The Importance of Drinking Water During Your Pregnancy

During your pregnancy, you may hear repeatedly to consume the appropiate amount of water by your healthcare provider. Growing up, we all heard the importance of drinking water. To stay hydrated! How does this play into your pregnancy? 

 

One question that needs to be answered first, is what does A.F.I mean? Amniotic fluid Index and its how an ultrasound tech will measure the fluid around baby. Measuring 4 different areas in a vertical position. The deepest pockets of the AFI will all be added together to provide how much you have.The normal range is above 5cm and below 25cm.

 

<5cm is called Oligiohydramnios 

>25cm is called Polyhydramnios 

 

How is amniotic fluid made?

 

Amniotic fluid starts to develop around 12 days after conception. At this time you are considered in your first trimester. Through the first trimester your amniotic fluid is water.

 

Once you are in your second trimester is where the amniotic fluid will turn from just water to your babies urine. Yep!! The amniotic fluid is now made of your babys Pee.

 

While this might sound gross to you, this is actually a great sign of showing that your baby is developing. How?

 

For the fact being that amniotic fluid helps baby learn how to swallow, filters fluids throughout genitourinary tract, and teaching baby to pee. It's a cycle. 

 

It's important to keep yourself well hydrated. AFI is vital to your baby providing the following.

 

*Cushions baby

*Helps body part development 

*Allows baby to move around, which is nice for you. Feeling baby move is always reassuring.

*Helps prevent infection 

 

There are many reasons for some of us to experience an increased or decreased amount of AFI some things we cant help.

Such as third trimester you may notice your fluid is starting to decrease. This would typically be a normal reason being that you are approaching your due date and naturally the AFI will start to decline.

 

Keep hydrated and if your not sure how much water you should be drinking, talk with your provider.