Pregnancy comes with all sorts of aches and pains. Many are silent issues that you experience, but don’t want to talk about with other people. Some women are embarrassed to talk about certain things like constipation. Being constipated is common and is nothing to be ashamed of. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that digestive issues like constipation are fairly common (3 out of 4 pregnant women experience it at some point in their pregnancy). If you’re struggling with bathroom time on a regular basis, you’ve come to the right place. There are many natural ways to ease the discomfort of missed toilet time.
In today’s post, we will go over a few causes of being constipated, how to best relieve constipation, and how to get things moving regularly.
Why am I suddenly constipated?
Many women go their entire lives without ever experiencing constipation, and then suddenly struggle with it after seeing those two pick lines. Why is that? There are several reasons you could be experiencing this.
- Hormonal shifts Progesterone rises significantly during pregnancy, causing your digestion to slow. High progesterone levels can cause the muscles in your body to relax. Your digestive tract is made up of muscles that move your food through. When those muscles are relaxed, they tend to get lazy and make digestion more of a chore.
- Your organs shifting As your baby grows, your organs shift positions to make room for your expanding uterus. Since your digestive organs are not in their normal place, they have to learn how to work in a different position/area. This can also contribute to slow digestion, gas, and the feeling of being constipated.
- Babies position As your uterus expands and gets heavier, it can compress your colon and cause slower digestion and trapped stool. Everything that goes in must come out at some point, but that doesn’t mean it’s not going to take a long time and be very uncomfortable.
- Dehydration Some women experience nausea throughout their entire pregnancy. It’s easy to get dehydrated when you’re only taking small sips of water and then struggle with vomiting. Sometimes morning sickness can turn into a vicious cycle of dehydration and being constipated.
- Non-Heme iron Sometimes women are told to take iron supplements or they have iron in their prenatal vitamin. Many times those sources of iron are nonheme. Nonheme iron is harder for the body to absorb and digest. If your prenatal or iron supplement is making you nauseous and constipated, try finding a supplement made up of red meats and a prenatal that doesn’t contain iron.
- A poor American diet Much of our American diet is made up of highly processed carbohydrates. Refined white sugars and white flours reek havoc on our digestive system. When your digestion is already struggling, it can do more harm than good to eat sweets and breads. Another contributor is hydrogenated vegetable oils and processed fibers. The more processed your food is, the harder your digestion has to work.
10 Dietary Solutions
Many times, all it takes is a dietary change to make your bathroom time easier.
- Lessen or eliminate white carbs Foods like cereal, white rice, white bread, pasta, cookies, etc. are all filled with white flours and white sugars. Try making the swap to more fiber rich foods. Such as whole-grain muffins (sweetened with honey instead of sugar), whole-grain pastas, and whole-grain breads (breads with nuts and seeds are even better). Try and eat at least one meal a day with raw, sautéed, or lightly steamed vegetables. Try and include fresh or dried fruits, beans, nuts, and seeds.
- Include flax or chia seeds into your daily diet Flax seeds and chia seeds are both filled with fiber, and they can both get things moving. A great way to include flax seeds into your diet is to throw them into a smoothy every morning. Chia seed pudding is a great way to include chia seeds daily. Just 2 tablespoons of these seeds can relieve constipation in even the laziest digestive tract!
- Snack on fiber rich foods Instead of relying on chips or cookies in between meals, reach for dried figs, prunes, or raisins. You might be pleasantly surprised at how much you like them! And they will definitely help keep things moving.
- Double your water intake Your body has a higher need for water during pregnancy. It’s important to stay hydrated for your overall health as well as to prevent being constipated. Try to aim for at least 10 to 12 8 ounce glasses of water a day. Also, adding electrolytes to your water helps your body better absorb the liquids.
- Eat smaller, more frequent meals Your digestive system may take smaller meals better than large meals. Smaller, frequent meals allows your body to constantly move things through. Whereas eating large meals makes your digestive system work harder, and makes it harder for your body to keep up.
- Try eating fresh vegetables, but not raw If you were constantly eating vegetables but see no improvement in your digestion, try lightly steaming, or sautéing your vegetables. Sometimes the roughage in a salad or a plate of greens is just too much for your body to break down all at once. Softening the veggies before consuming them can help your body digest things properly.
- Chew, chew, chew! They are many steps to your digestive system. The first step starts in your mouth; chewing. The better you chew your food, the easier it is for your stomach to break it down and move things through. If the food that reaches your stomach and intestines is already broken up, your body is better able to absorb the nutrients, and it takes one less step for your digestive system to mash up your food.
- Eat or drink warm liquids throughout your day Hot soups, warm tea, and the occasional coffee (preferably bullet proof or decaffeinated) can all help the muscles in your digestive system to open up and relax. Remember, cold constricts while warmth relaxes. The same rings true when it comes to what you eat. Warm drinks can help relax your muscles and get the ball rolling. It’s hard to be constipated when things are constantly warm and moving!
- Take a probiotic Whether you need to take a probiotic supplement or include more probiotic rich foods, your digestive health will thank you for adding them into your diet! Prebiotics and probiotics are like food for your gut health. A healthy gut is a moving gut, so let’s try to keep your gut as healthy as possible! Talk to your doctor about a good pregnancy-safe probiotic!
- Take magnesium Magnesium benefits the body in so many different ways, healthy digestive habits are one of them. You can try taking a magnesium supplement, using a topical magnesium spray, or taking a magnesium rich epsom salt bath.
Do I recommend stool softeners?
In my opinion, this is a last resort when it comes to a pregnant mama struggling with constipation. Stool softeners usually work quickly and effectively, but they can also cause several long term digestive issues. Not only can you become reliant upon the softeners very quickly, but they can also leech the vitamins and minerals out of your body that you need on a daily basis. I highly recommend saving stool softeners for occasional use, not for regular use. No one wants to have to take a pill every day just to be able to go to the bathroom at all.
Reach out to your doctor or midwife before using a stool softener, they will be able to tell you which ones are pregnancy, safe. Many softeners are considered a medication, you should always discuss medications with your medical provider before taking them.
Non-dietary ways to deter constipation
There are several lifestyle changes that can help you regulate your bowel movements.
- Exercise Daily movement can help relieve constipation. Moving your body helps to stimulate your nervous system and help your gut work better. Whether it’s a walk, a jog, a 20 minute exercise session, stretching, or intense house work, daily movement can help relieve constipation. Moving your body can help move your gut!
- When you need to go, go! Sometimes you may find that you are too busy to go to the bathroom when you feel the urge. Delaying using the bathroom when you feel the urge can actually contribute to constipation. Your digestion keeps moving whether you’re too busy to go or not. This can cause your stool to accumulate and make it harder for you to go later. Even taking five minutes to sit and go can help keep things flushed out and moving properly.
- Relax Sometimes feeling constipated can cause anxiety and make you tense up when it’s time to go. Sitting calmly and breathing deeply can help your body relax. When you’re relaxed, things are able to move smoother and easier.
- A squatty potty Proper positioning can really help make a difference when using the toilet. Supporting your feet on a stool can help you avoid straining. Before we had toilets, people would squat to go. This is actually very beneficial, proper positioning. Not only does it allow an easier escape for your bowel movements, but it’s also proper positioning to allow your body to relax effectively.
- Schedule bathroom time Schedule an uninterrupted time daily for you to go. If you decide to go to the bathroom at 9 o’clock every morning, at some point, your body will catch up and realize that this is the time you have set aside for proper elimination. it’s totally possible to train your body to go when it needs to go. If you set aside 9:00 every day for a month, you’ll start to notice that you’ll need to go to the bathroom around 9:00 every day without even thinking about it.
To wrap this up,
Bathroom time does not have to be something you dread. If none of these dietary, lifestyle, or natural ways to relieve constipation don’t work for you, talk to your medical provider about what else they would recommend. They may have a suggestion that could change the game for you. If you need further help or suggestions, I’d love to speak with you! I hope something here is a help to you and that you’re able to get some relief soon. 🙂