Fresh and dried fruit are a great dietary addition to keep your bowels moving.
It’s no secret that I’ve been horribly, miserably constipated this whole pregnancy. I’ve blogged about it plenty, and I’ve brought it up at every. single. appointment. with every. single. doctor. Although I have not yet had a fecal impaction, I’m thinking this is where I’m headed.
Here’s what I’ve been doing (within the limitations of my hyperemesis) in the meantime to try to head that off, which I understand are solutions that work for everyone but me. I hope these help with any constipation issues you may be experiencing, fellow expectant mommas!
DIETARY SOLUTIONS
- Prune juice – room temperature, cold, and warm
- Pear juice – from the baby aisle at the grocery store
- Hot water with lemon
- Prunes
- Pears
- Apricots
- Plums
- Applesauce
- Whole granny smith apples
- Whole oranges
- Watermelon
- Canteloupe
- Cherries – fresh and dried
- Raisins
- Black-eyed peas
- Kale
- Collard greens
- Spinach
- Broccoli
- Oatmeal
- Oatmeal cookies (yum!)
- Bran muffins
- Bran cereal – Raisin Bran, Raisin Nut Bran
- Fiber One cereal and snack bars
- Whole-grain bread
- Seven-grain hot cereal
- Cold granola
- Activia yogurt with probiotics
- Greek yogurt
- Wheat germ
- Lots of fluids – water, juices cut with water, decaffeinated teas, IV fluids
MEDICINES AND SUPPLEMENTS
- Dulcolax stool softener
- Colace stool softener
- Metamucil
- Miralax
- Acidophilus
- Kristalose prescription stool softener
- Dulcolax bisacodyl laxatives (10 mg) – check with your doctor first
- Fleet saline enemas – check with your doctor first
- Milk of Magnesia – check with your doctor first
- Magnesium citrate – check with your doctor first
As I keep telling the doctors, I’ve got fluids, fiber, and stool softener coming out my ears! If it weren’t for the weeks of backup from the progesterone supplements and the ongoing constipation caused by my ever-present IV Zofran, I’m quite confident I’d have the most regular bowels this side of the Mississippi. I hope this gets you moving!
What suggestions do you have for relieving pregnancy constipation? Leave your ideas in the comments.
Just like your situation, my sister has also been too miserable for the past few days because of her constipation problem. She is in her third month of pregnancy and she’s already having a watery stool. I think it’s time for her to bring her up to the doctor and see if she’ll be advised to look for Enema devices for sale.