Pregnant wife has been quite dehydrated this week -- how dangerous is this for the baby?

concerned father wrote:

I really should have taken her to the hospital.

You didn't do that, now you are asking these questions here? You aren't the first couple this has happened to and the baby's have been fine but go talk to someone who is professional.

Man, go see the Doctor. If you have to get another opinion. Go do it.

Keep getting opinions until you are satisfied. Get a plan in place if she get sick again and follow it to the tee.

I wish you all the best, but the first thing you should do is ask professionals and talk to them face to face instead of here.

Don't beat yourself up, you can't redo what happened but you can make sure you it doesn't happen again.

This is true. But people sometimes surprise me here with their depth of knowledge on such topics. The doctor told my wife this morning that things sound fine, but that dehydration CAN potentially lead to some distress with the unborn. Maybe I'm just coming here to talk about it -- therapeutic in a way?

I certainly would never dream of putting all (or any) of my eggs in the basket of LRC for medical advice. But, there ARE some great insights to be gained from people who've gone through similar things. There's something nice about asking non-medical professionals about their experience.

Short-term limited episodes are not good, but usually aren't catastrophic. As the fetus ages and grows, having sufficient amniotic fluid for cushion becomes important. Your baby is still early, so not as big of a deal unless it becomes a chronic or repeated thing.

My wife's cousin delivered 4 weeks early, mostly because she refused to drink appropriate amounts of water and had lots of sugary caffeinated soda. Essentially this woman lives in a constant state of minor dehydration. When she delivered, she had almost no fluid surrounding her baby, and the child was in the hospital for 4 weeks before coming home. After the delivery, hydration is still important if you intend to breastfeed. My wife's cousin couldn't even though she wanted to because of her own crap choices.

a single suggestion: watermelon, copious amounts throughout the day

concerned father wrote:

Maybe I'm just coming here to talk about it -- therapeutic in a way?

Understandable. I just get freaked out when people ask about medical and financial issues here because.....well I'm sure you've seen some of the things that worry me.

One thing I learned with anything medical, never be afraid to get another opinion. If your doctor is confident and good, he or she won't mind and will understand.

You are the one that's worried and it's Your family so take care and insist on the best for them. Getting other opinions will either confirm you have a Doc you can trust or may need another.

Best of luck.

First off. ALWAYS ERROR ON THE SIDE OF CAUTION!! Take her to the hospital if it's even a question.

Things like this are generally more dangerous to your wife then the baby. Babies are a perfect parasite, and they will get the nutrients, hydration.... they need first. Your wife's body will start to shut non vital function down at 2% dehydration and will sacrifice muscle function for temperature regulation every time. This can lead to falls, fainting etc... and in extreme cases renal failure and that's dangerous to your wife and the baby. Next time take her in, a few IV bags later she'll feel like a million bucks again.

Good luck with your coming addition!

It's kind of weird that you distinguish who you are more concerned for

Ginger is a natural way to fight nausea -- ginger ale (with real ginger, read the label), ginger lozenges, ginger tea. You may have to go to Whole Foods to get these things. Also, sea bands, those accupressure bracelets that are sold for sea sickness, can help too. I think they sell those at Whole Foods as well.

Next time this happens take her to the ER for an IV. Hopefully there won't be a next time.

renewed marathoner wrote:

It's kind of weird that you distinguish who you are more concerned for

Not really. One seems far more vulnerable than the other.

Had the same problem. wrote:

First off. ALWAYS ERROR ON THE SIDE OF CAUTION!! Take her to the hospital if it's even a question.

Things like this are generally more dangerous to your wife then the baby. Babies are a perfect parasite, and they will get the nutrients, hydration.... they need first. Your wife's body will start to shut non vital function down at 2% dehydration and will sacrifice muscle function for temperature regulation every time. This can lead to falls, fainting etc... and in extreme cases renal failure and that's dangerous to your wife and the baby. Next time take her in, a few IV bags later she'll feel like a million bucks again.

Good luck with your coming addition!

Thanks Boss!

RunWrite wrote:

Ginger is a natural way to fight nausea -- ginger ale (with real ginger, read the label), ginger lozenges, ginger tea. You may have to go to Whole Foods to get these things. Also, sea bands, those accupressure bracelets that are sold for sea sickness, can help too. I think they sell those at Whole Foods as well.

Next time this happens take her to the ER for an IV. Hopefully there won't be a next time.

Thanks a million

Thanks to everyone who gave some kind advice -- much appreciated!

That's understandable. Perhaps I misinterpreted that you cared about one more than the other, which put me off. I'm glad that isn't the case.

Bro', you were right to not take here to a doctor and to come here instead (don't listen to the other clowns on here. The internet has all the answers you need). The Mainstream Medical Establishment kills way more people than they help. Their goal is to keep you sick, so they can get more $. If you're healthy, they're out of a job.

I suggest talking to some of the trainers at your local X-Fit box. Many have certs in wellness, nutrition, medicine, etc. They will steer you straight and actually try and make your wife better. The first step is of course to get her to stop eating carbs (very dehydrating $hit), and up her red meat and overall protein consumption. Cavemen never got dehydrated or got morning sickness (google it) and is this how they rolled. And then get her on some deadlifts stat, that will pump her immune system.

Listen to me and she'll be fine. Listen to the other clowns and.....well, don't make me say it.

Your welcome,

Cult-Fit-Maniac

This is very dangerous for both. Is your wife gaining enough weight? Is the baby at a normal size for his age? If she has been having issues, she should be monitored often. Also, trust her instincts. If she feels something is not right, please call your doctor ASAP.

This year I lost my baby at 16 weeks. Everything was normal and at the first trimester scan the doctor joked that I was her healthiest patient, even if skinny. But it never felt right to me. I was extremely tired (I mean, hard to get up from the couch to do basic things, and I'm usually VERY active) and I had a hard time gaining weight. Then it just unraveled. One morning, in the 16th week, I felt particularly bad. I forced myself to take a shower to "wake up" but after I got dressed I started losing (a lot of) blood and collapsed. I was lucky that my partner was working from home, a very rare occurrence, so he was able to call 911.

They did some tests afterward and baby (boy) was normal. Doctors can't explain what happened.