La Croix is safe to drink during pregnancy. It contains only carbonated water and natural flavors, with no sugar, artificial sweeteners, caffeine, or sodium, so there’s nothing in its ingredient list that poses a known risk during pregnancy. That said, the carbonation can aggravate some of the digestive issues that already tend to flare up when you’re pregnant, so it’s worth understanding the details.
What’s Actually in La Croix
La Croix’s ingredient list is short: carbonated water and natural flavors. Under FDA regulations, “natural flavors” means flavoring compounds derived from real plant or animal sources like fruit, fruit juice, spices, herbs, bark, or roots. These are extracted through processes like distillation or roasting and are used in tiny amounts purely for taste, not nutrition. There are no pregnancy-specific warnings or contraindications associated with natural flavors as defined by the FDA.
Unlike some other sparkling drinks, La Croix contains no phosphoric acid, no added sugar, and no artificial sweeteners like aspartame or sucralose. This matters because phosphoric acid (found in colas) has been loosely linked to lower bone density, and artificial sweeteners are a common source of concern for pregnant women. La Croix sidesteps both issues entirely.
Carbonation and Pregnancy Digestion
The biggest practical consideration with La Croix during pregnancy isn’t the ingredients. It’s the bubbles. Carbonated water can cause gas and bloating in anyone, and pregnancy already slows digestion thanks to hormonal changes that relax smooth muscle tissue throughout your digestive tract. The combination can make discomfort worse.
If you’re dealing with heartburn or acid reflux, which affects a large percentage of pregnant women especially in the second and third trimesters, carbonation may aggravate it further. UChicago Medicine recommends that people with acid reflux or GERD switch from carbonated to non-carbonated beverages. Drinking through a straw can also increase gas and bloating, so sipping directly from the can is a better bet if you do choose sparkling water.
None of this makes La Croix unsafe. It just means that if you’re already battling pregnancy-related heartburn or bloating, you might find that flat water feels better. Some women tolerate carbonation fine throughout pregnancy, while others find it increasingly uncomfortable as the uterus grows and compresses the stomach.
Hydration During Pregnancy
Sparkling water hydrates about as well as flat water. Research confirms that carbonated water contributes meaningfully to your total daily fluid intake. During pregnancy, your fluid needs go up: the National Academy of Medicine recommends that women drink at least nine 8-ounce glasses of water per day, with more needed during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Your blood volume increases significantly when you’re pregnant, and staying well-hydrated supports amniotic fluid levels, nutrient delivery to the baby, and kidney function.
If La Croix helps you drink more water because you enjoy the taste, that’s a genuine benefit. Many pregnant women struggle with plain water, especially during the first trimester when nausea and taste aversions are common. Flavored sparkling water can make it easier to hit your daily fluid goals. Just don’t make it your only source of hydration. Experts advise mixing in plain water too, partly because the acidity of carbonated water (even unflavored) can affect tooth enamel over time if consumed in very large quantities.
Bone Health Is Not a Concern
You may have heard that carbonated drinks leach calcium from bones, which would be especially worrying during pregnancy when your body is building a fetal skeleton. This concern is largely a myth when it comes to plain sparkling water. Harvard Health reviewed the evidence and found that non-cola carbonated drinks show no association with lower bone mineral density. A clinical trial published in the British Journal of Nutrition compared postmenopausal women drinking a quart of carbonated mineral water daily to those drinking the same amount of flat mineral water. After eight weeks, there was no difference in markers of bone turnover between the two groups.
The bone density concerns apply specifically to cola, which contains phosphoric acid. La Croix does not contain phosphoric acid, so this issue doesn’t apply.
How Much Is Reasonable
There’s no established limit on how many cans of La Croix you can safely drink while pregnant. The practical ceiling is really about comfort: if you’re drinking several cans a day and noticing more bloating, gas, or reflux, cutting back will likely help. One to three cans a day is a reasonable range for most people, balanced with plain water to meet your total fluid needs.
If you’re choosing between La Croix and sugary sodas, juice drinks, or caffeinated beverages, La Croix is the better option by a wide margin. It gives you flavor and fizz without added sugar, caffeine, or anything else you’d need to track or limit during pregnancy.