Avoid Water Retention With Proper Pregnancy Nutrition

One of the most common complaints of pregnancy is water retention, particularly in your third trimester. Changing your eating plan and incorporating rest and exercise into your routing during this last trimester can drastically change the amount of water you retain during these last few months. Let's begin with the nutritional changes you should make, and then progress to rest and exercise.

Water Retention and Your Diet

Water retention is your body's response to the hormonal changes of pregnancy. While it is not a serious complaint, it can be downright annoying, particularly in your last trimester when the size of your baby can restrict your movement.

Any additional water weight you carry can make you less inclined to rest comfortably, eat well, and take proper exercise. But one of the easiest ways to combat water retention is to watch your diet. If you consume processed foods, such as eating lunch meat while pregnant, you are ingesting large amounts of sodium as well as fillers and excess calories.

Get the Pregnancy Nutrition You Need Without Water Retention

Cut back on the amount of processed foods you eat and switch to lean sources of protein instead. For example, instead of having a chef salad for lunch, opt for grilled chicken on leafy greens, with a dressing of olive oil and lemon juice.

Eliminating wheat products as well as any food products containing gluten can help ease water retention. You may develop sensitivity to wheat or gluten during pregnancy even if you aren't normally allergic to these products.

Try replacing the carbohydrates in your diet with quinoa, millet, brown rice, and sweet potatoes. These carbs will help keep you feeling full without feeling bloated and will help ease any water retention issues you are facing.

Your water consumption is also crucial to combating water retention. Though it sounds counterintuitive to drink more water when you retain water, you need to flush that extra sodium and those impurities from your system.

If you are drinking decaffeinated sodas, cut them out of your diet altogether-they contain sodium as well. Make water your beverage of choice throughout your last trimester, especially if water retention is a key issue for you.

Beyond Nutrition: Rest and Exercise Are Important

During your third trimester, proper rest may be difficult to obtain but it's helpful in the fight against water retention. Try resting on your left side, which increases your blood flow to your heart, fetus, uterus, and kidneys.

Rest with your feet up, which helps to move your blood back up to your heart and circulate that excess fluid that makes your ankles swell. A body pillow can help you rest more comfortably, particularly at night, and they can be found at most stores that sell baby items.

Exercise is excellent for helping to eliminate water retention. Swimming, prenatal yoga, and walking are all great for helping you to stay fit while pregnant, and will help circulate your blood to eliminate excess fluid retention.

Rotate your ankles frequently, and if you sit or stand for long periods of time, take regular stretch breaks to keep the fluid in your body moving. Support hose are even a good idea if you are on your feet for long periods of time, as they can keep the blood and excess fluid from pooling in your ankles.

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