Constipation during pregnancy can be caused by the relaxation of progesterone which leads to slowing down the motion of food through the pregnant woman’s intestines. Constipation is not uncommon when you are pregnant but the chances of you being constipated increases I the following scenarios:
- You have a tendency to be constipated usually and you don’t consume enough fluid.
- Going through pregnancy sickness and eating as much as you eat usually becomes an issue for you.
- You are undergoing irritable bowel syndrome.
Keep in mind that Anemia might be another reason of your constipation and if you are using iron tablets to get rid of this, it might worsen your constipation. If you are avoiding exercise during pregnancy, your entire system will turn out to be unenergetic and in turn inactive. As you go further in your pregnancy , the baby’s size increase which puts pressure on your pelvic area, thus increasing the chance of constipation.
In case you are suffering from extreme constipation and facing problems while excreting, there is a high chance that you might get piles(hemorrhoids). Your condition will worsen with time if you continue to have constipation and so the sooner you handle this problem, the better.
No one in their right mind would want to undergo 9 months of misery because when you look back to your pregnancy you would want it to be a time when things were mostly hassle free. The following tips should help you in avoiding constipation:
- High fiber diet: Roughage i.e. food which contains a high amount of fiber will help the body in eliminating waste. Fresh fruits, veggies (both raw and cooked lightly), peas, beans, wholegrain cereals, breads, etc should be eaten. Avoid all the refined cereals, pasta, white bread and rice while you are in this diet. Also make sure that you drink lots of water every day, preferably around 1.5 liters.
- Exercise: During this period consult your local yoga teacher or a gym instructor and exercise as much as possible. Staying in and remaining inactive will only deter your condition. Exercises ranging from walking, slow jogging, swimming, gentle cycling to pregnancy exercise classes is bound to help you. Various yoga positions can keep constipation away from you . You could also try out pilates as they are known to tone your inner tummy muscles which helps in the motion of your bowels.
- Drinks to take and drinks to avoid: Cut out on drinks such as cola, coffee, tea as they have the reputation of dehydrating you and worsening your constipation. Insane amount of water, broth, juices(both fruit and vegetable) is your solution to avoid constipation. Also hot water with lemon should be consumed as they help in stimulating your peristalsis.
Suppose you are really unlucky and you get constipated during pregnancy. Then, what should you do? Worry not, the following tricks would help in easing your condition:
- You should start your day with a cup of warm water with a slice of lemon .
- Before each meal, make sure that you have fresh fruits like oranges, grapes and dried fruts such as apricots.
- Vegetables such as cabbage and spinach should be eaten and also beans, lentils and pulses should be consumed in adequate amounts.
If you are prescribed iron supplements, you should consult your doctor or midwife and ask them if another alternative is available because iron capsules are known to make one constipated. Other offbeat remedies like acupuncture, aromatherapy, homeopathy, osteopathy, reflexology are known to keep constipation at bay. Consult experts in these respective fields if you are thinking of trying any one of them. You can look into GutSupport.com if you have further queries regarding this.