Pregnancy Constipation

People say that babies are blessings. Indeed, aside from babies being angels, it is truly a blessing to have a safe pregnancy and to give birth to a healthy baby. This stems from the fact that a pregnant mother is prone to a thousand health risks not only to the baby but to herself as well. A common medical condition that is suffered by many pregnant women is pregnancy constipation.

Feeling constipated while pregnant is a usual occurrence because during pregnancy, women experience hormonal changes. Further, the woman’s intestinal muscles relax and the digestive system slows down in order to generate and provide as much nutrients to the baby growing inside. The enlargement of the uterus also adds pressure to the intestinal muscles, which causes the sluggishness in the movement of food and water inside the body. Thus, pregnancy constipation results.

Moreover, in the process, the pregnant woman’s body waste tends to be harder and drier because majority of the water inside the body is being absorbed by it instead of being excreted along with the waste. Other causes include improper low-fiber diet, lack of water and fluid intake and lack of exercise. Even stress and anxiety are said to trigger pregnancy constipation.

The following are safe remedies for constipation for pregnant women:

First, a pregnant woman must watch her diet. In order to avoid pregnancy constipation, she must not eat too less or too much. The former will not give the woman and the baby enough nutrients; while the latter could cause a woman to bloat as the digestive system is slow during pregnancy. Also, she must stick to a high-fiber diet for constipation in order to avoid pregnancy constipation. This includes a daily intake of fruits, vegetables, cereals and bran. It is also important for the woman to drink plenty of water and fruit juices.

Second, pregnancy constipation can be eliminated by a regulated medication. The woman must always consult a doctor before taking any constipation medicine, vitamins or supplements. It is said that too much calcium and iron can cause pregnancy constipation. Laxatives may also be harmful because they may trigger uterine contractions, as well as pain killers, anti-psychotic pills and other strong drugs.

Third, a pregnant woman needs her daily exercise in order to avoid pregnancy constipation. Devoting a daily 20 to 30 minutes mild workout such as walking and low impact aerobics is recommended. She could also do some pelvic squeezing exercises to help ease bowel movement.

Fourth, a pregnant woman is highly discouraged from delaying or ignoring going to the comfort room, as this is also a contributing factor to pregnancy constipation. Further, she is encouraged not to strain when she is having trouble eliminating.

A complication of pregnancy constipation is that it could lead to formation of piles or hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoids are swollen and enlarged veins at the lower part of the rectum and anus. These are usually caused by strains brought by constipation while pregnant. Another problem is anal tear or anal fissure that is sometimes accompanied by bleeding. Other difficulties include abdominal pain, nausea and poor appetite.