A normal person needs adequate or enough amount of water to drink per day. And it is required that we consume more H2O than we use or lose in our body in order to maintain a healthy body and mind. However, nursing mothers give a quart of milk to their young and ninety percent of which is water. Imagine how hard would it be for a mother’s body to maintain hydrated. That is the reason why every mother should be sustained with enough liquid every day.
The Amount Of Water Nursing Mothers Need
Generally, every person should acquire at least eight glasses of water, each glass should be equivalent to 8 oz. each, which makes it 64 oz. in total. Although a nursing mother managed to maintain this habit, she still loses more fluids than an average person which requires her to drink more water. If a mother is nursing an infant below 6 months old, she produces between 25 up to 32 oz. of milk per day. With this also, she may be able to regain it by drinking an additional fluid of more or less 32 oz. per day. Whenever thirsty, she should not hesitate to drink H2O. Know the truth about breastfeeding in this website.
Also, there some cases where mothers should take an additional intake of liquid, like:
- Feel or see the symptoms of dehydration like dark-colored urine, constipation, dry mouth, abnormal fatigue, etc.
- She is living in a hot climate and exercises frequently.
- Feeding or nursing more than one infant or is pregnant while nursing.
Tips To Stay Hydrated While Nursing An Infant
Many moms believe that having an additional intake of water, 64 oz. up to 100 oz. per day, for example, will increase the milk supplying of their body. However, this is wrong. It does not increase the production of your baby’s food – although, this could help you with your hydration maintenance. Dehydration may have a bad effect on your body and health. Also, having a newborn or infant may cause mothers to feel more thirsty than normal. You can read this helpful resource after you’ve read our own tips for you: http://www.drinkgt.com/pages/nursing-moms-hydration.
Tips To Maintain Hydration:
- Find foods that may be rich in liquid. Water is not the only fluid that will help your body with hydration. Fruits and vegetables are also great sources and alternatives in case you’ve been lacking water. Dishes such as soup may also be good for your hydration.
- Caffeine is not helpful. Caffeine can be the cause of dehydration sometimes. However, caffeine may also be a great help throughout the day. If you really need to drink coffee, practice yourself in limiting by having 2 or 3 cups per day. And make sure you will balance it by drinking a glass of water afterward.
- Keep mind of your intake. It is good that you could track your intake while nursing. There might be times when a nursing mother might not notice her thirst due to business. If you won’t really be able to note it, there might be some phone apps that might help you with.
- Take what you give. Every time your young is taking your breast milk, it is important that you should also drink another glass to keep the body’s hydration. Depending on the infant’s age, their normal feeding is 6-10 times a day which also connects to the required glasses of water you need to take per day.
- Purified water is of great help! Not that it is only safe for you and the baby, water that is free from impurities might taste better in a mother’s very picky tongue and might give you more appetite.
- If you have a drink bottle, it would be more convenient! And the larger the better! As mentioned above, nursing mothers feel thirst more than just an average person. A water bottle that is reachable now and then would give you more ease every time you need an intake. Also, in every situation that you might be out, a water bottle is a requirement to keep dehydration at bay.
Dehydration is very risky. This goes not only for a mother but for her baby also. That is why drinking H2O every now and then is a necessity that a mother should never forget.
