Posts Tagged ‘Constipation’

Home Remedies for Constipation During Pregnancy

Constipation in pregnant women is a common problem and some of the causes of constipation during pregnancy are minimal exercise, low-fiber diet, worry and anxiety. Constipation occurs mainly due to hormonal imbalances.Intake of prenatal vitamins is another cause of constipation. There are many simple and effective remedies that can be followed to treat constipation during pregnancy.

Home Remedies for Constipation in Pregnancy
Treating constipation is very simple, which can be done by making certain changes in your lifestyle. Here are some of the things that you must follow:

  • Eat a diet that is rich in fiber because if you consume up to 30 grams of fiber from vegetables, fruits, prunes, bran, whole grain breads and breakfast cereals.
  • Drink plenty of fluids as it us important to increase the bulk of the stools. Drink at least 2 to 3 litres of water everyday. The combination of liquids and high fiber diets helps in the elimination of wastes from the body.
  • You must be active by exercising regularly because if you remain inactive then you may have the greater chance of suffering from constipation. Swimming, walking and any other mild to moderate exercises can be done as they stimulate the bowels. You must schedule exercises for more than three times a week for at least 20 – 30 minutes.
  • You can take medications for severe constipation only after consulting a doctor.
  • Talk to your health care provider and reduce the intake of iron supplements as they contribute to constipation. Eat foods rich in iron content rather than taking medications for constipation.

Remember always not to take certain drugs for constipation during pregnancy like laxatives are usually not recommended as they stimulate the contractions of the uterus , which can result in premature labour. So, follow these simple but effective remedies for treating constipation in pregnancy.

Pregnancy

Pregnancy Constipation Remedies

Constipation during pregnancy is a common problem where you suffer from discomfort or abdominal pain, infrequent and difficult bowel movements. This leads to the passage of hard stools and half of all women suffer from constipation at some point of their pregnancy. There are many pregnancy constipation remedies, which can be certain changes in your lifestyle.

Pregnancy Constipation Remedies
Some of the causes are:

  • Minimal physical exercise
  • Anxiety
  • Worry
  • Low fibre diet
  • Relaxation of the intestinal muscles
  • Hormones that relax the intestinal muscles
  • Pressure of the growing uterus on the intestines
  • Iron tablets

Pregnancy Constipation Remedies
There are many remedies for constipation during pregnancy. They are:

  • Eat a high fibre diet: You need to consume 25 to 30 grams every day. Some of the dietary fibre rich foods are vegetables, fruits, whole grain breads, breakfast cereals, bran, and prunes.
  • Drink fluids: You should also drink plenty of water especially when you take fibre rich foods. Drink at least ten to twelve cups of fluids to help you eliminate waste easily.
  • Exercise routinely: If you are physically inactive then you can suffer from constipation. Therefore, you need to do mild to moderate exercises like walking, swimming, and other exercises that stimulates the intestines. You should schedule your exercise for at least 20 to 30 minutes every day.
  • Over-the-counter remedies: You can talk to your health care provider and take medications for to soften the bowel movements and relieve your constipation.
  • Reduce Iron Supplements: Iron supplements also can cause constipation and if iron supplements are the cause of constipation then you can talk to your doctor and reduce the dosage of iron supplements. This can be done after checking your iron levels and you can consume a nutritious diet that can meet your iron needs.

If you eat a nutritious, diet and drink lots of water by monitoring your bodily functions then you can avoid severe constipation. You can also talk to your Health Care Provider about the prenatal vitamins. Follow these simple pregnancy constipation remedies to avoid constipation.

Pregnancy

Constipation During Pregnancy and Remedies

Constipation in pregnant women is a common problem and some of the causes of constipation during pregnancy are minimal exercise, low-fiber diet, worry and anxiety. Constipation occurs mainly due to hormonal imbalances.Intake of prenatal vitamins is another cause of constipation. There are many simple and effective remedies that can be followed to treat constipation during pregnancy.

Home Remedies for Constipation in Pregnancy
Treating constipation is very simple, which can be done by making certain changes in your lifestyle. Here are some of the things that you must follow:

  • Eat a diet that is rich in fiber because if you consume up to 30 grams of fiber from vegetables, fruits, prunes, bran, whole grain breads and breakfast cereals.
  • Drink plenty of fluids as it us important to increase the bulk of the stools. Drink at least 2 to 3 litres of water everyday. The combination of liquids and high fiber diets helps in the elimination of wastes from the body.
  • You must be active by exercising regularly because if you remain inactive then you may have the greater chance of suffering from constipation. Swimming, walking and any other mild to moderate exercises can be done as they stimulate the bowels. You must schedule exercises for more than three times a week for at least 20 – 30 minutes.
  • You can take medications for severe constipation only after consulting a doctor.
  • Talk to your health care provider and reduce the intake of iron supplements as they contribute to constipation. Eat foods rich in iron content rather than taking medications for constipation.

Remember always not to take certain drugs for constipation during pregnancy like laxatives are usually not recommended as they stimulate the contractions of the uterus , which can result in premature labour. So, follow these simple but effective remedies for treating constipation in pregnancy.

Pregnancy

Causes of Constipation During Early Pregnancy

Constipation is the most common problem seen among pregnant women especially, in the initial stages. The main cause of constipation during early pregnancy is hormonal changes. During the first trimester, there is an increase in the levels of hormone progesterone, which makes the movement of the food through the digestive tract slow. The muscles of the bowel relaxes, which makes the movement of the food slow. This in turn slows down the process of eliminating the waste from the body. There are many causes of constipation during early pregnancy. Here is a list of the most common causes of constipation in the early phase of pregnancy.

Causes of Constipation in First Trimester
Here are some of the reasons of constipation in the first trimester:

  • Progesterone Hormone: The main cause of constipation during the early stages of pregnancy is due to the hormone progesterone. This is an essential hormone during pregnancy, which softens the muscles of the body including the ligaments. This is to prepare your body for the birth of the baby. This softening process, relaxes the intestinal muscles resulting in slowing the digestive system. This is one cause of constipation in the early days.
  • Prenatal Vitamins: Prenatal vitamins are the other cause for constipation. Prenatal vitamins are taken for are taken as supplements along with their regular diets. The iron content in these vitamins are the other cause of constipation. To cope with the tremendous growth, pregnant women needs these vitamins and especially, iron. This supplement keeps anaemia at bay by increasing the haemoglobin.
  • Diet: Women who suffer from severe morning sickness, lose lot of water through vomiting. This makes them lose their appetites and results in vomiting and nausea. They may not even consume the required dietary fiber due to severe nausea and vomiting. This can increase the chances of constipation. Even if you consume certain dehydrating liquids like enriched coffee, tea, alcohol and caffeinated drinks, you suffer from constipation. Sometimes, even when you make certain changes in your diet then this could also may cause constipation.
  • Stress: Stress is usually another cause of constipation because it is usually increased by sleeplessness
  • Certain Diseases: Certain medical conditions like diabetes, scleroderma, uremia, stroke and Parkinson’s’s syndrome can also result in constipation in pregnancy.

These are some of the causes of constipation during early pregnancy. So, if you have severe constipation then you need to consult a doctor and take the required treatment.

Pregnancy

Symptoms of Constipation During Early Pregnancy

Constipation is the most common problem in early pregnancy. There are certain symptoms of constipation in early pregnancy. Bloating and gas are intense for a pregnant woman and there are chances that she may develop hemorrhoids as well. Constipation during early pregnancy is accompanied by some symptoms.

Symptoms of Constipation in First Trimester
Here are some of the symptoms of constipation in the first trimester:

  • Tired and sleeplessness
  • Physical and mental problems
  • Heartburn
  • Backaches
  • Painful elimination of stools
  • Bloating
  • Mental stress
  • Straining
  • Hard stools

Constipation can get complicated and can cause hemorrhoids that can create cracks and tears in the rectum or anus causing bleeding.

Treatment of Constipation in Early Pregnancy
Treating the signs of constipation in pregnancy is the first approach. Doctors recommend the pregnant women to eat a lot of fiber rich foods and drink lots of water along with mild to moderate exercises. Here are some of the simple ways treating constipation in pregnancy:

  • Fibre-rich food: Foods high in fiber ensures that the feces does not dry out but, it remains soft. This helps in the elimination of waste products from the body. Foods like vegetables, fruits, breakfast cereals, prune juice and wholewheat bread contain high amounts of fiber.
  • Drink Lots of Water: Pregnant women must drink at least 6 glasses of water to prevent constipation in pregnancy. Drink lots of fresh juices as it is good for the pregnant woman.
  • Exercise: Mild exercises can help in the stimulation of the bowel, which results in an improved digestion. You may strain hard when you have a bowel movement. Instead of straining, swim or walk for 20 to 30 minutes. This improves your digestion and it enhances the overall well being of the person as well.

Though constipation is not a serious problem, if it is accompanied with pain and alternatively with diarrhea, passing blood or mucus, then you need to talk to your doctor immediately for further treatment.

Pregnancy

Constipation Relief During Pregnancy

If a person suffers less than three bowel movements a week then the person is constipated and during pregnancy a woman may find it difficult to pass stools. For constipation relief you need to change your lifestyle.Some of the other signs are bloating and having a sensation of full stomach even if the person has not eaten anything.Women frequently suffer from constipation during pregnancy. The only thing is to make some changes in your daily eating habits as this is the only thing that causes relief to constipation.

Treatment for Constipation During Pregnancy
Some of the simple ways to relieve yourself from constipation are as follows:

Hydrate your Body
This an important step in treating constipation during pregnancy. When the body is well hydrated, it softens the stool and helps in the easy passage of stools. We all know that 8 to 10 glasses of water should be consumed everyday, but nobody follows this method seriously. Include many vegetable and fruit juices. Prune juice is one of the best juices that helps in relieving constipation. You can take buttermilk in your daily diet for problems related to constipation in early and later phases of pregnancy.

Exercise Regularly
It is recommended not to do strenuous exercise during pregnancy , but it is always important to follow mild exercise routine. Talk to your health care Professional for the correct exercise depending on the condition of a woman. These exercises will certainly help in digestive problems. You can select low impact exercises. Some of the low impact exercises include swimming, walking, pregnancy yoga and etc. These usually does not cause any injuries but relieves constipation to a greater extent.

Changing Prenatal Vitamins
Some of the prenatal vitamins have iron as their ingredient which is one of the reasons for constipation among most of the pregnant woman. You can always ask the Health Care Provider to change these vitamins and opt for vitamins that have less content of iron when compared to these brands. This is one of the simplest remedy for constipation in pregnancy. Drink lots of water to avoid constipation as these vitamins have iron in them.

Avoid Processed or Refined Foods
Try to be away from fast foods and those foods made out of refined wheat flour. Avoid the intake of cheese and reduce the sugar intake too. Fast foods should be completely avoided.

You may come across many over the counter solutions for pregnancy constipation, but it is always safe not to self treat yourself. Try to use these simple remedies for constipation. If does not get relieved then consult your doctor as they are the best people to recommend the best remedy for constipation relief.

Pregnancy

Natural Laxatives for Constipation in Pregnancy

Pregnancy is the most rewarding period for a women as there are a number of problems related to it, one such problem is constipation. This is a common problem that every woman faces, but instead of taking medications,some of the natural treatments can help to relieve constipation. There are some natural laxatives that can be a perfect solution.

Natural Laxatives for Constipation in Pregnancy
Laxatives are those that help to loosen the stool for the easy passage of the stools. Natural laxatives are herbal and does not lead to any side effects, but still consult your doctor before taking these natural laxatives. Here are some of the natural laxatives. They include:

  • Water: Water is the best remedy for moving hard stools. Water hydrates your system and puts pressure on the organs for the for the stools to be pushed out. If a pregnant women drinks 8 – 10 glasses of warm water daily, then this helps in flushing the toxins and keeps your system clean.
  • High Fiber Diet: A diet rich in fibers is a good option as fiber diet absorbs more water and makes it softer, bulkier and easier to pass. Foods that are rich in fiber include artichoke, apricot, soy flour, soya beans, apricot, chick peas, barley, dried figs and apples.
  • Exercise: Pregnancy exercises like cardiovascular exercises and yoga(depending on the advancement of pregnancy) can helps in the circulation of the blood throughout the body. This helps to flush out the toxins and keeps the digestive tract clean.
  • Prunes: Prunes can be taken in cooked or raw form and is considered as the best solution for constipation.This takes in water and makes the stools softer that helps in the easy passage of stools.
  • Oils: There are some oils like mineral and Castor oil that can be used for constipation. These oils stimulate the colon walls, that leads to bowel movements. Consult your doctor before taking these oils.

These natural laxatives helps in the cure of constipation, but try to prevent constipation. Do not use too much of these laxatives as they can effect your pregnancy depending on the condition of a pregnant women.

Pregnancy