Constipation

[LisaLx]

Ladies what do use to help with constipation? I don't want to take any medication if I can avoid it. I've tried the usual fresh orange, drinking more water and eating more fruit. Any suggestions?

I took a LOT of fibrogel as prunes/orange juice wasn't cutting it!!

Prunes, porridge and movicol.
Movicol is not a drug and is very effective and safe.
Lactulose is good, is not a drug, but you have to take a lot and it is a bit sickly sweet.
High fibre cereal is counterproductive as it just bungs you up. Constipation in pregnancy is caused by relaxed muscles and slow transit, so you want soft things that go through quickly.

Lactulose is amazing and actually, one maintenance dose a week usually sorts me.

My midwife recommended linseed oil but I can't stand it. She also said veggies with outer shells so peas, beans, sweeetcorn etc

Stop taking the pregnancy multi vitamin. Just take folic acid and vitamin D.

Lots of raisins/grapes/prunes. And water.

Honestly, after 4 days of not going I took senna (recommended by my midwife) Prune juice, loads of water etc was not doing anything. Day 5 movement!! But I'm now on day 3 of not going again! It's endless.

Cold water does nothing for me but lots of hot/warm water followed by a walk definitely helps.

Kiwi fruit! One a day. Sprouts are good too if you like them.

Thanks ladies I do have movicol in the house do you take the full sachet?

Loads of good tips I'm defiantly going to try

Definitely the whole sachet, you may need more than one. The instructions are on the box and the sachets.

I took a couple of dates yesterday which helped no end! I was the same

Movicol is absolutely fine
I couldn't go for ten days and took 4 sachet's the first two days and then 2 sachets for a few days. I'm now on a sachet every other day and managing to go regularly on that now

Lots of water and a glass of apple or pineapple juice today, switched to wholegrain bread, more fibre etc

I very consciously have Weetabix for breakfast most days and that seems to help and drinking 2 litres of water a day x

a daily actimel sorted me out

Squatty potty, or anything similar to lift your feet up. When sitted on a normal/Western toilet, your bowel goes into an S shape, making it more difficult to poo. Squatty down, or at the very least, lifting your feet up whilst sitting on the toilet, helps to straighten the bowel out. It makes it SO much easier. You can buy specific devices, or put your feet up on bricks, a low stool on either side or anything to raise them up.

I also included chia seeds where I could- in yoghurt, breakfast cereals, desserts etc.

Califig syrup

My gyny recommended Hepar water. It has magnesium in it which helps get things moving. I drink a litre a day and it has completely solved my (horrendous) constipation and helped to make sure I am drinking enough water. To be honest, I’ll probably keep drinking it even after because the magnesium stops me craving chocolate!