Constipation in late pregnancy

[nervousmum2be]

Sorry in advance if TMI!

I'm currently 37+2 weeks pg and have not been able to go for a 'number 2' since last Tuesday. I have IBS anyway, so this isn't totally unusual for me, but i'm feeling very uncomfortable now and i'm sure the extra 'pressure' is making my back ache worse. I already eat tons of fresh fruit, and i've been drinking plenty of water to no avail. Any advice / recommendations? (I have tried lactulose and dried figs but they haven't helped either!) Thanks x

Anyone?...

Hi nm2b! I had this really badly with dd1 so I do sympathise. I tried lactulose as well and also drank prune juice but it didn't really help. I was in hospital towards the end of my last pg and they didn't want to give me anything too strong in case it started contractions, which I couldn't afford to have with placenta praevia, but if you went to your gp s/he may be able to give you something stronger.

I'm afraid to say I had to resort to desperate measures in the end - please don't think badly of me but the solution had something to do with the latex medical gloves kept on the ward !!!

I had this a few weeks ago with this pg and drinking a big glass of apple juice in the morning seemed to help this time round.

NM2B - sympathy - I had this as well and towards the end I did have occasions of being in the bathroom for 3 hours .

I didn't find anything really helped - dh told me coffee helped so I tried that but I'm not sure. It was just a case of sitting and waiting! It helps if you have your knees raised up a bit so if you have a toddler step stool that's handy or else use some phonebooks!

Big, big sympathy though - it'll soon be over - in fact, when labour starts the world will fall out of your bottom probably!!!

the laculose will take a few days to work..
for instant relief try glycerol suppositories.. you don't need a prescription for them and believe me they work.. they take about 10 mins
(have a word with the chemist about them as your pregnant...)

good luck...

try lubricating the area, and rocking back and forth on the toilet.

Also take a pint of tea-temperature warm water into the bathroom with you, and drinking it on the go.....

some gentle bending and stretcing exercises can help sometimes

Or a good hot curry.

Thanks everybody. I was a bit reluctant to take senna or anything too powerful as i'm not supposed to be labouring naturally due to my back (due to have a c-section a week Monday). I'll definitely try the apple juice, and give the other suggestions a go if things get really bad. NM2B x