I have this theory, based mostly just on my personal experience with pregnancy, that a lot of the avoidable problems and discomforts of pregnancy are related to excess weight gain or to dehydration.
Heartburn is a good example. When my week-to-week gain has been very high, I've been particularly bothered by heartburn. My two friends who gained 40 and 60 pounds while pregnant had a lot more heartburn. So while I certainly don't mind gaining weight while pregnant, I think pregnancy weight gain needs to be moderate for my non-heartburn comfort. I know not to eat less while pregnant (or nursing), but I'll go for another walk or otherwise add more light exercise.
One suggestion to stop preterm labor is to drink 2-3 glasses of water or juice. (The other tip is to lie down on your left side.) Pre-eclampsia (dangerous high blood pressure while pregnant, often resolved by delivering early) could also be related to hydration. My friend who delivered her first son when her prenatal appointment indicated pre-eclampsia said, Yes, actually, she was thirsty when she got to this appointment, and no, the hospital didn't offer her water while waiting to see if her blood pressure would go down. When I got the "we don't like your blood pressure" routine, I made myself much more comfortable (I went to the bathroom, then I drank 3 glasses of water and went again), sat still a few minutes more, and my blood pressure dropped dramatically. I'm sure all of what I did helped, but I think drinking water is the most overlooked simple resolution for blood pressure issues.
I also notice that I'm more likely to have heartburn or swelling when I'm dehydrated. So drink some more water already!
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