a bad thing, I dealt with that with DD)

[GuavaGirl]

Also, there might be a difference in whether or not you're forcing yourself to drink to the point of making yourself sick vs. actually being thirsty and finding it refreshing.

[DeChRi]

I shoot for a gallon when pregnant or not, but this pregnancy I am struggling. My OB recommends between 80oz to a gallon.

I find that I don't crave water, but the more I drink the more I crave, then my body regulates the absorbtion. If I am used to drinking 40oz and I up it to 80oz I feel insane water logged, have to pee all the time, etc. I stick that out a couple days then suddenly I am so thirsty evern after 80oz and dont feel water logged. Same when I jump up to a gallon. A few days of drinking that much and I need it to feel normal.

I also am a heavy worker-outer, so I try and be water conscience.

Unless there is some underlying condition, a gallon a day is not enough to cause toxic issues, unles you try and drink it down in 30 minutes or something. (So says my cousin who is a sports medicine dr and mom of 4).

[proudmama4]

pregnant w/ twins here, so I am just trying to drink as much as possible. Its tough because I'm not very thirsty in the AM and water tastes gross, so I don't drink a whole lot. Maybe 16 ounces or so before noon. But then as the day goes on, I start craving it more and more, so then my bladder goes crazy and sometimes keeps me from going to bed, because I have to pee so much! I know I need to force myself a little more in the AM to balance things out. That way I wouldn't crave it so much in the PM.

I've read 1-2 gals for twins, but I'm just aiming to keep my urine clear/light yellow.

[BlackSheepPDX]

I was told the half your pounds in ounces formula, which translates to about 85 ounces for me, however, that isn't even quite THREE quarts, which is really what I aim for. I'm definitely not doing a great job at making that goal, and I can tell my lips are dry and I'm queasier when I don't drink enough. Particularly with the extra blood volume and the amniotic fluid turnover, you could quite easily need and process a full gallon. Just don't make yourself sick trying to force it down if it feels like it's too much. Common sense.

[DeChRi]

Now reading with guilt as I have had only 18oz water, yet 16oz coffee.