It is obvious to have so many questions when you are pregnant, but those questions may not end even when you have delivered a baby. You would not be more concerned about knowing the best way to breastfeed. Something many new moms are concerned about is how much water they should be drinking while breastfeeding. It is important to know the answer because so many new moms often have their full attention on their newborn and forget about taking careful of their own health. It is essential to increase your intake of water while breastfeeding in that it helps keep you hydrated and is good for your baby too.

How Much Water Should I Drink While Breastfeeding?

How much water you should drink depends on many factors, including your health, activity level, and age. Generally, you should be drinking between ½ and ¾ oz of water per pound of bodyweight. Alternatively, you can check your bodyweight and divide it by 2 to know your hydration needs. It means that if your bodyweight is 120lbs, you should be drinking no less than 60oz of fluids every day. Your breast milk will also help meet your infant’s hydration needs – an infant usually needs 1½ oz of fluid per pound of body weight each day.

Note: Increasing your water intake is a good thing, but keep in mind that it will not directly affect how much breast milk you produce. However, you should also remember that not drinking enough water could actually affect milk production. Similarly, drinking too much of water daily can also decrease milk production in some women.

Do You Have to Drink Cow’s Milk to Make Breast Milk?

No, this is a misconception that you will be able to increase your breast milk production by drinking cow’s milk. However, you can certainly include cow’s milk in your diet because it helps increase your intake of calcium. Do not force yourself though, especially if you do not like the taste of cow’s milk. You can include other stuff in your diet, such as yogurt, cheese, green leafy veggies, and orange juice to increase your intake of calcium.

Signs You Are Not Getting Enough Fluids?

How much water should I drink while breastfeeding? You ask. It really depends on your overall diet and age, but there are signs to tell that you are not getting enough fluids. For instance, you are dehydrated if you experience symptoms such as thirst, dark colored urine, dry mouth, and dizziness. You may also produce less urine than normal and notice a decrease in your breast milk supply.

How to Wisely Hydrate Yourself When Breastfeeding

It is important to drink plenty of water, but you can certainly find other ways to hydrate yourself while breastfeeding. Keep a glass of water by your side while breastfeeding and keep sipping. You should also keep a bottle of water with you when you go out to ensure you do not get dehydrated.

A great idea is to spice up your water by including some fruit in it. It really helps women who think water is too plain to drink more. Simply infuse a pitcher of water with cucumbers, peaches, strawberries, or lemons to create a refreshing taste. Moreover, it also helps to include foods with higher water content in your diet to meet your hydration needs. Some interesting choices are cucumbers, watermelon, celery, and tomatoes.

Healthy Fluids You Can Go For

How much water should I drink while breastfeeding? Now you know the answer, but that doesn’t mean you can drink whatever you want. Do not replace water with other fluids because there is nothing better than drinking plenty of water every day. However, you can enjoy other healthy fluids along with water.

Some great options include fruit juice, non-fat milk, green tea, black tea, nursing teas, decaffeinated coffee, ice tea, vegetable juice, soup, lemonade, and caffeine-free soda.

As you may have noticed, it is okay to try some healthy fluids, so long as they do not contain additional sugar or caffeine. While a cup of coffee enjoyed occasionally would not hurt, you will still be better off trying other healthier fluids to stay healthy.

Fluids to Avoid

Along with trying healthy fluids, you should also avoid dehydrating fluids. Including diuretics in your diet would increase urine output, which can lead to dehydration. Here are a few important things to keep in mind:

• Avoid soda, caffeine, and alcohol because they are some common examples of diuretics.
• You should limit your intake of sugar because it can inhibit the absorption of water.
• You should avoid too much of sorbitol-containing juices, such as pear and prune juice because they can cause diarrhea, which may also lead to dehydration.