"However constipated you are, just don't ever strain when you're pregnant. It could send you into labour" Is that really true?

[ConstipatedNamechanging]

A pharmacist (who I went to for advice on laxatives) told me this today.

Is it actually true?

I don't know the answer to this but am bumping it as I am curious too

lol i'd be concerned about piles tbh

me 2 as the last few days i've been so bloated. very curious, can pg ladies take laxatives?

If it were true would it not be something suggested to induce labour

I've certainly never heard it before! I would check with your MW to be on the safe side but it sounds like rubbish to me.

Must be rubbish. Loads of PG women get constipated. If it worked it'd be used purposely to bring labour on wouldn't it? I'm full term on Friday, I'll try it and let you know.

I've been terribly constipated and it's been made worse by having to take ferritin tablets for anaemia caused by low iron ferritin levels. Anyway my point is that on discussing this with my midwife she got my doctor to prescribe me Laevolac Oral Solution Lactulose. It really does help. I take 15/20mls (or in my case a couple of swigs [winks] twice a day and the relief has been brilliant.

Now it doesn't make you go like when you are not pregnant but it does help a lot. When you feel you need to go, it's still rabbit droppings but they're slightly bigger, more of them and they 'drop' a lot easier, iykwim!!

No it's not true.

You can take lactulose for constipation when pregnant.

Thanks. It sounded like rubbish to me, too, which was why I was asking.

I'm currently a bit allergic to my GP, but certainly lactulose would be good. All the pharmacist would sell me was fybogel and given that I've been eating bags of prunes all week, I can't really see extra fibre helping.

ConstipatedNamechanging I didn't even have to see my GP, I called my midwife and popped to the clinic to see her and she arranged everything. I picked up the script the following day and that was that. It's now on repeat for three scripts and I get 2 x 500ml bottles a time. Once I use all of that and I'm on my last repeat (which will be next time) my midwife said just to call her and let her know and she'll arrange a new script for me. I won't even have to see her if I don't want to (but she's lovely and we have good old natter when I do, so I probably will ).

Give your midwife a call and see what she says.

Good Luck Hun x

I have IBS which causes straining whether I am constipated or usually the other way. But it hasn't set any of mine off yet x

I've never heard of that before, I'd have thought if it was true they'd have some sort of "don't strain" patient information leaflet complete with comedy drawing of a red cheeked cartoon pregnant lady looking bloated and bunged up and somebody somewhere would have invented a totally useless must-have pregnancy accessory to combat it.

Try figs for the constipation, either fresh or dried. Prunes made me worse but figs would get things moving within an hour or two of eating them.

I think the standard advice is to use lactulose or fibre based constipation remedies during pregnancy, and to avoid the stimulant type ones.

I can't see how straining could bring on labour, unless it was about to happen anyway. But perhaps one of the medic MNetters will know better.

I take Lactulose and you dont need a prescription to get it. I was told to take it after a minor bleed that happened at 20 wks after alot of straining with constipation. The consultant could not find an obvious cause for the bleeding but felt that straining was not a good idea and could have contributed...so not absolulute answer to your question but someone in authority made some kind of connection between the 2

haha if only it was that easy to into labour, try telling anyone overdue that crap.....was it a man perchance ??

Straining will give you hemorrhoids...not good just eat some prunes and apricots

'go into labour' I meant

Yes jasmine51 you're right but as scripts are free for pregnant women, if you can get it on prescription it will save you a fortune, especially if money is tight. We're on a really tight budget. I also get my Gaviscon on prescription too

Oh I remember lactulose.. it tastes disgusting but..eases things!

You might strain so hard that you THINK baby will pop out but by some miracle it hangs on in there. It is terrifying though.

Eat 4 tangerines in one go every day and drink lots of water. Once I started doing this (from 15 weeks), I haven't had a single instance of constipation - now 35 weeks.

All I can say is that I highly recommend glycerin suppositories.

The lactulose helped big time. Once 'free' I changed my diet and loaded up on plenty of fruits, veg, and fibre rich foods and made sure I was drinking a lot of water, I'd say 2 litres a day. Lots of pee-ing but no blockages! I have the added discomfort of a pre-existing poo-ing problem, so if it helped me, it can help you too.

As for the straining, I don't know about kick-starting labour, but it's never a good thing to strain, pregnant or not.

Straining won't start labour - there are a number of complex hormonal and physical changes that need to occur in your body which triggers the cervix to soften & open and start labour - which is why hot curry's, raspberry leaf tea etc etc won't bring on labour either, even when due (pure coincidence if it does start). Sex on the other hand may bring it on - if you're due -and cervix is becoming 'ripe' all to do with chemicals in semen

I strained going to the loo the day before my due date with DS1 and my waters broke so it must be true!

I don' know about the straining bit as only 10 weeks but very familiar with the constipation.

Like others I would recommend lactulose; as someone with diabetes I have to take insulin with it which is quite funny, its a nasty syrup. it is however, less unpleasant than embarassingly long trips to the loo at work (with no success often times!) and the tears that result from all the straining...

I was extremely constipated in the most unpleasant way possible (TMI warning). basically things were compacted and very low down in my bowel and it was very uncomfortable. i took a large dose of lactulose which totally cleared out my system and now take a smaller amount every few days if i havent been.

having always been a sufferer with bowels (before preg as well) would add on the fibre thing that its soluble fibre that helps, and many of the items you would naturally think help (eg bran) actually make things worse (as does fybogel for me). oats (large scottish) are a really good source of soluble fibre as are certain fruits....have a good google on sources of soluble fibre.

happy pooing!

I had lactulose after having DS because I Eorried straining would pop my stitches, am I weird that I enjoyed the taste of it!?