Suggestions for constipation

[Rainbowsunshine81]

I have lactulose to see if that helps, but is there anything else I can do to help?

dried apricots soaked over night! Works everyone!

OP- other than dietary things such as more fibre, water and exercise, the position you sit on the toilet can have an even bigger affect. Anything to lift your feet up on will help. You can buy specific squatty potties and fold up ones, but bricks, paint tins etc would all help to raise your feet into a more squat like position. I had the most horrendous constipation during pregnancy due to the hormones, but using a stool (the plastic type under my feet) was a game changer. Best of luck.

Stop taking the pregnancy multi-vits. Constipation is a common symptom of high doses of iron supplements. I came off the multivitamin and my constipation disappeared.

I've been struggling with this! I used to drink a coffee every day to keep me regular, but aversion now means it's off limits 😬 I tried Fybogel but the texture triggered my all-day morning sickness. I think I eat a lot of fibre so maybe I'm too far the other way...

Lentils
Kiwis with skin on

Make sure you drink enough and have enough fibre in your diet.

I love snacking on prunes, apricot or any dried fruit and it helps me a lot. Aldi sells them cheap.

Having porridge for breakfast also helps, but I get bored of it, if I have to have that for breakfast every day.

@Saschka I might give them a try then.
I'm 13 weeks tomorrow, been reading up on constipation with the hormones slowing down the intestines.
I was on progesterone, but stopped that last Monday once I got to 12 weeks.

@BeLemonQuoter I do try and make sure I drink plenty of fluids each day, going to try and improve my fibre intake aswell.

Going to get some dry fruit, never really had it before, but if it's going to help, then I'll try them.

I used to like weetabix ages ago, but went off that, will give that a try too.

@happy44 Never really tried kiwis, but willing to give them a go.

In my first pregnancy I got on top of constipation by taking one fybogel a day and drinking lots of water and carried on after he was born until I felt back to normal.

Unfortunately my pregnancies since then seem to have sent me the other way which it’s own kind of special hell when you can’t take anything for it lol!

Chia seeds are great on breakfasts or yoghurt along with other seeds like flaxseed, I load my breakfast with them every day along with loads of fruit.

I also agree with the poster who recommended sitting with feet on a stool this has helped me loads.

@OptimisticRealist2024 Coffee has never been a problem for me as never been a fan or drank it 😁
Definitely going to try and have more fibre.

@Herewegoagain8 I tend to drink lots of water through the day, been liking the bottled water for some reason, rather than filtered.

Oh no, must be a right pain when you can't take anything for it!

@elb1504 I'll have to get some chia and flax seeds, have those with some yogurt, sounds nice!
Currently got my feet up on a stool, which is helping 🙂

That's always my go to....well, that and coffee.

Actually though, i've not suffered with this yet this pregnancy (currently 20 werks) whereas I did a lot in my first pregnancy. One difference is that I've been taking a magnesium supplement since the beginning this time on the advice of my doctor. No idea if its true or just coincidence but I have read somewhere that this helps with constipation!

Very ripe pears.

Milk of Magnesia was the one thing that helped my pregnancy constipation. I took it before bed and then in the morning it took effect. Dried apricots or prunes as other have said above are also good as are dried apple rings

@BakedBeeeen I have actually been taking the pregnacare vitamins and they have like 17mg or something like that of iron, I have seen other vitamins with a non constipating source of iron.

Try the dried apricots but don’t go nuts. I bought one for those little snack packets from Sainsbury’s with about 10 or 12 in and ate them all, for lunch one day. Three hours later I ended going to the toilet with great urgency. I thought I had picked up a stomach bug, then I read that dried apricots have this effect. Now I just eat 3-4 a day a couple of days before my period. They work like a treat for hormonal constipation and bloating.

@Izzwizzo I'll speak to my midwife about what you mentioned. Sounds like it was good.

I had 2 weetabix every morning to sort me out. Paired with lactulose on extra constipated days. Mine only lasted 6weeks until 18 weeks thank god

@Whocanbelieveit Will get one of those little snack packs, see how they go.

@anonny55 I'm going to get weetabix, I used to really like it, but went off it. If it's going to help, I'll try some.

@Izzwizzo I hadn't thought of milk of magnesia, I'm going to try some dried fruit and the apple rings.

It was amazing. Speaking to your midwife is a really good idea. My midwife recommended it after I fainted through the pain of trying to pass a stool during pregnancy constipation!The shame of being taken to A&E because you've passed out trying to have a poo . I managed to give myself a black eye as well in the process!! Not my finest hour