Most adults are aware that they need to consume a certain amount of water each day, but if you are a woman carrying a child, you may be asking how much water you should drink during your pregnancy.

After all, there are changes to the rules about what to eat, how to exercise, which vitamins to take, and other behaviors, so it would be logical to assume that your water needs may also change as a result of your pregnancy. This is a safe assumption and an important question because water is essential to a healthy pregnancy.

How much water is enough?

It is recommended that the average adult try to consume eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day, or 64 ounces total.

As a pregnant woman, you should aim to get at least this much fluid each day plus an additional eight ounces of water for each hour of moderate activity. If you live somewhere hot or humid, or if you notice that you are sweating more than you usually do, then it is important to drink more water.

If you do not enjoy drinking water or find it hard to consume that many ounces of plain water, consider some of the following options:

• Add slices of lemons or other citrus fruit to your water to give it a different flavor
• Mix juice with your water. As long as the juice is not full of sugar, you can get fluid in this way and it will serve the same purpose for your body
• Drink decaffeinated coffee or tea. It is important to limit your caffeine consumption while pregnant, so be sure to get the decaffeinated versions

• Water is the means through which your body transports nutrients to the growing baby. It is an essential component of blood that carries these vitamins, minerals, and sustenance to the infant.
• Your blood volume increases greatly during this time, doubling by the time you are seven months pregnant. You need a greater amount of fluid in your body to maintain this volume.
• Amniotic fluid also puts increased demands for fluids on your body.
• Water consumption helps with the constipation experienced by many pregnant women and can prevent hemorrhoids.
• Water consumption will prevent dehydration, which is especially important during the third trimester, when dehydration can stimulate premature labor.