When I became pregnant
with my first child I had no idea I would
experience pregnancy constipation
and the potential problems associated with
pregnancy constipation.
Needless to say,
pregnancy constipation can be very
uncomfortable and can cause additional
pregnancy problems if not addressed. When I
experienced constipation for several weeks,
especially during my second and third
trimester, I became concerned and decided to
speak with my doctor at my regular visit.
After talking with my
obstetrician, I learned that one of the
reasons pregnancy constipation is very
common is due to the progesterone levels
being elevated. My doctor explained to me
that progesterone is known to relax your
gastrointestinal muscles and slow down the
movement of the GI tract, which can then
cause pregnancy constipation. Also, as the
uterus grows with the expanding pregnancy,
it can compound the problem by putting
additional pressure on the intestines.
To prevent pregnancy
constipation my doctor explained to me that
I needed to increase my fiber intake, eat
more fruit and vegetables, increase fluid
intake, exercise more often and if needed
take a fiber laxative, but not to let the
problem continue.
Wow... of course, that was
easier said than done! I was pregnant! I
can't tell you that I really felt like
exercising or even drinking more fluid,
since, well you guessed it... drinking more
fluid meant a bladder that was full more
often and there were times I felt like I was
living in the bathroom!
Being a first time mom, I
was afraid that the constipation I was
experiencing could be harmful to the baby.
After settling my pregnancy fears, my doctor
assured me that pregnancy constipation was
not harmful to my baby, but if the
constipation continued I could experience
hemorrhoids, vomiting and bloody stools.
None of which sounded any fun at all.
My
doctor reassured me that these conditions
should resolve once the baby was born but in
the interim it could be uncomfortable to me
during the pregnancy and so I decided to do
my best to avoid developing any of these
problems. Taking care of my pregnancy
constipation was my best option to help me
avoid hemorrhoids! Suddenly exercising and
drinking more fluid didn't sound like such a
problem to me.
With this being my first
child pregnancy constipation was scary but
following through with the increase of
fiber, water and exercise I was able to
resolve my constipation. I also happily
avoided developing hemorrhoids and I found
that I felt better with the exercise I
started during my pregnancy.
I was so
pleased with the guidance provided by my
physician and have found that I have
actually adopted the healthy habits he
suggested during my pregnancy.
