Staying hydrated

bb3vj3n

Wondering if anyone has any tips on how to stay hydrated when fluids make you nauseous. 

Personally I am finding it difficult to drink one full glass of water throughout the day let alone the recommended 8-10.

Any tips out there?

Staciefacie

If you can tolerate foods, I say go for hydrating veggies and fruits like cucumbers, watermelons, cantaloupes, etc. Also, if you can tolerate green tea or coconut water, they're good options too. 

[Deleted User]

I have the same exact thoughts as @Staciefacie ! Although be careful with green tea since it does have some caffeine. 

babybluu

It's definitely not the healthiest route but I've been sucking down Gatorade. Something about the subtle flavor really helps me drink it. Can't remember the last time I had water. It makes me want to gag. 

vflux33

Almond milk with cereal, iced decaf teas, ginger ale, and fruit are how I'm dealing. If it's not insanely hot where you live, soup too!

isntthatspeshul

Pedialyte pops, watermelon, flavored seltzer that you let go flat. 

wisewitch222

First, 8-10 glasses is an ambitious goal and not for everyone, so if you're listening to your body and seem to be hydrated (i.e. pee all the time light colored or clear), don't beat yourself up of you can only manage 4-5 glasses a day.  

Another suggestion is carbonation. When I had an Everson to water during my last pregnancy, I really enjoyed flavored Pellegrino.

bb3vj3n

@Staciefacie - after reading your comment I sent my poor H to the store (again) for watermelon. I feel so bad - our fridge is empty because I never know what I can eat until I inspiration strikes! then we go to the store and get it. 

@vflux33 SO HOT HERE! Soup is not in the cards (but sounds amazing).

@wisewitch222 ...I thought it seemed high. My DH probably drinks that much in a day though and now that im preggo he's really on me to do better with my water intake (which I'm the first to admit I've never been great at). I was drinking a full liter of carbonated water a day up until the MS kicked it - now it is upsetting my stomach so I've stopped. 

Staciefacie

Lol! Last night I made DH run to the store before he had to go into work. I feel bad but I didn't feel like hauling the kids to the store for one thing.

kiki75

@bb3vj3n What about a chilled soup like gazpacho?

kitandcat

@babybluu I drank so much Powerade Zero last time I was pregnant!! I was craving soda so it helped to curb that and to keep me hydrated. You could also do G2. They're both zero calories!

chasingroygbiv

@bb3vj3n We had the same issue. Basically an empty fridge. DH finally gently reminded me yesterday that our kids still need to eat even if everything makes me want to vomit.

Oh.. yeah.. true. Glad one of us is still sane enough to parent.  I ended up just sending him with things that could sit awhile (hamburger, noodles, canned veggies for now, cheeses, crackers, cereals, freezer goods, fruit for the kids, etc.) That way we hopefully have ingredients for SOMETHING each night. I of course told him to hold off on things like buns, lettuce, fruit that the kids don't eat, etc., because it'll likely go to waste. He did a pretty good job, I didn't see much that looked like it would go bad any time soon! I told him hopefully one more month of my wonky appetite and maybe we can get back to meal planning! 

justkeeptrying

Adding something to your water might help. During my pregnancies I hit a stage where my water has to be 90% ice, 1% lemon juice, and 9% water lol but the lemon helps 
 
Also, this thread reminded me that in my first pregnancy, I lived off of popsicles. The sweetness helped my nausea, and they were nice and cold to help keep down. Warm food didn't do well with my stomach. And bonus they add to your hydration!

gazelle319

What @justkeeptrying said - add something to your water.
My first pregnancy I loved Gatorade powder - add a little bit to water to get the sweet taste, but not as much sugar and calories as the bottled Gatorade. Or get lemonade or your favorite juice and add a splash of it to water or do half juice/half water - the small addition of taste and sweetness really makes a difference.

I also noticed that when I bring a water bottle to work or use a cup with a straw and sip from it throughout the day, at the end of the day I've drank more water than I would have just by chugging down cups of water here and there (which I do when I forget my water bottle).

mdfarmchick

I'd check with your doctor about what your goal should be. I know with DS I was told to drink approximately a gallon a day in the first trimester and then we moved to the desert and the recommendation went up to my weight in ounces. You need a lot more water when pregnant. 

bb3vj3n

@gazelle319 I just did 1/4 glass orange juice and 3/4 glass sparkling water.  it was amazing! thanks for the suggestion!

barrelocarol

@mdfarmchick Dumb question, but seriously, how did you drink a gallon? I used to be able to chug but right now, more than a few sips makes me nauseous and I'm not meeting my hydration goals at all. 

pbtoast

I agree with adding something to your water. I drink like 90% water and 10% cranberry juice or lemonade. 

mdfarmchick

@barrelocarol I fill my cup and use a straw and save the amount every time that I fill it. Some days, I don't do as well, but overall it works out. I also get totally picky about the water temperature when I'm pregnant so having a knock off yeti cup helps. And I set goals. Like, I drink one full glass, sometimes two during the night because whenever I go to the bathroom I am thirsty. And when I first wake up, I drink a glass of water before breakfast. Then I just focus on trying to drink a full glass every 2-3 hours. And I drink water when I eat too. Sometimes I flavor my water with lemon or mint. But drinking out of a straw is my big trick because you drink more that way without really noticing. Good luck. ((Plus it's way harder to drink an ounce for every pound you weigh in the third trimester ))

bookworm40

Are you a fan of mint?? I've been putting fresh mint leaves and cucumber slices in my water just to get it down. 

lgutu28

Flavored sparkling water is my jam right now. 

crossfitbabybump

Gatorade has been friendly and refreshing! But be careful of the food dye in them! I saw this:

Blue 1, blue 2, green 3, red 3, yellow 6 and yellow tartrazine are food colorings used in soda, juice, candy and salad dressings. Read the ingredient list on food labels to determine whether the foods you are eating have added food dyes. Limit these additives during pregnancy to reduce the risk of chromosomal damage as your baby develops. Some studies also suggest behavioral problems and a decrease in IQ in children if you consume too many products with food dyes.

barrelocarol

Ok! I'm ready to hydrate! Mint! Sparkling oj! Straws! 

This is why I love these boards. These survival tips are awesome. Thank you!

Side note: Just discovered white grape juice mixed with water yesterday. It's perfect. No sugary blech aftertaste and really refreshing. I'll bet that would be awesome with sparkling water!

notthefather

bookworm40 said:

Are you a fan of mint?? I've been putting fresh mint leaves and cucumber slices in my water just to get it down. 

This sounds delicious! 

runsoncoffee

I think it helps to have a water bottle with measurements on it so you can track throughout the day. For me, water is one of the things I can have any time of any day with zero aversions.

LiveNLove44

@crossfitbabybump can you give me the source on that information? I'm interested in reading more about their studies!

crossfitbabybump

@LiveNLove44

https://www.livestrong.com/article/117114-additives-avoid-during-pregnancy/

barrelocarol

Omg! Best hydration tips ever!! Had sparkling oj through a straw all day yesterday and finally woke up having lost a couple of bloaty water pounds that were weighing me down! Thanks again!!

vflux33

+1 to being careful about food dyes. Some of them have also been linked to cancer. 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2957945/

crossfitbabybump

barrelocarol said:

Omg! Best hydration tips ever!! Had sparkling oj through a straw all day yesterday and finally woke up having lost a couple of bloaty water pounds that were weighing me down! Thanks again!!

@barrelocarol sparking OJ? where can I find this please?

LiveNLove44

crossfitbabybump said:

@LiveNLove44

https://www.livestrong.com/article/117114-additives-avoid-during-pregnancy/

Thanks! It's interesting to see information develop throughout my three pregnancies--so much more is available each time! I wish she would link to her studies. The nerd in me would like to see the size and scope of the research!

crossfitbabybump

@LiveNLove44 totally agree! This is my first though so I'm trying to soak all the info in I can! I feel like that pampers commercial... first time moms and by their second kid, moms are experts. lol

It's hard to trust things on the internet, too. LiveStrong seemed like a decent site but I agree, I would to see some truth behind their studies. I have my first appointment Friday, I will ask my doctor about it and see what she has to say and let you know!

bb3vj3n

@crossfitbabybump

you make it yourself.  1 part oj. 3 parts sparkling water- I personally like it with a lot of ice but if you use ice you need to drink it quickly because the ice takes away the carbonation as it melts

HappyMonkey817

I drink a lot of coconut water.

barrelocarol

Has anyone tried Yogi Mother to Be Tea? It's really nice and refreshing and tastes really good iced. 

I've been happily sipping on this today and hoping it sticks.