Many breastfeeding parents continue to enjoy coffee and black tea in moderate amounts. These beverages are mild diuretics meaning they can help to eliminate excess fluids in your body. However, they still help to meet your daily water needs, just not as much as plain water. Eating watery fruits like watermelon and oranges can also help you get more water into your diet.

See Caffeine and Breastfeeding for more information. Having something to drink at the first sign of thirst will keep your body working properly. It helps to remove waste products from your body and helps regulate your temperature.

Pale yellow urine and no sign of constipation are indications that you are getting enough fluids. Add a small splash of juice or some cut up citrus fruit for flavor. Fresh fruits and vegetables are mostly water so the more you eat these foods, the better hydrated you may be.

They also provide you with an abundance of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Waiting for your tea or coffee to brew? Drink water. Waiting for your lunch to heat up? For example, create a habit to drink a glass of water after you brush your teeth or while you are commuting to work. Limit sweetened beverages like sodas, sports drink, and juices that offer little to no nutritional value.

If you are pregnant, avoid alcohol. Some professionals recommend sticking to just 2 cups of herbal tea per day. Read more: Can My Baby Drink Juice? How Much Juice Should My Family Drink? Starting earlier in the day will not only help you reach your fluid intake goals sooner, but it will also help you limit those bathroom trips to waking hours and preserve much-needed sleep!

As your baby grows, your abdominal organs become compressed. If you have swelling in your legs, which for some women may happen later in pregnancy, this may cause more frequent peeing at night. The reason is that while you are lying down, the extra fluids in your legs are reabsorbed and then the kidneys can excrete that extra fluid — causing you to get up more at night to use the restroom.

By elevating your legs, you can help the body reabsorb those fluids and excrete them before bedtime. Chat with your doctor if you have questions about using compression socks. We know parenting often means sleepless nights, stressful days, and countless questions and confusion, and we want to support you in your feeding journey and beyond.

No appointment needed, no email or sign-up required. Read more about the experts that help write our content! Dehydration in Kids: How to Keep your Baby or Tot Hydrated.

Meal and Hydration Plan for Supporting Milk Supply. Tot Tailored nutrition for your growing tot. Formula Bars Pouches Mealtime Bowls Snacks Multipacks Jars All Products. Allison MS, RDN, CDN. Read time: 5 minutes What to know about your fluid needs while pregnant and breastfeeding Understanding the importance of hydration How much fluid is needed daily Tips for staying hydrated Water is one of the most important nutrients for our health and wellbeing.

Hydration during pregnancy Water and adequate hydration play a critical role during pregnancy. Read about: Breastfeeding: How to Support a Good Milk Supply When do you need to drink more?

They can make you more vulnerable to becoming dehydrated. Some conditions include:. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you may need to consume more water and electrolytes to stay hydrated. Since breastfeeding demands more water from your body, it's important to be mindful of common signs of dehydration, such as:.

By identifying common signs of dehydration, you can be better at listening to your body and providing it the fluid and electrolyte it needs. However, it's much easier when you understand how much water you need to drink while breastfeeding and know how to spot the signs of dehydration. Designed to help you rehydrate quickly and effectively, DripDrop is a unique formula that is scientifically proven to rehydrate faster than drinking water.

Great tasting and full of vitamins, they are perfect for adding a flavor and essential electrolytes to your water. Get started with our most popular multi-flavor pouch of electrolyte powder for dehydration relief fast. Explore all of our flavors and find what best suits you. COPY CODE.

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To produce enough milk for your baby, the amount of fluids your body needs increases dramatically. At six months, breastfeeding mothers produce roughly milliliters per day of breast milk[i]. This number can vary dramatically depending on the needs of the new baby or babies.

For instance, a mother nursing twins may produce up to 2 liters or more[ii]. On the other hand, a newborn may need less than milliliters. They can make you more vulnerable to becoming dehydrated.

Some conditions include:. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you may need to consume more water and electrolytes to stay hydrated. Since breastfeeding demands more water from your body, it's important to be mindful of common signs of dehydration, such as:.

By identifying common signs of dehydration, you can be better at listening to your body and providing it the fluid and electrolyte it needs. However, it's much easier when you understand how much water you need to drink while breastfeeding and know how to spot the signs of dehydration. Designed to help you rehydrate quickly and effectively, DripDrop is a unique formula that is scientifically proven to rehydrate faster than drinking water.

Great tasting and full of vitamins, they are perfect for adding a flavor and essential electrolytes to your water. Get started with our most popular multi-flavor pouch of electrolyte powder for dehydration relief fast.

Explore all of our flavors and find what best suits you. COPY CODE. Code Copied to Clipboard. How it Works. Our Story. Start a Subscription.

Fan Favorites. Use Cases. Heat Travel Cold Weather Altitude Sleep Exercise Wellness Performance. Trusted by Professionals. Medical Professionals Job Site Safety United States Military Elite Athletes First Responders Other Professional. DripDrop Zero. Founding Story. Our Mission.

However, research on the effect of extra fluid on milk production, supply, and infant growth hasn't shown that drinking more than your usual amount of fluids will increase milk supply. So, there is no benefit to drinking excess water while breastfeeding. Simply drink enough to stay adequately hydrated.

But getting too little liquid can cause you to become dehydrated, which can negatively impact your health and breast milk. It is important to make sure you are getting plenty of fluids so that your body is able to function at its optimal level.

Rather than focusing on meeting a goal of a set number of ounces, the key is to make sure you don't become dehydrated.

Staying hydrated by getting plenty of water and other fluids throughout the day is vital to your health, no matter what stage of life you're in. If you don't get enough water and other fluids, you risk becoming dehydrated, which can lead to some unpleasant symptoms, such as:.

Your top indicator of whether you need more fluids is thirst. A good rule of thumb is to drink enough water so that you're not thirsty, otherwise known as "drinking to thirst.

Thirst is your body's way of telling you that you need to drink more, so do your best to pay attention to it. By the time you're physically craving water, your body is already depleted of fluid. This desire to drink more water while nursing is triggered by oxytocin, a hormone released during breastfeeding.

Oxytocin naturally affects your thirst cues to encourage you to drink enough water to hydrate yourself and make breast milk. The color of your urine is a telling clue about your level of hydration.

If your urine is dark, it isn't being diluted enough by what you drink. Look for a pale yellow or almost clear color which indicates you're getting enough fluids. Your fluids don't have to all come from water, but it's always a good choice. It's sugar-free, caffeine-free, readily available, and you can enjoy it at any temperature.

Plus, you can easily flavor your water with fruits or herbs when you want a change. That said, any liquids you consume, along with any water-rich foods you eat, contribute to your overall fluid intake. Some examples of drinks that contribute to your fluid intake include cow's milk or nut milk, decaffeinated coffee or tea, and fruit or vegetable juice.

Foods can help keep you hydrated, too, such as oranges, watermelon, berries, soup, cucumbers, tomatoes, and lettuce. If you don't care for cow's milk, don't worry. You don't need it in your diet to make breast milk.

Just be sure you are getting calcium from other sources, such as cheese, yogurt, green leafy vegetables, or calcium-fortified foods. Because newborns breastfeed about 8 to 12 times a day , having a glass of water before or after every feeding is a good way to get your daily quota without having to think about it.

Know, however, that consuming too much fluid or having colorless urine can actually harm your milk supply. When over hydrated, your body works to restore its electrolyte balance by dumping excess water in your urine, which diverts water away from your breasts and can actually decrease your milk supply as a result.

It's true that you'll need to take in extra calories to support milk production while you're nursing, but those calories should come from foods and beverages that are nutrient-dense.

Experts recommend that you avoid or limit the following liquids when nursing. Beverages that contain a lot of sugar, such as soda, can reduce the amount of fluid that your body actually retains.

This can further exacerbate dehydration, causing heat stress and putting pressure on the kidneys, according to a study that examined the effects of such beverages. The same can be said of fruit drinks that are high in sugar but low in fiber. If you're really craving a sweet drink, try adding fruits and berries to your water.

If you are still missing that sweetness, you are better off adding 1 teaspoon of plain table sugar to your fruit-infused water than drinking a can of soda, which has about 9.

Despite the name, fruit drinks often contain little or no actual fruit juice. These are the products often labeled as "drinks," "coolers," or "punches. Caffeine can pass into breast milk and affect your baby's mood and sleep.

It is also a diuretic, which means it causes you to lose fluid. Caffeine can have a dehydrating effect on your body. There are many misconceptions regarding alcohol and breastfeeding , including that it will help to boost your milk supply.

The truth is, alcohol is more likely to inhibit the letdown reflex. It's generally OK with the go-ahead from your baby's pediatrician and your own obstetrician to have an occasional glass of wine or beer while you're breastfeeding. But it's best to stop there. If you're in the mood for a cocktail, try adding a splash of no-sugar-added fruit juice to plain seltzer in a champagne flute instead.

How much water you need to drink while breastfeeding varies per individual. You may need more than the recommended ounces a day—especially in hot weather or if you are more active than the average person.

Check your urine color to determine if you are drinking the right amount of water for you. You are adequately hydrated if your urine is pale yellow.

Anything darker indicates that you are dehydrated. Also, try to avoid getting thirsty. Feeling thirsty indicates that your body is already slightly dehydrated.

If you have questions about your hydration needs while breastfeeding, talk to a healthcare provider or a lactation consultant. Nkdiom CM, Fawole B, Ilesanmi RE. Extra fluids for breastfeeding mothers for increasing milk production.

Cochrane Database Syst Rev. doi: Ndikom CM, Fawole B, Ilesanmi RE. pub2 PMID: Rigaud M, Sevalho Corçao C, Perrier ET, Boesen-Mariani S. Assessing a tool for self-monitoring hydration using urine color in pregnant and breastfeeding women: A cross-sectional, online survey.