Constipation in pregnancy... it's not pretty

[TeacherFarmerWife]

Ok ladies (and possible gents),
I've tried the daily glass of prune juice, I've tried the pint glasses of pure orange juice with bits, tablespoons upon tablespoons of lactulose, bowls of All Bran each morning, lots of grapes and green apples throughout the day, I drink 2/3/4 litres of water a day depending on my nausea levels. Nothing is helping!
Yes I do "go" the odd day, probably every 2-3 days. But it's not "satisfying", I still feel very clogged up.
I'm at a complete loss.
HELP ME POO!
Anyone else in the poo struggle army here? I'm losing my mind 🥵

Squatty potty, or any bricks/phone books/mini-plastic stools (pardon the pun!) to lift your feet higher up and get into more of a squat position- whilst still sitting on the toilet seat.

As someone else suggested, by raising your legs into more of a squatting position, it straightens the bowel out. A traditional western toilet seat, makes the bowel go into an S bend shape, and makes it SO much more difficult to get poo out! You can get fold up versions, but I just bought a fold-away, childrens style step.

In desperation, I have also used a gloved finger, with plenty of lube on to hook the offending rocks out!!!! Its just an awful feeling and at times, felt like my bowel was in spasm as so bunged up. Here is a link to the squatty potty, but anything that lifts the feet either side of the toilet bowl really does the same thing. Lots of options on amazon also:

www.squattypotty.com/

I got constipated from the iron tablets, had to stop taking them. Got a fissure and a hemorrhoid.Lactulose and movico. Awful awful awful.

I've been constipated since my first pregnancy in 2017. I take 2 macrogol sachets before bed every day since then. I get it on prescription. Am pregnant again now and seems to be kept at bay with this.
If I miss a dose I'm in agony and resort to the suppositories.
Speak to your GP. Get a handle on this now because post birth you do not want to be constipated!

Slightly different from the advice offered here but... at the end of my last pregnancy I was very constipated after taking those awful iron tablets.

My friends took me out for afternoon tea and a cup of tea and a glass of champagne somehow kick started my digestive system and ended up doing the biggest poo in the very posh toilets there. Was the best gift my friends could have given me - went home feeling a stone lighter 😂

So if all else fails some champagne?!

I'm in the same boat. I'm only managing to go every two days. I reckon the lactulose would work. I used it after surgery a few years ago and it really cleared me out. Just not sure I could stomach it as I've got dreadful nausea

Eat a whole melon, like a honeydew, in one go. Worked for me when nothing else had I used to look very strange buying 4 melons at a time at Tesco

I suffered badly with my first, would go maybe once in 5d, it was horrendous, nothing was helping. Now preg with our second and stopped taking pregnacare, just taking folic acid, vit d, b and omega 3 separately and it’s much better, not ideal but nothing like first time. I also find eating fresh pineapple helps me..good luck.

Same boat, and now at 32 weeks my (huge) baby is lying in a position that is making it soo painful! I've found gentle bouncing and stretching out on all fours on my birthing ball really helps.

-Everything you're doing
-plus lots of water
-plus a walk and squats before pooing
-plus pooing in a squat position
-plus blowing gently and rocking whilst trying to push out the poo

Good luck!

A specific brand of vitamins made me constipated although for the life of me I don't recall which brand. Try switching your prgnancy vitamins?

DS is now 4 but I vividly remember thr constipation, going once every days and and worried he was going to come out as I was pushing so hard.

Don't worry about taking medication if needed, just don't end up like me with a prolapse after birth from all the straining to go during pregnancy. Piles are the least of your worries trust me!

Yes don't worry about taking medication. For some reason (dehydration?) breastfeeding makes me constipated so I've been on and off lactulose for months after both births, it's fine. As someone else said, being constipated puts you at risk of haemorrhoids but also a prolapse post birth, it's really important you aren't straining. I've also heard people swear by a whole kiwifruit including the skin. If you can get the golden ones (Zespri, from New Zealand) the skin is less hairy and they're very nice sliced and eaten with the skin.

Good luck!

Thanks everyone!
I have no issues when I actually manage to "go" ie straining/pushing is not necessary, but it's the build up before that.... my stomach is currently rock hard and very painful. Nearly as if it's very gassy. It's making me miserable!
The lactulose last night made my stomach very noisy and painful, I ended up not getting much sleep at all. It didn't do anything else apart from that. I just felt like I was going to throw up.
I think lactulose isn't agreeing with me. I didn't take my pregnacare last night either, I couldn't face it!
I'm looking into some fibrogel sachets now, I might give the midwives a call tomorrow.
Currently waiting on the hot water to fill up so I can run a bath 😭
Today I had a bowl of all bran, half a honeydew melon, a green apple, some raw carrots, a small side plate of mixed veg stew (tomato based), a pint of prune juice and 2.5 litres of water (so far). I feel AWFUL 😢.
Also on season 8 of GOT and I'm not emotionally ready for it 😂
DH landed with some alcohol free kopparbergs for me and I can't face them 😱

The only thing that has got me moving so far was lactulose and drinking fresh orange juice.
Im 12 weeks now and the other morning I said to my other half “Oh I think I can feel some movement” he was like “Oh my god let me feel, asif you can feel the baby already!”. I was like no love I can feel movement as in I think I finally need a poo

Just an update, I rang the midwives today and she said to try going off pregnacare for a while and just to make sure I'm taking folic acid and vitamin D. 🤞🏻