Embarrasing pregnancy quetion (TMI & fem-only)

[rookie]

What is your best, tried and true, way to combat pregnancy constipation? :blush:

 

I am already drinking lots of water, eating vegies, and walking and none of these things are working. I need intervention!

 

Should I use something like colace or are there other options? I am not looking for the "Do this for two weeks and you will feel better" remedy. I am looking for the "Do this and feel better NOW" remedy. :001_smile:

 

Help! Thanks!!

[Ottakee]

I would check with your doctor but Miralax (now over the counter) has worked wonders here. Very gentle--just 1/2 to a 1 dose a day.

[Heather in OK]

Were you a coffee drinker?

[rookie]

Yes, 1 cup a day.

[OneRoomSchoolHouse]

If it makes you feel any better, I have been trying to find the answer to this same question. My prenatal vitamin contains propylene glycol, but doesn't seem to be helping much. :bigear:

[Cinder]

Well, I use Konsyl for fiber supplement (1 dose a day) already and I had to increase to 2 doses during pregnancy. You can find it in the pharmacy section at Walmart.

 

 

Cinder

[johnandtinagilbert]

i'd start with something simple like sitting on all fours for a bit...maybe the baby is sitting in the way?

 

Otherwise, call the ob and ask for stool softeners or what they will be okay with over the counter, like an enema?

 

Feel better soon.

[Heather in OK]

And did you stop drinking that coffee? ;) Or I should ask...did you stop drinking the coffee and then notice a change? Or did you stop a while ago and this constipation is a new symptom?

 

. My prenatal vitamin contains propylene glycol, but doesn't seem to be helping much.

A whole-foods based vitamin (i.e. New Chapter, Rainbow Light) won't be harsh on your tummy.

Edited January 13, 2010 by Heather in OK

[Jen in PA]

I'm not sure how quickly this will work, but I was told when I was pregnant with my first to take a tablespoon of olive oil every day to help with that problem..... and I did through both pregnancies, and never had that problem. Certainly can't hurt to try. I hope you're feeling better soon.

[Lolly]

What is your best, tried and true, way to combat pregnancy constipation? :blush:

 

I am already drinking lots of water, eating vegies, and walking and none of these things are working. I need intervention!

 

Should I use something like colace or are there other options? I am not looking for the "Do this for two weeks and you will feel better" remedy. I am looking for the "Do this and feel better NOW" remedy. :001_smile:

 

Help! Thanks!!

 

Stop taking the prenatal vitamins. For ME, that is the cure. The iron can cause tremendous problems with constipation. I have even landed in the ER discussing surgery. No more prenatals and problem was solved.

[Harriet Vane]

Prunes--plenty of them to get you started. Then have some each day for maintenance.

 

Decaf coffee--it has a very mild diuretic affect.

[rookie]

And did you stop drinking that coffee? ;) Or I should ask...did you stop drinking the coffee and then notice a change? Or did you stop a while ago and this constipation is a new symptom?

 

 

A whole-foods based vitamin (i.e. New Chapter, Rainbow Light) won't be harsh on your tummy.

 

 

I did not have coffee during the first trimester. I started having a half-cup a couple of weeks ago because my headaches were really bad and the OB said that might help.

 

My present issue has been getting worse over time. It is now insuportable.

 

Is it really OK to stop prenatals? I have always taken them. I am taking the Rainbow one.

[Emmy]

I had to take colace during my recent pregnancy - it was the only way I could continue on my prenatal vitamins and the extra iron I had to take (I was anemic so the iron was important).

[Heather in OK]

Try at least one full cup a day. Many women who were coffee drinkers and stop have constipation issues.

 

I don't fully support the recommendation of stopping the prenatal if you are taking a whole-foods based. If you are, that shouldn't be the issue. Of course you could always give it a try to see if it helps.

 

Also make sure you are getting plenty of water AND fiber.

 

There are several other great recommendations! I also tell women Colace if nothing else natural helps.

 

my headaches were really bad

I would venture to guess that's due more to hormones than the lack of coffee.

 

take a tablespoon of olive oil every day to help with that problem..... and I did through both pregnancies, and never had that problem.

How did you take it? Straight? Mixed in with something?

[Heather in OK]

the extra iron I had to take (I was anemic so the iron was important).

Floradix is a more favorable iron supplementation. It is non-constipating and is assimilated by the body better than iron pills. Does wonders for raising hemoglobin levels!

 

And if you have really low levels, you can do Floradix and chlorophyll.

[kewb]

When in crisis mode I would eat an egg mcmuffin and an order of hash browns. Within 15 minutes I was good to go. To avoid getting to crisis mode I would eat a handful of prunes or dried apricots every day.

[kamom]

At 8 months prego, I feel for you! I agree to try to get iron some other way. I take only a multi vit without iron.

Here's some things I do to keep regular.

Have my cup of coffee in the morning.

Take a tbsp of ground flax seed every morning. I stir it into juice.

Take extra magnesium, the calcium in the prenatal can be binding and magnesium helps balance it out and helps your body absorb it.

Take a Tbsp of mollasses in a mug of hot cocoa in the evening. This helps soften stool and is a great way to get iron. You can hardly taste it in the hot cocoa.

Drink lots of water.

This keeps me regular and normal stools. I went through a lot with this pregnancy till I found what I needed. HTH

[Chris in VA]

Caffeine has the effect of "hurrying along" the contents of the colon. You may be experiencing the lack of such an effect if you aren't drinking as much coffee. Up to two cups is considered safe.

 

I had to laugh at the previous poster--McDonald's french fries are considered a miracle cure for some! They contain so much fat.

 

Make sure you drink enough--up your water intake by another 3 cups or so, esp if you go back to drinking coffee.

[Remudamom]

When I was hospitalized to wait on the triplets the first thing they did was start me on a stool softener every day. They later adjusted it a bit. Ask your doc/nurse about that.

[The Governess]

Apple juice might help.

[Susan in KY]

I would eat a handful of prunes or dried apricots every day.

:iagree: Nuts and raisins also make a difference.

[HayesW]

I empathize! First, check your prenatal vitamins! Usually the iron in them is not easily absorbed and makes constipation issues worse. I switched to a vitamin with no iron and took an iron supplement alone that was not consitpating.

 

Also, I took flax seed oil capsules. I took one each morning and evening. If I didn't have a bowel movement that day, I would take 2 before bed, and then 2 more at breakfast if there still wasn't any movement.

[rookie]

All of your posts are so kind and helpful!

 

I have already downed a bunch of prunes and some more coffee. I have a call in to my OB's nurse and will start in on the other suggestions in a little while....

 

Thanks again.

[tdeveson]

A tablespoon of olive oil in the morning, and two servings of oatmeal every day. One in the morning, and one in the afternoon. I learned this during my first pregnancy 28 years ago. When I had my second 11 years ago and started feeling constipated (yet one more reason to fund research on artificial wombs), I did it again and it worked fine.

[tdeveson]

When in crisis mode I would eat an egg mcmuffin and an order of hash browns. Within 15 minutes I was good to go. To avoid getting to crisis mode I would eat a handful of prunes or dried apricots every day.

 

Mexican food will work too. I could tell you a story, but I'll just get banned again. ;) I'm so glad I'm done with this part of my life.

[melissel]

You've gotten lots of great advice, and I just wanted to throw one more thing into the mix. If you are taking Tums (Rolaids etc.) for heartburn, find something else. They will block you up horribly. My midwife recommends alternating Tums with Maalox (since they seem to have opposite effects). Once I figured that all out, I was better in general.

 

Good luck!!!

 

ETA: If you start eating more dried fruit, make sure you up your water consumption accordingly, or the dried fruit might have the opposite effect.

Edited January 13, 2010 by melissel

[Guest tmf]

Well, I use Konsyl for fiber supplement (1 dose a day) already and I had to increase to 2 doses during pregnancy. You can find it in the pharmacy section at Walmart.

 

 

Cinder

konsyl also has a web site to order from directly

http://www.konsyl.com

[Jen in PA]

 

 

How did you take it? Straight? Mixed in with something?

 

I took mine straight, which took some getting used to. With fresh hot bread for dipping would be more fun:D

[zootle]

Have you tried prune juice? What about grapes-Sometimes fruits high in liquid can help loosen a stool? Is there a particular food that used to cause you to have to go to the bathroom soon after eating-something like Chinese or spicy Mexican?

Hope you fine help soon.

Cindy

[Chrystal]

The iron in the tabs usually has the opposite effect on me.:tongue_smilie:

 

I would try the Miralax. It is a bulk fiber laxative that is safe and usually works in a day.

I had a major problem with #3 because of Progesterone for the first 14 weeks. It was so bad I would just sit in the bathroom and cry. Dh thought I was losing it sometimes.

I took Citrucel twice a day for the rest of the pregnancy (OB said okay) and was fine.

The Miralax used to be Rx only, but now is OTC. You don't need to cut the dosage. Believe it or not, the dosage is the same for everyone, even kids.

 

Once you get the short term problem solved, you have to keep things from getting that way again. The best way is with fiber, either through diet or with Miralax or other bulk fiber product.

 

I wouldn't stop taking the prenatals unless there is just no other choice. Yes, while good nutrition is the best way to get what we need, most of us do not come anywhere close to this through diet alone, especially when we are pregnant.

 

Take care. I hope it gets better for you soon.

[Melinda S in TX]

One psyllium capsule twice a day.

 

Melinda

[King Alfred Academy]

McDonald's.

[muffinmom]

I didn't know about this when I was pregnant, but my friend took liquid cal-mag (recommended by her midwife) every evening...it helped her sleep, plus she would have a bowel movement every morning. she loved it! http://www.iherb.com/now-foods-liquid-cal-mag-blueberry-flavor-16-fl-oz-473-ml/11674?at=0

[8circles]

I take a stool softener daily (generic Colace). I haven't found anything else that works for me. Stopping the prenatals isn't an option for me.

[Elm in NJ]

I stopped taking the prenatal vitamins and was taking gummies for a while. That seemed to help. Now that I drink CALM( Magnesium supplement), that has REALLY helped.