How to ease constipation during pregnancy?

Pregnancy Constipation Relief

As you must already know, constipation is an inevitable part of pregnancy. This is because when you are pregnant, your body produces progesterone, which is a hormone that can relax the muscles of the bowels. When this happens the large intestines work slowly and digestion takes longer and the food stays in the digestive tract for a longer time. This leads to constipation in pregnancy.

When you are pregnant, your uterus keeps growing in size as the baby inside grows too. So, when the uterus takes more space in your body, there is lesser space for the digestive tract to do what it’s meant to do. This can slow down digestion. Another reason for constipation is that you might be taking iron-rich prenatal vitamins, which can cause constipation. Thus, with all these reasons, constipation becomes a part of the process of being pregnant.

Tips to ease constipation: You should drink a lot of water. It is advisable to drink about eight to ten glasses of water per day. You must also drink other fluids like soups and fresh juices. A natural way to ease constipation is to drink prune juice, which has laxative properties. You can make yourself a glass of lemon drink that is known to ease constipation. Mix a dash of lime juice and honey to warm water and drink this first thing in the morning, every single day. You can also drink a glass of warm milk before you get into bed at night.

Foods rich in fibre can bring relief from constipation too. You may like to include green leafy veggies, whole grains, legumes, and fruits in your diet. You must get about 25 to 35 grams of fibre every day in your food. So pick up that shopping bag and shop for fibre-rich foods. Replace anything that’s processed and refined, with food that is nutritious and fibrous.

Since the supplements that you’re on during pregnancy can cause constipation, you might like to ask your doctor about an alternative supplement that would not cause constipation. Another way to reduce the problem of constipation is to exercise regularly. You need not do strenuous exercise, but can include moderate exercises like walking, yoga, swimming and Pilates. Exercise keeps you fit and makes the process of labour easier.

We suggest that you speak with your doctor before embarking into an exercise programme. If you get the go ahead, you can work with a personal trainer and decide upon an exercise programme that is suitable for you.

Submitted by P T on June 26, 2010 at 04:37

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