вЂњItвЂ™s also a rough indicator of the babyвЂ™s health status.вЂќДЄmniotic fluid levels are assessed during routine ultrasounds. вЂњAmniotic fluid provides protection, cushioning and a nice, warm environment for the baby to thrive and grow,вЂќ says Kenneth Lim, head of maternal fetal medicine at BC WomenвЂ™s Hospital in Vancouver. Instead of spending her third trimester wrapping up things at the office, browsing for baby gear in boutiques and going for long walks on the beach with her husband, Feeney worked remotely, shopped online and went to the hospital two or three times a week for monitoring. HELLP Syndrome: A rare, scary pregnancy illness you should know about Limiting caffeine toВ 200 to 300 mg a day is the recommendation during pregnancy.) It was FeeneyвЂ™s personal choice to cut coffee altogether. (Drinking a normal amount of water per day-eight glasses-is fine during pregnancy. From that moment on, Feeney says she set a goal for herself of drinking 20 glasses of water a day, and she gave up her morning coffee. But Feeney was immediately put on modified bed rest and urged to drink lots of water to help build up her fluid. Upon checking, the babyвЂ™s heart rate was fine and she was moving normally. вЂњI was wondering, Is it something I did? Is it because I have a cup of coffee a day?вЂќ

вЂњIt was stressful and I had a million questions,вЂќ says the Ottawa mom, who was living in Vancouver at the time. If the results were abnormal, she was warned she may need an emergency C-section. When the ultrasound showed FeeneyвЂ™s amniotic fluid was dangerously low, she was quickly given a non-stress test to check on the babyвЂ™s movement and heart rate.

She went to the hospital for the scan on her lunch break the day she was training her maternity leave replacement, but didnвЂ™t return to the office. At her 30-week prenatal checkup, Ali FeeneyвЂ™s belly was measuring small, so her obstetrician sent her for an ultrasound.

Real amniotic fluid