If you have ever been pregnant or are pregnant, you would know about the issue of constipation during pregnancy. It is no joke. Having constipation is quite common during pregnancy and it can affect your daily life. I am pretty sure I looked up “how to relieve constipation during pregnancy immediately” at least ten times during pregnancy.
In this post, I will be discussing the following.
- What causes constipation during pregnancy?
- When does constipation start in pregnancy?
- How to relieve constipation during pregnancy immediately?
- Can constipation hurt the baby or cause a miscarriage?
What Causes Constipation During Pregnancy?
When stool moves slowly in the intestines, water is reabsorbed into the body. Progesterone, a vital hormone during pregnancy, increases during pregnancy. This hormone causes the muscles to relax and function slower. When the intestines function slower, stool stays longer there which causes constipation. It causes food to stay longer in the intestines to give the body enough time to reabsorb any nutrition it needs for the baby.
Moreover, iron in prenatal vitamins also causes constipation. Talk to your doctor about changing your prenatal to something with less iron. Make sure you don’t change it yourself because this can lead to anemia.
A growing uterus can also cause pressure on the rectum, which can slow down bowel movements.
Sometimes, constipation during pregnancy cannot be avoided so it is important to know how to treat it quickly.
When Does Constipation Start In Pregnancy?
Constipation occurs when progesterone increases. So, it can start from 4 weeks of pregnancy or from the second or third month of pregnancy. It is actually considered an early pregnancy symptom. It will get worse as progesterone further increases and your uterus expands.
How To Relieve Constipation During Pregnancy Immediately?
- Juices
There are three types of juice that help with constipation. The first is apple juice. It can have an immediate effect. The second is pear juice, which tastes good and works even better than apple juice. The third is the well-known prune juice, which is sometimes used specifically for constipation.
- Exercise
Sometimes walking or exercising can help move things down there. Try to talk a walk and relax your muscles. It is known that exercise decreases the amount of time it takes for stool to pass through the intestine and therefore more water stays in the stool and less is absorbed by the body.
- Change of Diet
Eat foods high in fiber. Fiber is known to relieve constipation and help prevent it from occurring again. Eat many fruits and vegetables. Also, instead of eating three meals a day, break them down into 6 small meals.
- Increase in Water
Pregnant women should drink at least 96 ounces of water to help loosen stools and prevent constipation during pregnancy.
- Lemon and Water
This is something that works and I can confirm it through experience. Just add two tablespoons of lemon freshly squeezed with warm water. Drink it every morning.
- Vitamin C
Vitamin C helps with the reabsorption of water. So, increase the intake of food with vitamin C.
Can Constipation Hurt The Baby During Pregnancy? Can Constipation Cause Miscarriage?
Miscarriage is not caused by working too hard or getting tired. SO, no constipation should not hurt your baby nor cause a miscarriage. But, constipation can cause some issues for you. It can cause hemorrhoids and rectal tears and bleeding. That also should not affect your baby at all.
If you would like to know more about medications you can take to help relieve constipation during pregnancy, I recommend reading “Constipation During Pregnancy Causes, Risks, and Remedies.”
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