Pregnancy constipation.

[becca1611]

I apologise in advance i know this will be way TMI but advice would be greatly appreciated as it is a Sunday night and chemists are all closed in my area "/
Well as the title says.. pregnancy constipation, iv had it for a couple of weeks now I'm nearly 38 weeks but it's been manageable, I mean iv struggled to go but after how I'm struggling right now I think back and maybe I really wasn't. Iv had the urge to go on and off for 3 days now, tonight I really had the urge and after a good ten mins of huffing puffing and straining I actually thought OMG I'm giving birth. I could feel something big and hard between my legs, it was the start of the poop and after another good few mins huffing and puffing I thought I need to do something before I actually do do some damage to myself or baby. I had to have a feel what was going on as nothing was happening yet I could feel something hanging out. Yep it was stuck. I tried to stand a little and have a little massage and ended up pulling it out. However once stood I could still feel a boulder like feeling in my behind :( iv stood in the shower and tried to go hoping the water would loosen it and take the sting away iv had another prod but only little bits have come away I can still feel this 'boulder' and now I am so uncomfy and walking with a waddle now (thank goodness my partner is on nights, I am mortified) but so need some home remedies to help loosen, soften and make me go asap! Please be kind to me and keep unnecessary comments and thoughts to yourself I genuinely need advice to help me out a horrific situation.

Oh, you poor thing. Firstly give your midwife a call first thing in the morning-they will be very used to this sort of situation and be able to advise. Secondly, are you drinking enough? Lack of fluids will cause constipation so drink loads.
I think you are fine to take movicol or fibergel in pregnancy but please check with a pharmacist first. I'm not medically trained. If so, take it daily to stop this happening again.
Try moving as much as you can...just walking round your house.
I'd probably call nhs direct for some advice if you can't get to a pharmacy. Take care.

Hi

You poor thing, you must be so uncomfortable.

Are you taking lactulose? If not you need to get on that. You can buy it over the counter & ive had it prescribed in pregnancy too.

I was vvv constipated after having dd, lactulose did help but it took a few days as I had 'impacted' poo which it sounds like you might too.

In the end pushing my fingers against my perineum when I got the urge to go really helped, as did sitting in a warm bath.

You gave my sincere sympathies, I know how awful it feels

Poor you! If you have a bath, I'd give that a go.

Definitely get medical assistance if it is bad.
At 34 weeks mine was so bad I ended up with 5 hours of emergecy treatments in hospital and caused damage to my colon. I had been telling medical people for over a week how bad it was but just kept getting fobbed off with sachets that did nothing.

A few ideas that I now do every day to help: eat dried prunes (best soaked in water overnight) have flax seed in yogurt and drin at least 3 litres of water a day. I also have 1 or 2 sachets a day of magnasolv.

I had the exact same thing first pregnancy. Ended up with awful piles which were agony! This time (I'm 36 weeks) I have so far avoided it by: sinking lots of water, FYBOGEL! It's magic. I drink 2 sachets every morning which is double what it says on packet but it's just fibre and it doesn't make you get diarrhoea or anything. If I forget a day I can tell as the constipation comes back. If you are in disconfort already then the anusol suppositories work really well. And I found that if it 'won't come ' when I go to the toilet I don't keep straining which is what causes piles...i just leave it and have an extra fybogel which sorts it in a few hours. Hope some of this helps. It's miserable!

This is me right now - I could have written that post! I thought I was having contractions to start with, silly me

Mine came on suddenly at lunch time and I've been in agony since. I've tried massaging my perineum and just got in a warm/hotish bath to see if that helps. I don't understand how I could be constipated though, I went twice yesterday....

I nearly called the hospital it was that bad, but didn't want to embarrass myself if it is just constipation.

Also 38 weeks....

Good luck OP xx

I had this. Lactulose sorted it out though a warm bath helped until it kicked in. It was awful. Due to the pressure my bits swelled so after it finally came out I had to lie down with a bag of frozen peas. That was a new pregnancy low. Hope it passes soon.

Aww thank you all for your advice and support, so pleased to hear I'm not alone in this really embarrassing situation.
I drink as much as I can but admittedly probably not enough just for the fear of being out and about with no loos you know what it's like when you need a wee you have to go there and then!
Iv had a cool bath already just because of the ridiculous heat of today made me need one but now iv called down again I shall try a shallow warm one, and shall give the doctors a call in the morning and hopefully get a prescription sorted to give a helping hand!
Good luck to those of you who are expecting babas and also struggling to go too
Your advice and kind words have helped reassure me

I can totally sympathise, I had this problem for all my pregnancies.

Ok so for current 'boulder' you might need a glycerine suppository. It should work locally to help that issue. You can buy them from most pharmacists.

For maintenance use go to your go and ask for something like movicol or laxido. I took half a sachet a day for 3 pregnancies (and for a week after birth to make those first poos less scary!). It was my saviour.

Hi becca1611,

Yes this was one of my first pregnancy symptoms!! I didn''t have issues like this before and then suddenly experienced it when I got pregnant! It's horrible, but have you ever tried Kefir? Kefir is basically a natural fermented drink you can buy it from a lot of health shops these days. I get it from a company local to me called Barrel & Bone, they are on facebook.
I have a glass every morning, haven't had an issue since! It is great for digestion and people who struggle with bad gut health or IBS - it actually suggested it in my book ' how to grow a baby and push it out' by Clemmie Hooper - strange title but really helpful book!
Honestly, the things we go through during pregnancy!! :)

Ooh not heard of it but I'm willing to give anything ago. Fortunately managed to get rid of 'boulder' last night! But my god I actually think I have now experienced a birth Saw it as a detox opportunity and have drank plenty of water and squash today, snacked on only fruit and had a scrummy salad for lunch however even after last nights super huge clear out I have the urge to go again which I expected after all that fruit but didn't think it would be a struggle. Typically I couldn't get through to the doctors never can on a Monday but will definitely be giving them a call in the morning. Always been fortunate and not suffered so hats of to those that do, what an uncomfortable, painful and embarrassing thing to deal with

A slither of soap up the bum. Desperate times call for desperate measures. I have never tried this with pregnancy but have in the past when I had a blockage. After drinking shots of oil and all sorts I called my mum in tears and she suggested soap in the bum.
Worth a go?

I feel your pain its happened to me several times last pregnancy and again this pregnancy. No amount of water or prunes worked for me. Once the initial 'blockage' was passed I used laxido and glycerine suppositories to keep things moving. I also found it useful to apply pressure to the perineum to help the 'blockage' pass. I hope things improve for you now onwards.

I would talk to your GP or midwife and ask them to get you a prescription for some laxatives. There are plenty of them which are just fine to take in pregnancy. I am taking something called MetaMucil (I dont think is available in the UK) but it is the same as fybogel. Lactulose is a good choice as others have mentioned and there some good suppositories if you are desperate. They work well but people don't really like to use them. You can get all of these in a pharmacy but will be cheaper on prescription.