During your exciting journey of motherhood, you may face some unpleasant experiences like pregnancy constipation. Stop worrying about this condition! Because some simple strategies and lifestyle changes can help you relieve pregnancy constipation. Also during this critical period consider reaching out to healthcare professionals to get treatment for your condition, they will suggest you some medications that may help you a lot. Likewise, typically post-pregnancy, this issue will resolve automatically.

What is constipation?

Having constipation is nothing but an individual feeling difficult to poop or have a bowel movement. Typically, it occurs when the food that an individual’s body no longer needs, which is waste, gets hardened in the lower part of the digestive tract instead of moving out as a stool. The majority of the population will experience this unpleasant situation, and it is even more common during pregnancy. After several hormonal changes a woman will get pregnant, these changes will easily pave the way for constipation.

In which phase of pregnancy, will constipation occur?

When the hormones in a woman’s body start to support their pregnancy, they may start to feel constipated. Typically, these changes will take place in the second or third trimester of the pregnancy.

Almost 16 to 39% of women will experience constipation at some point during their pregnancy. As mentioned above, this condition mostly occurs in the third trimester, which is when the fetus becomes heavy and adds the most pressure on your bowel. Also, you need to understand that constipation can occur in all three trimesters, in some cases, women will continue to experience this even after the delivery up to three months, then you should consider taking possible steps to relieve pregnancy constipation.

Can pregnant women push harder to poop?

Pregnant women should avoid pushing too hard while pooping. Excessive straining can add more pressure on the pelvic floor muscles and abdomen, which results in hemorrhoids, pelvic discomfort, or even surges in the risk of complications, notably in later periods of pregnancy.

Constipation is quite normal during pregnancy due to changes in hormones, iron supplements, and the growing uterus pressing on the intestines. Pregnant women can try alternate methods instead of straining, like:

Consuming more water to keep stools softer.
Following diets rich in fiber like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
Engaging in pregnancy-safe exercises
Use a footstool when pooping to enhance bowel movement
Reach out to the doctor if constipation becomes severe

Simply, if you are struggling with constipation, try to make lifestyle changes rather than straining to relieve pregnancy constipation.

Does pregnancy constipation affect the baby?

Pregnancy constipation doesn’t directly affect the baby but greatly causes discomfort for the expectant mother. Hormonal fluctuations, prenatal vitamins, and the growing uterus pressing on the intestines can slow down digestion, resulting in constipation. This doesn’t harm the babies directly, but excessive straining can result in hemorrhoids, and bloating, making pregnancy more uncomfortable.

If you feel like your constipation is getting worse. Reach out to the best gynecology hospital in Coimbatore to get the desired results. Keeping digestion smooth ensures a more comfortable pregnancy for you and your baby. Pregnant women do not need to worry about this constipation because it is not generally harmful to them or their baby, moreover, typically this pregnancy constipation will resolve after three months of delivery.

What’s the best position to poop when constipated?

The finest position to poop, especially when constipated, includes a squatting position or a modified position of it. Sitting with your knees higher than your hips is simply like using a stool under your feet, which is similar to the squatting position. This greatly assists in straightening the rectum and relaxes the puborectalis muscle, making it difficult to pass the stool without straining.

Further, slightly leaning in front when sitting on the toilet will add pressure to the abdomen and increase bowel movement. Keep your feet flat on the floor, and back straight, and take a deep breath to relax your pelvic floor muscles.

In case you are dealing with constipation, try to stay hydrated, consume fiber-rich foods, and do regular exercise to improve your bowel movements. Also, stop holding in the urge to poop, because it can worsen constipation.

Simply, using a footstool to elevate your knees and leaning forward can significantly enhance bowel movements and make pooping easier when constipated.

Are there any simple tricks to empty the bowel to avoid pregnancy constipation?

In case, constipation is disturbing your daily activities, consider practicing the following tips and tricks to relieve pregnancy constipation:

Use a footstool: Elevating your feet when sitting on the toilet assists in relaxing the rectal muscles for effortless bowel movements.

Stay hydrated: Drink more water throughout the day. Further, warm liquids, such as herbal teas or lemon water in the morning, can assist in stimulating bowel movements.

Consume foods rich in fiber: Consume more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes.

Exercise regularly: Mild exercises like walking, prenatal yoga, or stretching can stimulate digestion and keep this moving.

Stick to a routine: Daily plan to go to the bathroom at the same time, notably post-meals, to train your body.

If constipation persists, consider reaching out to the doctor and taking medications.

What causes constipation during pregnancy?

Simply, those hormonal fluctuations during pregnancy and your lifestyle practices can surge the chance of constipation. Further, the causes of constipation during pregnancy include:

Progesterone: Typically, a woman’s body will make more progesterone when they are pregnant. Progesterone will assist in relaxing their intestines, or bowels, so they won’t work effectively to squeeze waste out of the body. Simply, as long as the food remains in your bowel, the more time the individual large intestine has to absorb the moisture out of it. Eventually, that waste will become dry and hard to pass when trying to poop.

The fetus: Automatically, when the babies grow, the mother’s uterus will become heavier. This additional weight will put more stress on your bowel, making it difficult for waste to travel out of the body.

The iron from your prenatal vitamin: The iron you are getting from your prenatal vitamin assists the individual body make the blood required to circulate oxygen throughout your and your baby’s bodies. More iron makes it harder for bacteria in your bowel to break down food. When you fail to soften that waste, it will get stuck in your bowel and worsen the problem. The waste will be deposited, and cause constipation.

Lifestyle: Most importantly, your diet, the amount of water you drink every day, and the exercise you do all together play a huge role in making you constipated. Notably, most pregnant women are not consuming sufficient fiber, drinking sufficient water, or exercising, eventually, all these factors lead to constipation.

What are the signs of constipation?

Simply, after releasing a stool every one will feel satisfied, but the constipation remains opposite to it. One can identify they are constipated when:

You can poop only a few times a week.
You will struggle to poop, and the individual’s belly become swollen and gassy.
When constipated, your poop will become lumpy and hard. They will become drier, and you will feel intense pain when passing it.

At times, constipation will result in worsening hemorrhoids and anal fissures. Both constipation and anal fissures are common during pregnancy.

How to diagnose pregnancy constipation?

During the screening process, your healthcare provider will ask you what your stool looks like and how much you are pooping. Further, questions regarding your daily habits can assist your doctor find out what’s likely making you constipated or worsening it. Your doctor may ask:

What foods does your diet contain and how much water you are consuming every day?
Are you doing regular exercise?
Your doctor will also ask you about the medicines and supplements you are taking.

How to get rid of your constipation during pregnancy?

One cannot control pregnancy constipation because that occurs due to hormonal changes, but there are several other steps that you can try to relieve pregnancy constipation.

Try to eat 25–30 grams of fiber daily: We will easily ignore simple health tips such as ‘eat fiber-rich foods.’ But fibers work wonders, they will soften your stools, so you can easily pass it. You easily get fiber from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, and peas. Seclude some time to analyze how much fiber you consume daily. In case, you are constipated, it indicates that you are not eating enough fiber.

Drink 8 to 12 glasses of water each day: Few people will say eight is the bare minimum when a woman is pregnant. Simply, pregnant women should consume more water than normal to soften their stools. If you are bored of drinking more water, consider consuming other drinks such as low-fat milk, smoothies, tea, and juices with no added sugar are good options.

Do moderate exercise at least three times a week: It’s quite normal to move around less when pregnant, that’s because you are carrying more weight. Pregnancy can pressure your pelvic area and joints and may make it difficult to move. Also, extended sitting is not good for your bowel if you are constipated. Discuss with your healthcare provider about exercise that will help stimulate your bowel muscles.

Even after following these strategies, if your condition is not getting better, reach out to the doctor and consider getting medications to relieve pregnancy constipation. Before consuming any supplements, check with your doctor to avoid potential risks. Also, never try home remedies such as castor oil or mineral oil, when you are pregnant you can consider taking them only when your provider recommends it.

Can pregnant women eat bananas to beat constipation?

Pregnant women can eat bananas to beat constipation. Banana is a fiber-rich fruit, especially pectin, which helps with digestion and promotes smooth bowel movements. They are also a potassium-rich source, which assists in regulating fluid balance and preventing dehydration.

To get the best results, an individual should eat only ripened bananas, because unripened ones can feel hard to digest and can worsen your constipation. Further, combining bananas with fiber-rich foods such as whole grains, vegetables, and more water can enhance digestion.

Including bananas in your daily diet will greatly assist in improving your pregnancy-related constipation naturally, and also support your gut health.

When to consult a doctor?

Not just pregnant women, everyone should consider discussing with their doctor before trying any home remedies or medications. Reaching out to the top gynecologist in Coimbatore is highly recommended when any additional signs occur, like:

Nausea
Stomach pain
Vomiting
Chronic constipation that is lasting for more than 2 weeks
Bleeding in rectum
No relief even after making changes to your diet

Try to share all your signs and struggles with your healthcare provider to get more specific information and advice.

Final thoughts:

In conclusion, we can say that constipation is one of the inevitable experiences in a few women’s pregnancy journey. Several psychological adaptations during pregnancy will also pave the way for constipation during pregnancy. Further, the symptoms of constipation during pregnancy will differ from person to person based on the pregnant woman’s well-being. Fortunately, there are several ways available to help in relieving constipation during pregnancy like drinking sufficient water, exercising regularly, and consuming more fiber. Just remember that, it’s quite normal to develop constipation during pregnancy, but you can get rid of it by following a few simple steps.