I’m great about hydrating during the summer months.  And I’m great about hydrating when I’m exercise frequently.  Now that it’s the middle of January and I’m 5 months pregnant, however, hydration seems to be a bit more challenging.

More often than not, if I’m not making a concerted effort to drink more H2O, I completely forget… and find find myself smacking my dry lips come dinnertime.

Read my easy hydration tips after the jump!

Drink First Thing. I’ve realized that I’ve got to trigger my thirst — or otherwise, it never really shows up!  I drink a big glass of water first thing in the morning, before I eat breakfast.

Skip The Ice. I drink my water at room temperature for two reasons.  First, I find that I naturally shy away from drinking icy water in the winter months; if it’s cold, I drink much less.  Second, my husband, who is an Oriental medicine physician and an acupuncturist, says that room temperature water is easier on the body — colder water is a big shock.  So room temp it is!

Keep It Visible. I invested in a pretty (and sturdy!) 32-ounce water bottle, and now I’m much more likely to drink water.  After drinking my first big glass in the morning, I fill up my bottle and keep in on my desk.  If it’s there, I’ll drink it.  And I don’t have to worry about knocking over a glass and frying my keyboard since the lid is so secure!

Make It Tasty. Think beyond lemon — I love to add crushed raspberries or slices of cucumber to my bottle water.  It gives the water a wonderful natural flavoring and motivates me to sip more often.

Try It Fizzy. We own a little machine that turns regular filtered water into sparkling water by injecting it with carbon dioxide… with just a push of a button.  Although the machines are pricey, they definitely earn their keep after a few months; plus, it’s much better for the environment than buying individual cans of seltzer water.

Track Your Intake. If list-making and goal-achieving appeals to your inner Type A dork, set up a system that allows you to count — and reward — yourself for drinking water.  Whether you move pennies from one side of your desk to the other, add rubber bands to your wrist, or make stars on a Post-It note, make drinking 6 – 8 glasses of water fun.  Once you’re done with water, ‘treat’ yourself to another special beverage, like hot cocoa or tea.

Caitlin also blogs at Healthy Tipping Point and Operation Beautiful.

Thanks very much to Brita for sponsoring this post. Check out more posts in this campaign.

Also on Babble: 10 healthy snacks to eat during pregnancy

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