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In any case, you'll probably find yourself needing to get up increasingly often at night to urinate as your pregnancy progresses. The Institute of Medicine recommends that pregnant women drink 10 8-ounce cups of water or other beverages every day, more or less – whatever is enough that your urine looks pale yellow or clear, not dark yellow or cloudy.
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It's important for you to stay well hydrated. But make sure you don't go thirsty in the attempt to make bathroom visits less frequent. You can try drinking plenty of fluids during the day, then cutting back in the hours before you go to bed. (Keep fresh pads handy in your purse or diaper bag.) How can I avoid waking up at night to pee? (Make Kegels a lifelong habit!)Īnd if need be, wear a mini pad or panty liner to catch any leaks. It's a good idea to begin Kegel exercises early in pregnancy and continue them postpartum. And remember to empty your bladder before exercising.ĭoing Kegel exercises, which strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor, can also help minimize stress incontinence and make it easier to recover from childbirth. You may be able to prevent it somewhat by not letting your bladder get too full, so don't ignore the urge to pee. This is called "stress urinary incontinence," and it's most likely to happen in your third trimester or in the postpartum period. Why do I leak urine when I sneeze or laugh?īoth the pressure of your uterus on your bladder and weak pelvic floor muscles may cause you to leak urine when you cough, laugh, sneeze, lift heavy objects, or do certain types of exercise, like jogging.
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Waiting can actually weaken your pelvic floor muscles in the long run. Go to the bathroom as soon as you feel the need. When you pee, lean forward to empty your bladder completely.ĭon't hold it. (Alcohol is also a diuretic.)Įmpty your bladder. Don't drink coffee, tea, or certain carbonated drinks (like soda) because these are all diuretics, meaning they increase urine production and make you need to pee more often. But these tips may limit the number of times you need to visit the bathroom: Needing to urinate often is an unavoidable fact of life for most pregnant women. How can I avoid having to urinate so frequently during pregnancy? Several studies have shown that the need to urinate frequently tends to increase as pregnancy progresses, particularly for women who have been pregnant before.
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Some pregnancy books say you'll begin to feel relief early in your second trimester as your uterus rises out of your pelvis, but research doesn't support this theory. Yes – needing to pee more often is one of the most common early signs of pregnancy, and it usually starts about six weeks into your first trimester. Is frequent urination an early sign of pregnancy? Frequent urination during pregnancy Why do I have to urinate so frequently during pregnancy?įrequent urination during pregnancy is often caused by pregnancy hormones, an increase in the amount and speed of blood circulating through your body, and your growing uterus.
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