Constipated - any ideas?

[wawabear]

Hi

I am 6 weeks + 4 and CONSTIPATED! Can any one recommend any pregnancy safe remedies?

On a brighter note, we had an early scan this morning and we saw our baby's heart beating. It was incredible. The weight of responsibility is starting to really dawn on me - I'm responsible for keeping that heart ticking. So beautiful.

So yeah anyway - In the meantime I need a poo and any ideas would be so gratefully appreciated!

A glass of milk before bed does it for me every time.....I usually go the following morning.

Congratulations! I was very constipated when pregnant with dd, the only thing that worked for me was a large glass of prune juice every day. It worked wonders and gentle on the tummy too. Also I would recommend taking for a couple of weeks after baby is born too. I didn't and ended up in agony a couple of days after the birth. I'll spare you the details, but I swear I would have preferred to have given birth a second time than have had that poo.

Oh yes. The constipation after having the baby is horrendous!

I find lactulose to be very effective. I only needed about 5-10ml before bed and it sorted me out for the next day.

All Bran all the way - never fails

Thanks all for your suggestions. I'm going to try them all! I'd try anything right now, I feel so sluggish!

xx

Oat bran beats all bran hands down, it never fails for me. Lactulose is also worth having on standby, especially after the birth when the very idea of going to the toilet is quite terrifying.

prune juice is the only thing that sorted me out. 38 weeks now and still having a glass a day....can't wait to not have to drink it anymore

Prune juice - tastes foul, but does the job. Like Dazed, can't wait for the last glass

Another one to try is psylium husks, available from health shops, stirred into some juice or yoghurt.
Enjoy your pregnancy!

Im on iron and was avoiding taking it due to the constipation. But then my hospital offered me reflexology once a week, I've had it 3 times and I swear I have not had a single incident since! I've also taken my tablet every day since starting the reflexology whereas before just one tablet had me constipated for a week. Highly recommend reflexology.

I have been suffering with awful constipation too! I can vouch for the prune juice it has helped a lot, as well as kiwi fruit and I had a fibrogel when it was really bad. I also bought some prunes in syrup and liquidised them to put on cereal or porridge...still taste foul but it helps a lot!

All the traditional get lots of water and fibre stuff is obviously important, but I found some odd things helped me. Having a box or a stool to put your feet up on while you're on the loo helps position wise (no idea why but as a carer I used to have to do it for other people and be mystified, but it does help) as well as relaxing your jaw and mouth while you're on the loo (read it in ina may gaskin, she calls it 'sphincter law'. Don't know if it helps in childbirth but it does in constipation!) Just my personal tips, I was so afraid of getting piles!

Hi all

So many thanks for your ideas. I have to admit things happened yesterday which have given some blessed relief but it felt like a one off!

My GP has prescribed Lactulose but I am definitely going to try the above too.

Thanks again xx

Lactulose definitely saved me when I was pregnant! You also get constipated afterwards so keep hold of that prescription! I'm 4 weeks post partum and only just getting back to normal. Eat bran flakes everyday too.

Try putting a step or anything else under your feet to raise your legs, so your legs and corpus are in V shape rather then L shape.

Here is a patient info leaflet about constipation remedies during pregnancy, hope it is helpful

www.medicinesinpregnancy.org/Medicine--pregnancy/Treating-constipation-during-pregnancy/

Sorry if this is a bit late, but after having almost a week without going and trying everything going (senna, which I'm not sure you're supposed to, lactilose, couldn't bear the texture and taste , and then eventually prescribed Movicol/laxido sachets, prune juice and prunes in copious amounts gave me the most awful wind!) I've ended up sticking to a big tablespoon of ground flaxseed every single day.

Would much rather have a natural product than a medicinal (the sachets did work but sort of created their own problem too, they're a faecal softener)
You can get a 1kg pack off organic ground flaxseed off amazon for £7-8 and that'll last you several months. Been eating it for breakfast with yoghurt, fruit and muesli/granola. Keep your fluids up too.

Hope this helps! Xx

Just to mention there are some health concerns about flaxseed in pregnancy - see www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/991.html

Worth looking into if you're going to take it regularly

Magnesium tablets - serve as muscle relaxants and stool softeners. I'm 28 weeks now and these have saved my life during this pregnancy . As recommended by my Chinese herbals medicine doctor ! The only thing that had worked for me!! Try it

Thanks for that MrsQueen.
An interesting read. I've been taking it for about four months now and stick to just a tbsp daily (the recommended daily serving is 2) fit as a fiddle other wise pre conception with zero hormonal imbalances and feel lucky to have had a v straight forward 1st pregnancy @ 36. Only stopped running & weights once the bump got too big!!
It's not for everyone and from what I read in other articles it's ok in the amounts I've been taking (oil should be avoided though)
There's no reliable clinical evidence to say it's unsafe just as there isn't to say it's safe so they do that blanket thing of saying avoid it (just in case).
No pre-term contractions here either and I'm now 1 day before EDD