Most pregnant women are aware of the importance of drinking water during pregnancy. Water is healthy for both mom and baby in many ways. However, some people have a concern about their drinking water. News coverage of contaminated wells and chemicals in water cause women to worry about the safety of their water supply.
If you have any concerns, have your water tested. You can find independent testing labs in the phone book or online. It’s not really possible to test for the many hundreds, if not thousands of contaminants that can be in water. You can have it tested for the most common or most dangerous ones.
There may be good reason for health concerns with well water. Well water is not treated and it’s up to you to be sure it’s safe. In addition to pollutants, well water can contain bacteria. These can make you and baby sick. You should have your well water tested every year.
If your water is from a municipal supply, there may be chemicals in the water. The chlorine and other chemicals may be just as dangerous, if not more dangerous than the water prior to treatment. You will smell these chemicals in the water.
Filtration systems are great for removing chlorine. You can get a system for the kitchen sink or the whole house. You or your partner can install a system on the kitchen sink. If you want a whole house filtration system, you may need a professional to install it.
Some pregnant women prefer to drink bottled water. There is some controversy about whether this is any better than tap water. If nothing else, you know that it’s free of bacteria and any chemicals have been filtered out. Our family drinks only bottled water, since our supply comes from a private well. However you get your water, be sure to drink plenty of it every day.
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