This is how you can relieve constipation during pregnancy

Pregnancy is a fascinating stage in the life of a woman, no matter how fatigued and even constipated until the last day of those 9 months, but it is still something incredible and a feeling that is very difficult to explain. Therefore, to make the road more beautiful and more bearable this stage, we want to give some tips to alleviate, avoid and reduce constipation during pregnancy. Although the most advisable thing is to consult with a specialist.

Having constipation is a bad sign, since it implies little hydration, little exercise, a low fiber diet or internal problems. However, when we are pregnant, things change and it is due to the pressure that the uterus exerts on the intestines and rectum, and this is how certain blockages occur that prevent us from evacuating regularly. In addition, hormonal changes such as the increase in progesterone slow down the digestive process and, therefore, the intestinal transit.

We are going to give some simple and quick tips to go to the bathroom regularly and avoid these constipation processes, or at least reduce them, since it is very typical of pregnant women. What we do advise is to improve your diet, before, during and after pregnancy. If we see that constipation is common in us, we can go to a specialist, in case there are any abnormalities, and thus be able to treat it as soon as possible.

The bad thing about pregnancy and one of the reasons these jams form is because the stool becomes dry and hard. This problem does not stop there, but if not solved in time it can form hemorrhoids and digestive problems.

Tips for saying goodbye to constipation in pregnancy

We are going to list a series of ideas and useful tips with which we can alleviate those specific traffic jams. If we see that they are not relieved, let’s not wait long, let’s quickly go to a doctor and he will know what solution to give us.

High fiber foods

Eating a diet rich in fiber is essential, but not only during pregnancy, it is also before and after, and even in non-pregnant women and men. Fiber, and especially diuretic fiber, is very beneficial . This will help us to have more regular and lighter bowel movements, thus reducing the chances of suffering from hemorrhoids.

Some foods rich in fiber are beans, fruits, vegetables, cereals, some seeds, nuts, etc. The important thing, and we repeat it again, is to eat a healthy, varied and balanced diet. It is the only way to get exactly what you need every day, including fiber, into your body. What we can do is increase the amount of fruits and vegetables, add integrated bread or whole grains.

Reduce astringent foods

They are those foods that will make it difficult to evacuate the stool, for example, a lot of meat, ultra-processed, industrial pastries, sugary foods such as cakes, cured cheeses, candies, rice, banana, apple, quince, grapefruit, etc.

Besides, it is clear that during pregnancy we cannot eat any food in any way, but we have to be careful with what we eat and how we eat it. The best thing is to get out of doubt by asking the doctor who handles our case. He will be able to advise us what to eat, what not to eat, quantities, forms, etc.

Una mujer embarazada con estreñimiento comiendo una manzana

Drink much liquid

Water is of vital importance, much more than many think, that is why it is recommended to increase the amount of water we drink in a day. We have to drink more than 2 liters of water a day , in addition, we must learn to drink water without being thirsty. If we are not very careful with this habit, we can try to drink other types of liquids but that are natural, without sugar and without being unhealthy like juices and ultra-processed shakes that are loaded with sugars, fats, additives and others.

It is important to get into the habit of drinking water every day. At least 8 glasses a day and we’ll see how constipation subsides. We may suffer a specific episode, but the water will help us much more than we think.

Do some physical activity

Many people still live in the past where it was believed that pregnant women could not have an active sex life or exercise or anything. Obviously there are cases in which there is a risk of abortion or premature birth and the mother is asked to rest completely, and until then everything is understood. But as a general rule, pregnant women can lead a practically normal life, even continue with their workouts, yes, lower the intensity quite a bit.

To relieve constipation during pregnancy, we can dance, walk a lot, use elliptical, and do some type of physical activity that starts our heart and helps us to promote bowel movement. Each woman is a unique case, so it will be the specialist who will tell us which sport we can do and which we cannot.

No laxatives

Really, no laxatives. First because they can have adverse effects on the fetus and second because we cannot resort to them every few weeks. It is best to make a lifestyle change, add more fruits and vegetables, drink more water, do more sports, avoid certain foods, such as sugary ones, or give the body extra help, as we will discuss in the next section. .

In case the constipation has reached a serious situation, for example, a week without defecation, it is best to go to the doctor and they will know how to act. If we go to the emergency room or to a doctor who is not the usual one, we must explain everything, if we have allergies, pain, what we have eaten, if we take any supplements, if we have any health problems, etc.

Take these foods on an empty stomach

If we want to try other options to avoid constipation and start the day well, then we can try to eat these foods on an empty stomach. Of course, it would be advisable to consult a specialist doctor if it is a good idea, or it can affect the fetus.

  • Drink coffee on an empty stomach.
  • Natural orange juice without sugar on an empty stomach .
  • Glass of warm water with lemon or natural lemon tea.
  • A natural prune juice before bed or at breakfast.
  • Reduce artificial juices for pieces of real fruit, and if it is with skin, the better.
  • Add kiwis to our salads, juices, or as a dessert.