Dr. Marjorie Greenfield
Specializing in pregnancy and birth.
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 Ask Dr. Greenfield
Drinking Too Much Water during Pregnancy | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Dr. Greenfield,
I am six months pregnant. I drink a lot of water with ice. Sometimes it makes me a little heavier, but I have no problems so far. Some of my friends who live in another country tell me that too much water is not good for the baby and can harm her. I love to drink a lot and don't know really know the facts. Please help.— Desperate in Trenton, NJ | | | ANSWER |
February 6, 2002 | | | Dear Desperate,
It is hard from your question to know what you mean by "a lot" of water. Are we talking quarts each day, or gallons? While in general we think of water as very healthy for pregnant women, there are a few potential problems with drinking gallons of water.
- Occasionally having great thirst and drinking large amounts of water is a sign of a medical condition like diabetes. If you are drinking because of severe thirst, as opposed to habit, be sure to tell your doctor.
- Water should not displace nutrient- and vitamin-rich foods in your diet. You need to eat a balanced diet and to gain weight appropriately through pregnancy. Drinking water alone will not cause you to gain weight, although the scale may show weight gain between the time that you drink it and the time that you eliminate it by urinating.
- There is a condition of pregnancy called pica in which the mother-to-be craves non-nutritious foods, like ice, laundry starch or even clay dirt. If you are really craving lots and lots of ice water, you may have this condition. The biggest problem with pica is that these non-nutritious foods substitute for healthful foods. There also is some thought that pica can be a sign of iron-poor blood or anemia, which can be assessed at a prenatal visit.
The best advice I can give you is to talk with your doctor or midwife about your diet and see if she has any concerns in your particular situation. Take care!
— by Marjorie Greenfield, M.D. |
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