Prenatal Care: Urinary Frequency & Thirst Health Article

By the second month of pregnancy, you will need to urinate more frequently than you did before you were pregnant. This is a normal result of the growth of your uterus pressing against your bladder, as well as an increased amount of urine production. As your uterus grows to accommodate the baby, it presses against your bladder, which sits in front of and slightly below it.

Even if your bladder is empty, pressure from the uterus can give you the urge to urinate. Around the fourth month, the pressure on your bladder is somewhat relieved as the uterus moves upward and out of the pelvis.

You are also producing more urine when you are pregnant, which is another reason you will need to urinate more frequently. Your kidneys are working more efficiently, filtering more urine, and delivering it to the bladder more rapidly.

Some guidelines for dealing with urinary frequency are:

• urinate as frequently as necessary (if you hold it in, you may end up not fully emptying your bladder, which can predispose you to urinary tract infections or UTIs);
• completely empty your bladder each time you urinate;
• lean forward when you urinate to help empty your bladder completely, and bear down as you do; and
• try not to drink a lot before bedtime so that you don't have to get up in the middle of the night to urinate. Do not, however, restrict your fluid intake enough to become dehydrated.

Pregnant women are more susceptible to urinary leakage. Panty liners will prevent you from wetting your clothing. Kegel exercises can help strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor to prevent episodes of incontinence. (For information on Kegel Exercises, go to Exercise & Fitness in the First Trimester)

Pregnant women are also more susceptible to urinary tract infections. Be careful not to confuse increased frequency of urination with a bladder infection (cystitis). If you notice that you are urinating more frequently, that urination is painful (dysuria), or that you have a fever, you may have an infection. Call your doctor to set up testing and treatment appointments.

Thirst and Mouth Watering

Thirst is the body's signal that it needs more fluid. Given the fact that you are urinating more often and your kidneys are producing urine more efficiently, it is essential to replace lost fluids by continuing to drink. Keep in mind that during your pregnancy ,your blood volume increases by 40%, your baby needs fluid to fill the amniotic sac (the protective sac that surrounds it), and that constant fluid helps filter the waste products from both you and your baby. To beat thirst and ensure that you are well hydrated:

• drink a minimum of eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day (you should do this even when you aren't pregnant). Vegetable juice is a healthy alternative and is more nutritious than fruit juice, which contains a lot of sugar;
• avoid drinks with caffeine in them. Caffeine is a diuretic (it increases urination) and can make you lose those fluids you've been working so hard to take in;
• eat foods that have a lot of water in them, such as watermelon; and
• if you are having difficulty keeping anything down, try taking little sips instead of gulps. You can suck on ice as well.

Mouth watering (excessive salivation) can be a problem for pregnant women during the first trimester. Sometimes, nausea triggers excessive salivation, and sometimes, excessive salivation triggers nausea. Regardless of which comes first, this annoyance is usually gone by the third month. Some women find that sucking on a mint helps relieve salivation.

Go to Prenatal Care: Weight Gain & Other Changes, Fatigue & Morning Sickness, and Prenatal Care: Headaches and Dizziness