How Much Water Should a Pregnant Woman Drink: Daily Plans
Most pregnant women should drink 8 to 12 cups of water a day, which is 64 to 96 ounces or about 1.9 to 2.8 liters. Heat and long activity push you to the top of it. The range is from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), and the National Academies give a matching figure in liters.
Below are seven day plans with clock times in ounces and milliliters, and the signs that mean you call your OB or midwife. Written by Mustafa Tarabya, founder of DT Nova, the studio that makes WaterDrop.
Medical note: This page is general information, not advice for your pregnancy. Some conditions change the number: heart or kidney disease, high blood pressure, gestational diabetes or severe vomiting. If you have one, or your care team has told you to limit or raise fluids, their number replaces every number here. Ask them first.
The official numbers, in cups and liters
ACOG answers the question in one line: "During pregnancy you should drink 8 to 12 cups (64 to 96 ounces) of water every day" (ACOG, Ask ACOG). Its pregnancy nutrition guide adds the how: "Drink throughout the day, not just when you are thirsty" (ACOG, Healthy Eating During Pregnancy).
The National Academies report on water gives pregnancy "3.0 L/day of total water", food included. Of that, "approximately 2.3 L" comes from drinks (National Academies, Dietary Reference Intakes for Water, chapter 4). That is about 78 ounces, or close to 10 cups.
| Source | Daily figure | What it counts |
|---|---|---|
| ACOG | 8 to 12 cups (64 to 96 oz) | Water |
| National Academies | about 2.3 L from drinks | All drinks, including water |
| National Academies | 3.0 L total water | Drinks plus water in food |
Conversions on this page use 1 cup = 8 fl oz and 1 fl oz = 29.57 ml.
- 7:00 a.m., on waking: 8 oz (237 ml)
- 8:00 a.m., with breakfast: 8 oz (237 ml)
- 10:00 a.m.: 8 oz (237 ml)
- 11:30 a.m.: 8 oz (237 ml)
- 12:30 p.m., with lunch: 8 oz (237 ml)
- 2:00 p.m.: 8 oz (237 ml)
- 3:30 p.m.: 8 oz (237 ml)
- 5:00 p.m.: 8 oz (237 ml)
- 6:30 p.m., with dinner: 8 oz (237 ml)
- 8:00 p.m.: 8 oz (237 ml)
Total: 80 oz (about 2,366 ml). That is 10 cups, the midpoint of ACOG's 8 to 12, and close to the National Academies' 2.3 L from drinks.
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Why the two numbers look different
They are closer than they look. ACOG counts cups of water. The National Academies count every drink, then add the water in your food. Milk, soup and fruit sit in the second number, not the first.
Your aunt has a number. The pregnancy forum has a number. The bottle on your counter has "you've got this" printed at the 2 p.m. line. It is a bottle. Use ACOG's range and let your clinician adjust it.
For the full non-pregnant baseline, see how much water you should drink a day.
Plans for the days pregnancy actually has
First trimester with nausea
For morning sickness, the NHS says "sipping them little and often may help prevent vomiting" (NHS, vomiting and morning sickness). Small and frequent beats big and rare.
- Every 45 minutes from 7:00 a.m. to 6:15 p.m.: 4 oz (118 ml)
- Clock times: 7:00, 7:45, 8:30, 9:15, 10:00, 10:45, 11:30, 12:15, 1:00, 1:45, 2:30, 3:15, 4:00, 4:45, 5:30, 6:15
- If plain water is the problem, try sparkling water or a slice of lemon or lime, as the NHS suggests
Total: 16 sips of 4 oz = 64 oz (about 1,892 ml), the bottom of ACOG's range.
Second trimester, at a desk
- 7:00 a.m., at home: 8 oz (237 ml)
- 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.: first bottle, 24 oz (710 ml)
- 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.: refill, 24 oz (710 ml)
- 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.: refill, 24 oz (710 ml)
Total: 80 oz (about 2,366 ml), 10 cups. Three refills, and the refill times are the reminder.
Third trimester, when nights get broken
If night bathroom trips are breaking your sleep, move the cups earlier. The day's total stays the same.
- 6:30 a.m.: 12 oz (355 ml)
- 9:00 a.m.: 16 oz (473 ml)
- 11:30 a.m.: 12 oz (355 ml)
- 1:00 p.m., with lunch: 12 oz (355 ml)
- 3:00 p.m.: 12 oz (355 ml)
- 5:00 p.m.: 8 oz (237 ml)
- 6:30 p.m., with dinner: 8 oz (237 ml)
- After 7:00 p.m.: sips only when thirsty
Total: 80 oz (about 2,366 ml), 10 cups, with 52 oz done by 1:00 p.m.
A hot day or a long walk
The NHS says you may need more fluid if you are "in a hot environment" or "physically active for long periods" (NHS). That is the day for the top of ACOG's range.
- The 10-cup day above: 80 oz (about 2,366 ml)
- 8 oz (237 ml) before a 30-minute walk
- 8 oz (237 ml) after the walk
Total: 96 oz (about 2,839 ml), 12 cups. Anything beyond this is a question for your OB or midwife, not for a chart.
What counts toward the cups
Water counts, and so does sparkling water. The NHS lists water and lower-fat milk among the drinks that "all count as part of your daily intake" (NHS).
Coffee needs one limit. ACOG says "moderate caffeine consumption (less than 200 milligrams per day) does not cause miscarriage or preterm birth."
ACOG adds that this is "the amount in one 12-ounce cup of coffee" (ACOG, coffee in pregnancy). The same page notes caffeine "also can increase urination". Tea, chocolate and soda carry caffeine too. The full drink-by-drink answer is in does coffee count as water.
- 7:30 a.m.: one 12 oz coffee (355 ml), your caffeine for the day
- 9:00 a.m. to 6:20 p.m.: eight glasses of water, 8 oz (237 ml) each, about every 80 minutes
- 7:30 p.m.: 4 oz (118 ml) water
Total: 80 oz (about 2,366 ml) of fluid, 68 oz of it water. If you also drink tea or soda, check their caffeine against the same 200 mg.
After birth: breastfeeding
The need goes up again. For lactation the National Academies give "3.8 L/day of total water", with "approximately 3.1 L" as drinks (National Academies, chapter 4). That is about 105 oz.
- 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.: one 8 oz glass (237 ml) about every 75 minutes, 13 glasses
- Keep a full glass where you usually sit to feed, so the next one is already poured
- Night feeds: drink to thirst, not to a target
Total: 104 oz (about 3,075 ml), 13 cups, close to the 3.1 L figure.
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Signs you are behind, and when to call
NHS dehydration symptoms include "feeling thirsty", "dark yellow, strong-smelling pee", "peeing less often than usual" and "feeling dizzy or lightheaded" (NHS, dehydration). Drink, then watch whether they settle.
The NHS pregnancy advice: call if you "have very dark-coloured urine or have not had a pee in more than 8 hours". The same goes if you "are unable to keep food or fluids down for 24 hours" (NHS). Do not wait those out.
Tracking it without making it a job
A reminder helps most when it knows when to stop. WaterDrop reminds you only inside your waking hours, resets when you log, and goes quiet once you reach your goal.
There is no pregnancy mode: you set the goal yourself, anywhere from 34 to 135 oz, so ACOG's 64 to 96 fits. More setups are in how to remember to drink water and on the WaterDrop page.
Questions people ask
Does coffee count towards water intake?
Yes, a coffee counts toward your fluid for the day, but pregnancy adds a caffeine limit. ACOG puts moderate caffeine at less than 200 milligrams a day, about one 12-ounce cup of coffee. Count that cup, then get the rest from water and other caffeine-free drinks, and remember tea, chocolate and soda carry caffeine too.
Can you drink La Croix while pregnant?
Plain sparkling water counts as fluid the same way still water does. The NHS suggests it for anyone who dislikes the taste of water. Check the can for caffeine and added sweeteners, since ACOG's 200 mg caffeine limit covers every drink. If you are unsure about an ingredient, show the can to your OB or midwife.
What are some signs of dehydration?
The NHS lists feeling thirsty, a headache or light-headedness, dark yellow and strong-smelling pee, peeing less often, dizziness, tiredness, a dry mouth and sunken eyes. In pregnancy, call your midwife or doctor for very dark urine, no pee in 8 hours, or keeping nothing down for 24 hours.
Why is it so important to stay hydrated during pregnancy?
Water does real work in pregnancy. ACOG says it "aids digestion and helps form the amniotic fluid around the fetus", and that it helps nutrients circulate and waste leave the body. That is why ACOG asks you to drink through the day rather than waiting for thirst to remind you.
How much water should I drink a day while breastfeeding?
The National Academies set breastfeeding at 3.8 liters of total water a day. About 3.1 liters of it, roughly 13 cups or 105 ounces, comes from drinks. Spread it from morning to evening, keep a glass where you feed, and ask your clinician if you have a condition that limits fluids.
Sources
- ACOG, Ask ACOG
- ACOG, Healthy Eating During Pregnancy
- ACOG, coffee in pregnancy
- National Academies, chapter 4
- NHS
- NHS, dehydration
- NHS
Guides
- Choosing a water reminder app for iPhoneHow to pick the best water reminder app for iPhone: ratings measured on the App Store today, plus the six things that decide whether you keep using it.
- Does coffee count as water intake?Yes, coffee counts toward your daily water. The evidence, the caffeine limit, a verdict for every order from black to bulletproof, and seven counted days.
- How much water should I drink a day?How much water should you drink a day? The intakes health bodies publish, in litres and ounces, why 8 glasses is a rule of thumb, and when to drink more.
- How to remember to drink waterTie water to cues you already have, then add reminders that stop when you are done. Eight setups with times and amounts: cues, Siri, bottle, app.