Constipation during Pregnancy

When you first find out you are pregnant, you are probably pretty excited about the whole experience. While much of pregnancy can be a lot of fun, and an incredibly enlightening experience, it also comes with some drawbacks. Some women seem to have more problems than others, but almost all of them experience digestive complaints of one kind or another. Probably the most common digestive problem is constipation during pregnancy.

Pregnancy constipation occurs when the hormone progesterone starts being produced in greater quantities, preparing your body to nurture a fetus for nine months. One thing that happens almost right away is a general slowdown of your digestive system. This happens because your body will need extra time to get all of the nutrients it can from the food you eat. These nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream and carried to the womb, where the fetus receives them via the umbilical cord.

Constipation during pregnancy is caused by the slowdown of food moving through the digestive tract, but also because additional moisture is drawn out of the food and into the bloodstream. This means that whatever remains in the digestive tract is not only moving more slowly, it is drier as well. These two factors are the main ones in contributing to pregnancy constipation.

While constipation during pregnancy can be unpleasant and uncomfortable, it is also rather easily remedied. If you follow these steps, you will find your constipation greatly diminished or eliminated altogether. Constipation usually occurs because there is not enough fiber to keep the food moving easily through your system. If you increase your fiber consumption, you may well banish constipation for good.

Fiber can be found in whole grains like brown rice and oatmeal, and in whole-grain breads. It is also present in many fresh fruits and vegetables, so simply adding those to your diet can increase your fiber intake. Prunes, or prune juice are also particularly good at fighting pregnancy constipation.

Because lack of moisture can also be a factor, be sure to drink at least 8-10 glasses of water daily. If you like, drink some peppermint tea as well, as that has been proven to aid in constipation prevention.

Exercise is another way to keep all of the juices flowing, and your body’s systems working efficiently. It is also a great stress reducer, and since stress is a major cause of constipation during pregnancy you are getting a dual benefit.

Also keep in mind that iron can contribute to constipation. Prenatal vitamins are usually high in iron, so take a look at the one you are taking. If it is very high, you might want to consider switching to another brand that contains somewhat less.

While pregnancy constipation is unpleasant and uncomfortable, it is very common among pregnant women and no cause for alarm. If you follow the steps above, you will find instances of constipation greatly reduced, and you will realize the additional benefits of better health, overall. If you are still worried, check with your doctor for additional advice.

Article Source: http://www.parentingarticlelibrary.com

You can find helpful information about constipation during pregnancy and everything you need to know about pregnancy during constipation at Aha! Baby.

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