If you’re pregnant and experiencing constipation, you’re certainly not alone.

In fact, it’s one of the commonest complaints during pregnancy, and no, it doesn’t necessarily mean something is wrong.

Blame your pregnancy hormones. 😃

They’re doing an important job: helping your body absorb more nutrients for your growing baby.

Unfortunately, they also slow down your digestive system, leaving your stool drier, harder, and much more difficult to pass.

The good news?

There are simple, safe ways to get your bowels moving again, without putting your baby at risk.

In today’s post, I’ll discuss:

Foods that help relieve constipation
How much water you really need
Why yoghurt may help
Safe ways to encourage bowel movement
Why you should not stop taking your iron tablets without speaking to your doctor

If you’re expecting or know someone who is, this is one post worth saving and sharing.

Q: Good day Dr. Ketch, I am in my early month of pregnancy and is finding it difficult to pass stool. Please help.

A: Welcome to the land of pregnancy and raging hormones!!! 😃This is going to be an interesting period in your life and your hormones are going to act up in different ways.

Constipation is common in pregnancy and is due to the hormones of pregnancy, which make the muscles of your digestive tract work in a more leisurely manner. This ensures that food stays longer in the tract, more nutrients are absorbed from it (so that more nutrients can go to baby) but also more water is absorbed from it, leaving the poop hard and constipated. The iron-containing pre-natal drugs may also contribute to this but you do have to take them ;D

Tips to help you deal with the constipation include:

• Adding more fruits and veggies to meals.
• Eating small quantities at a time. You could try to aim for 5 small meals (breakfast, lunch dinner and 2 snacks in between) per day containing fruits, Veggies, complex carbs and proteins. Snacks can be a handful of nuts, etc
• Drink sufficient amounts of water. At least 8 glasses. Remember that this depends on your activity and weather condition. If you find yourself in a hot environment where you’re sweating a lot, by all means drink some more.
• Some activity is also useful in getting things ‘down there’ to move along 😀 Remember to check with your doctor, what activities are safe for you to undertake when pregnant.
• Yoghurt with probiotics is also a great idea and helps the stomach bacteria break down the food and more importantly, keep it moving along.

At what stage of pregnancy did constipation become a problem for you?