How to Relieve Constipation in Pregnancy?

How to Relieve Constipation in Pregnancy?

Did you know that constipation is a very common problem that pregnant women face? While on one hand you urinate frequently, on the other hand passing feces is nothing short of an ordeal for many women through pregnancy. Claim Your 20 Free Pregnancy Tests – Click Here

In fact, more than fifty percent of the women who are pregnant have to suffer with constipation at some point during the pregnancy or the other. The reason behind this is the pressure on the intestines because of the growing baby. As the pressure increases, the passing of the waste becomes difficult. As the baby grows, pressure on the bladder increases manifold and this can worsen your problems.

What to do to avoid constipation during pregnancy

The good news is that you can actually avoid constipation during pregnancy or at least relieve it considerably. You need to monitor what you eat and you need to be active through your pregnancy. If you can do that, you can be sure that constipation won’t bother you as much as it does other women. Here are a few tips for you to relieve constipation during pregnancy.

Your diet should be rich in fiber

Include whole grains, fruits, and vegetables in your diet. These will help you significantly. If you eat fibrous foods, you will give your body and the baby all the required vitamins and that will help you a lot. Dietary fiber also helps you maintain colon health.

This is very important if you want to ease the constipation problem. You should talk to your doctor if you are not able to get enough fiber from your diet. He will prescribe prenatal fiber supplements for you. These will help you in more ways than just one.

Keep a track of your fluid intake

Along with following a healthy diet you should keep track of your fluid intake. Drink plenty of water throughout the day. In fact, it is recommended that you always have a bottle of water with you so that you keep sipping it regularly.

You will need at least ten cups per day. The more water you consume, the better for you. It may make you urinate a lot but it will also relieve constipation significantly because it will soften the stools. Soft stools are easier to pass through the digestive tract and out of our body.

You should never be inactive during pregnancy

You may feel tired but that shouldn’t make you lethargic. You should try staying as active as possible so as to relieve constipation and also to avoid in the near future. Go for a walk, join an aerobics class, or go swimming. These physical activities will stimulate your bowels and help you pass waste with considerable ease. If you are worried about the exercises you may perform during pregnancy, talk to your doctor for help.

Take vitamins

For some people, constipation may occur because of the intake of iron supplements as a side effect. If that is the reason why you are suffering with constipation, you should take vitamins, which don’t contain too much iron. Your doctor will help you out with this.

Take stool softeners

If you are not able to relieve constipation at all, you could take stool softeners. A stool softener should only be used after the recommendation of your doctor. The softener will help in moistening the feces so that it passes without you having too strain much.

Remember also, the constipation problems will be relieved upon birth. So there is a light at the end of the tunnel!

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Dr. Christine Lee, MD
Dr. Christine Lee, MD | ConceiveEasy
Dr. Christine Lee earned her Ph.D. in Developmental Biology and Master of Science in Biomolecular Organization. Dr. Lee is Lab Director for ConceiveEasy and is board certified as a High Complexity Laboratory Director (HCLD).

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