HELP! - 40 weeks + 1 day pregnant and severely constipated

[1234LJ]

I am currently 40 weeks + 1 day pregnant and haven’t opened my bowels for 8 days! As you can imagine, I am in so much pain that I can hardly stand, my stomach is so tight that I feel like it’s going to explode and my hips are going to give way. This is my 3rd pregnancy and both times I have given birth my constipation has caused problems with going into labour naturally which has led me to be induced.

I have suffered with chronic constipation all of my life and got to the point where my body is immune to any laxative so right now I don’t see anyway out of this apart from the doctors intervening but they have told me that ‘there is nothing they can do’. The only laxative that works for me is a specialist drug which you cannot take during pregnancy due to causing your bowel to contract.

I feel so sick, dizzy and can’t eat anything because I’m in so much pain. I have been on the phone to the MAU and they were pretty useless.

With my first child they offered me an enema however they are really reluctant to do anything right now… I honestly cannot take it anymore.

Has anyone experienced this/got any advice?????

Buy a rectal bulb syringe and give yourself an enema today. No one should go that much time without a bowel movement.

Well I was drinking water 3 litres a day and more. I wanted or didn’t want I drank and at the end it helped. Did you try to have lots of water during the day?

I agree with @GingerFox2021 high water intake is an absolute game changer. I was a bit like you OP, throughout my life I suffered with constipation. It was only when I increased my water to
3+ litres that I saw an improvement

I was the same a few days ago and took fybogel plus lactulose. My partner was ready to do a manual extraction as Iike you OP I felt terrible. Luckily I was able to have some bowel movement in bits 24 hrs after taking the fybogel and lactulose. Good luck

Poor you! :(

Do you feel like you need to go but can't? If so, a suppository might help. Plus raising your feet when on the toilet.

Hope you feel better soon

Senokot is very good. I was told, once past three months, that I could use that if I was really constipated.

I remember doing so at 39+1 and am sure it helped me go into labour :-). I'm not advocating it but it happened and didn't take too long either.

In the 'old' days, midwives would give pregnant women who were overdue, castor oil and orange juice, which often worked.