Lack of bowel movements during early pregnancy

[Asher2021]

TMI post but need advice. I found out I was pregnant around 5 days ago, I'm 5 weeks and haven't had any bowel movements over the past 3/4 days. No stomach pain other than the normal mild pregnancy cramps and no discomfort. Just not feeling the need to go. I'm obviously very bloated though! As I've eaten a lot over the past week. I've been drinking 2.5 litres of water a day and eating lots of fibre but nothing - any advice? Tia

Yeah, it's all hormones and quite possibly yours pregnancy vitamins, they contain iron and blocked me up a bit too 🙈
You can get a gentle stool softener over the counter if your struggling to go x

Get used to it would be my advice I’m afraid 😫 sodding hormones!

Aw no! I know everything slows down due to hormones etc.. but would have expected to at least feel the need to go by now!! Im not feeling any discomfort or anything, I'm more worried that it's just really unhealthy! 😳 can anyone recommend anything that helps that is safe during pregnancy?

I had the same problem, fybogel worked for me! One sachet every morning

@pickledsausage thank you 🙏 I will give it a go x

It's quite normal. Speak to the pharmacist about current guidelines, I know a few people who took lactulose and my DD takes it now (since she was about 6) to help her with constipation

Common unfortunately. One of the joys of having a baby lol

Try prune juice but start with half a glass and see how you do after the first few hours. You can have more if it hasn’t shifted. Once clear just have half a glass each day. Plenty of water throughout the day of course

A tea or coffee first thing chased by lots and lots of warm water and a brisk walk.

Is anyone finding that their constipation gives them more dull back/abdomen ache than it would if not pregnant? My constipation isn't that bad as in I'll usually go after 2 or 3 days but when I haven't been I feel awful almost like my body randomly aches all over.

It doesn't get anymore comfortable or regular 30 weeks down the line I'm afraid

3 days isn't critical, but you have no bowel movements for several days, you should talk to your doctor. When you get it sorted out, try eating kiwis for better digestion. 1-2 kiwis a day keep these problems away!

I've been having a daily probiotic drink (like actimel but supermarket own brand because I'm tight) and it's been better since then

A walk often helps to get things moving!!

Thank you everyone for you help xx

Yeah, my blockages come and go. It was awful from first trimester until midway through the second. Eased up a bit late second and now I'm in my third and i have good days and bad days, let's leave it like that.
The only thing that really helped was over the counter constipation relief.

Last pregnancy, the constipation was my 1st sign! Its absolutely awful, especially as I have it so incredibly rarely normally.

Look up a squatty potty and the position it puts you in. A 'normal' seated toilet makes your bowel go into an S shape and makes it much more difficult to poo. Lifting your feet up- either with a squatty potty, bricks, small stools or anything to lift your feet up a bit makes the bowel straighten and makes it SO much easier!!!

I also recommend plently of water, exercise and fibre- chia seeds, fybogel, metamucil, wheat germ and brown rice/bread/pasta. If needed, you can use a suppository or movicol, but speak to your pharmacist for advice. Best of luck x

@anniebu

3 days isn't critical, but you have no bowel movements for several days, you should talk to your doctor. When you get it sorted out, try eating kiwis for better digestion. 1-2 kiwis a day keep these problems away!

Make sure you eat the kiwi skins too. They're full of fibre

As well as following all the normal diet tips: plenty of fluids, fibre, fruit and vegetables etc I would also take a spoonful of lactulose each day. It's safe in pregnancy and is very gentle but will stop you getting constipated.

This is one of the charming aspects of pregnancy no one tells you about.

Fibre and gallons of water. I found flax seeds (also called linseeds) soaked overnight in water helped. They go slimy/slippy and the slime helps things to slip through. You have the water and seeds together. Chia seeds do a similar thing.

The squatty potty I bought to help with pregnancy is now a helpful step for DD to get onto the toilet, so they do prove useful!

It's also really common after birth. Take dried fruit in your hospital bag!

I went 10 days recently. Early 2nd trimester.
I've had it on and off since my positive test.
Movicol, lactulose etc are safe if you end up feeling like you need them.
Baked beans, satsumas, pears and lots of fluids seem to help me
Have also swapped from a pregnancy multivitamin to a vit d and calcium supplement .
I'm over 12 weeks now so not folic acid but you can buy those separately from multivitamins to