Hit me with your constipation remedies!

[BubbleandSqueeeek]

I eat plenty of fruit and veg, plus orange juice. Weetabix or porridge every morning for breakfast. Plus I exercise for 5 hours a week, and do plenty of walking daily because my office is up three flights of stairs. Yet I've still been hit with a nasty case of constipation at 31 weeks! I've done childbirth (well, up to 9cm) but I'm having a panic ataack because everything is stuck and each time I push I feel nauseous (what a pansy). Genuinely scared to go the loo.

So, what more can I do?? I'm drinking hot lemon water by the barrel, eating raisins and strawbs. Had baked beans for tea last night. And I'm going to pop to get some lactulose shortly. Any other tips?? If I can bear to leave the house I'll go for a walk too.

[socktastic]

Licquorice allsorts! Lots of them.

[Foxsox]

Prune juice and a warm bath to relax you.

[Suziesome1]

Linseed/flaxseed Sprinkle in with your porridge. Good luck!

[Mermaid36]

Dried apricots (lots) - they'll give you wind; but at least you'll also not be constipated!

[RandomMess]

Your not taking iron tablets are you?

Cut out wheat, I found grape juice really helped!

[BikeRunSki]

Liquorice
Dried apricots
Dried figs
Lactulose (fine in pregnancy)

[almostthirty]

Dates, prunes and figs. A few handfuls of each, but then don't leave the house for a while as they tend to work within a couple of hours!

[BubbleandSqueeeek]

No, no iron tablets! Right, heading to Tesco for supplies! I'm going to look very suspicious....

[Aus26]

Just in terms of once you are actually on the loo, raise your feet 10-15 cms off the ground on a small pile of books or something similar.

I had a horrendous constipation attack at about 29 weeks. i was actually in the hospital at the time at risk of going into early labour and my husband was threatening to call a midwife for help (no way I was getting a midwife to help me do a poo!) anyhow after 45 minutes of attempts and some panicked googles I raised my feet off the ground and to my relief it was all over in minutes. It is honestly the most valuable piece of info that I have learned through this whole pregnancy.x

[Jellybean100]

Dried prunes, lactulose (you can buy over the counter in a chemist) and bran flakes!

[Nicky333]

Frosted wheaties every morning. I think that's what they're called, like frosted mini shreddies. Works like a dream.

[Sunshineandwaves]

I swore by: Kiwi fruit &
Psyllium seed

[Sunshineandwaves]

Oh and keep hydrated!

[cheapredwine]

Movicol. Much, much better than Lactulose. Safe in pregnancy. And All Bran and porridge with hot milk and dried fruit for breakfast. Good luck OP, constipation is just so yuck

[YakTriangle]

Eat dried apricots washed down with cloudy pure apple juice.

[rew0077]

More water than you can imagine
Lactose/movicol
Glycerine suppositories 20 min before going to protect the back passage etc
Try not to get too nervous - vicious cycle!

[Lauranne]

Fybogel every day was my saviour, was gross but better than the alternative!

[InsufficientlyCaffeinated]

I second what Aus26 says. Get a child's stool or something to raise your feet when on the toilet. When I've been constipated before I used a tub of paint to lift my feet. It reduces the kink in the colon so it should make it easier to go

This video is about a specific product but it explains the concept and the angle you want to be at

[BubbleandSqueeeek]

Cheers all! I've had my lactulose and now I'm munching prunes and drinking lots of water. There's some promising gurgles down there. I didn't have it last pregnancy but I had it bad after my section - forgot what a nightmare it is!

[FifiRebel]

Lactulose and a couple of spoonfuls of flax throughout the day with water

[3littlefrogs]

Glycerin suppositories.
Get someone else to buy them from the chemist for you - they are perfectly safe, but some pharmacists can make a big deal about selling anything to pregnant women.

If you are really bunged up, nothing you take at the top end is going to help.

I would ditch the weetabix personally - it forms a sort of cement consistency in your gut . Porridge is ok.

Good luck - I remember it well..

Once you get things moving, double the dose of lactulose and keep taking it.

[ANewIdentitytoJazzItUpABit]

Dri k loads of water obviously, plain cold water. And I find that when I take 1000mg of Vitamin C, that definitely get things moving for me.

[cheapredwine]

Yes you can have Movicol. You need to ask for it OTC though.

Why is liquorice a no no? (genuine question)

[Cakescakescakes]

Lactulose and loads of water. If no joy after a couple of days then a glycerin suppository.