Is Filtered Water a Better Choice during Pregnancy?
Growing a tiny human for nine months is no small job. In fact, growing a baby requires a massive amount of metabolic and physical effort. Nutrition from food, essential vitamins, minerals and hydration levels all play a role in sustaining and developing the fetus. If you’re reading this and you’re pregnant — congratulations! It’s now time to start thinking about all the things your body needs: folic acid, the right foods, and of course, water! You may have wondered on several occasions, perhaps even before you were pregnant, whether filtered water would be better for your health. Now that you have someone else to think about growing inside of you, that question may have resurfaced and got you thinking again.
Why is water important during pregnancy?
Water is sometimes easy to overlook, but it plays a vital role in supporting both you and your developing baby during pregnancy. Australian health authorities recommend drinking eight to twelve cups of water each day, which is a little more than the usual daily amount for those who are not pregnant. This extra water helps your body adjust to the changes of pregnancy, such as increasing blood volume, building the placenta, and maintaining healthy amniotic fluid levels. Staying well hydrated can also help ease some of the common discomforts that may arise during this time.
Keeping up with your fluid intake helps your body regulate temperature, which is especially important as many women notice feeling warmer during pregnancy. Swelling in the ankles and feet can also occur, and drinking enough water may help by supporting your body’s natural balance and reducing sodium levels. Adequate hydration can make a difference in preventing constipation and lowering the risk of urinary tract infections by helping flush bacteria from the urinary system. Because dehydration can be more serious during pregnancy, making sure you drink enough water is an important step for both your health and your baby’s.
What contaminants could be in my normal tap water?
During pregnancy, it’s common to become more mindful of what you are exposed to in your environment. You may already be taking steps to avoid certain foods like soft cheeses, deli meats, and unpasteurised dairy to reduce the risk of Listeria, or steering clear of raw eggs and high-mercury fish. Limiting caffeine, avoiding alcohol and smoking, and being careful with household products are all part of looking after your health and your baby’s well-being. This increased awareness often extends to the water you drink, too.
Australian tap water is disinfected with chlorine to remove bacteria and viruses from the water to make it safe enough to drink. Unfortunately, standard levels of chlorine don’t kill Giardia cysts or Cryptosporidium Oocytes. These are hard-shelled, microscopic bacteria that can be found in water sources, causing gastrointestinal illness, which can be more harmful to pregnant individuals.
WFA water filters use mechanical filtration to remove chlorine and other contaminants, including cysts and oocysts, from your drinking water. This process can improve both the taste and smell of your water. Importantly, these filters are designed to retain beneficial minerals such as calcium, fluoride, and magnesium, so you continue to receive the nutrients your body needs.
Using a WFA water filter can help provide peace of mind that your drinking water is free from chlorine and other unwanted contaminants, supporting the health of both you and your baby.
Where your water comes from plays a part
WFA water filters are also effective at removing heavy metals that may enter your drinking water from household plumbing. Over time, older pipes and fittings can release metals such as lead and copper into the water supply. The source of your water, whether it is from a town supply, dam, bore, or rainwater tank, can also influence the types of contaminants present, including microplastics, chemicals, and pesticides. Using a filter is a practical way to help ensure your drinking water is as safe as possible for you and your family.
Feeding your baby
Water plays an important role not only in pregnancy, but also after as well. Some people will choose to breastfeed, while others may choose to bottle-feed using formula. Whichever path you choose, water is important in both cases. Breast milk production relies heavily on your body’s fluid content. Not to mention that every time you breastfeed, it will feel like your mouth is as dry as the Sahara Desert, so it’s always good to have a bottle of water within arm’s reach when feeding your baby. Water is also required for formula-fed babies. Boiling water removes germs from the water, but it doesn’t remove heavy metals, chemicals or microplastics, so boiling filtered water is even better than boiling unfiltered water.
Water in the younger years
Once your little one is six months old, they’re allowed to start drinking water. Like many of us, we only want the best and the safest options for our children, so using filtered water may even then sound more appealing than tap water. Younger children are more susceptible to contaminants that can be in unfiltered water because of their developing bodies and because they tend to drink more water than adults relative to their body weight. You can read more about the benefits of filtered drinking water here.
Quality water matters
Drinking quality water is important not only for you and your health, but your baby’s health as well while they’re in the womb, and of course, once they’re out of it. When it comes to keeping your children the safest and the healthiest they can be, quality water does matter.
Water Filters Australia supplies premium inline water filters online from our Australian distribution centre. Manufactured in the United States to strict standards, all systems are WaterMark certified, and we offer a full range of certified replacement cartridges.
If you would like to learn more about providing quality water for your family, contact our team to help with personalised advice on the best system for your home.
Buy Water Filter Systems
& Water Filters Online
Inline Water Filter System
$346.84 - No separate tap or drilling needed
- Connects inline to cold-water hose
- No plumber needed
- 4x faster than traditional systems
- Lasts a family of 4 for 1 year
Bathroom Vanity Filter System
$240.90 - Compact for en suite bathrooms
- Space required 335mm x 225mm
- Mounts vertically or horizontally
- Works with your existing tap
- Protects tap from limescale build-up
Dedicated Filter Tap System
$394.8 - Ideal if you like a separate filter tap
- Mount filter vertically or horizontally
- Filter lasts 12 months
- Same great taste
Replacement Filter Cartridges
From $69.76- WFA & Everpure cartridges
- Omnifilter cartridges
- Rainwater cartridges
- Fridge cartridges
Water Filters for Your RV
From $163.89- Easy installation
- Choice of three systems
- Significantly cheaper than bottled water
- Durable & long lasting
- Space saving
Counter Top System & Filter Taps
From $71- Ideal solution for people on the move
- No plumbing required
- Chrome plated
- Lever operation
- Suitable for WFA Filter Systems
WFA Replacement Cartridges
From $69.76 - Inhibits lime scale build up in water using appliances
- Environmentally friendly
- Removes particles 75 times smaller than the diameter of a hair
Rain Water Filters
From $37.01 - Ideal screen filter for sediment particles in excess of 80 microns.
- Typically used for filtration before or after a rainwater tank pump
RV & Marine Cartridges
From $69.76- Compact size
- Quick change cartridge – DIY
- Compatible with all Everpure ADC filter installations
Everpure
From $120.45OUT OF STOCK
- The Everpure 7CB5-K cartridge filters out particles between 1 and 5 microns in size. By way of comparison, the diameter of human hair is 75 microns.
- Contaminants reduced/removed include sediment, chlorine, bad tastes and odours.
- The filtration process also inhibits limescale build up in water using appliances.
Omnifilter
From $36.93- The 1100R is the half micron ‘quick change’ replacement cartridge and is recommended for use with the Omnifilter CBF2 water filter system.
- Removes/reduces the following contaminants and substances; cysts such as giardia and cryptosporidium, chlorine, bad tastes and odours.
Fridge Filter Cartridges
From $82.48- Contaminants removed include chlorine, bad tastes and odours with some sediment removal/reduction.
- The cartridge inlet and outlet include ¼” ‘push fit’ connection fittings.
- Environmentally friendly, reducing plastic bottle waste.
Specials
From $66.97- A 2 year supply*. Receive a reminder notification to change to your second cartridge.
- Larger quantities purchased receive a larger discount.
News & Articles
Is Filtered Water a Better Choice during Pregnancy?
During pregnancy, staying hydrated is more important than ever, but does the quality of your drinking water matter too? Discover how filtered water can help reduce unwanted contaminants, support healthy hydration during pregnancy, and provide quality drinking water for you and your growing family.
Water Filter vs Water Purifier: What’s the Difference and Which Do You Need?
Two products can sound almost identical while doing very different jobs. For example, the terms water filter and water purifier are often used interchangeably, but they actually don’t mean the same thing. And this can cause some confusion for consumers trying to make the best possible choice for their home, office or caravan.
Pets Need Clean Water Too: The Benefits of Filtered Water for Your Furry Friends
The average dog or cat will drink thousands of bowls of water over its lifetime. Pets are family, and many owners will spend hours carefully choosing the best food and bedding for them. But what about hydration? Water is just as essential for animals as it is for humans. And when it’s filtered, it’s cleaner and tastes better.