10 Best Home Remedies for Constipation During Pregnancy

Constipation is a common occurrence during pregnancy. However, most women choose not to talk about it for embarrassment and other reasons. While you may want to go for over-the-counter drugs for relief, they can be harmful during this phase, and if you are looking for medicines, the wisest option is to consult your doctor.

Your body’s muscles relax during pregnancy due to increased hormone progesterone. That also applies to your intestines. And slower digestion is a result of slower-moving intestines. This might cause constipation. Constipation is a pretty typical pregnancy symptom that many women encounter. While some pregnant women get constipation early on, others do not experience it until much later.

Video: 5 Best Home Remedies for Constipation During Pregnancy

Causes of Constipation During Pregnancy

Several reasons cause constipation during pregnancy. These include:

1. Reduced food and water consumption

Morning sickness affects most mothers and makes it difficult to eat and sometimes even drink water.

2. Changes in hormones

A surge in the production of progesterone results in the slowing down of the digestive process.

3. Changes in diet

Pregnant women tend to change their diet to provide for their growing fetus. This change could cause constipation.

4. Due to iron supplements

One of the causes of constipation in pregnant women is an increase in iron due to the prescribed supplements.

Though constipation can cause discomfort, it is easily remedied by a simple diet, lifestyle changes, and a few easy home remedies. While some offer immediate constipation relief during pregnancy, others help you gradually improve. Here are some remedies to help relieve constipation during pregnancy.

10 Effective Home Remedies to Treat Constipation When Pregnant

Natural remedies for constipation during pregnancy are listed below:

1. Lemon

Lemon is great for digestion and helps flush out the toxins and other undigested food. Adding lemon to a warm glass of water stimulates your sense of smell and taste and induces bowel contractions that help pass stools. You may want to dilute the concentrated juice by adding a little bit of water. This decreases the intensity of the lemon and adds little fluid.

2. Water

You should drink plenty of water. Around ten glasses a day is recommended. This helps you get the desired amount of water in your body. In addition, the water will start softening the hard stool, ensuring that food moves smoothly through the digestive system.

3. Citrus Fruits (Oranges)

Citrus fruits like oranges have a high-fibre content and vitamin C. A major reason for constipation is a lack of fibre in your daily routine. It is one of the best remedies for constipation. You should consume around 30 gm of fibre in a day. Grapefruits also have high fibre content and could be consumed to treat constipation.

4. Prune juice

Prune juice is one of the effective cures for constipation during pregnancy. You can have the juice around five times daily to ease constipation and soften the stool. If the concentrated taste of the prune juice is too strong, it can be diluted with a bit of water, and a slice of lemon can be added to enhance the taste.

5. Ispagula Husks

Ispagula husks or Isabgol is one of India’s well-known home remedies for constipation. Ispagula husks contain mucilage that absorbs fluids and adds to the stool. If you choose this remedy, you must drink at least ten glasses of water daily. However, you should not opt for this remedy if you have heart ailments or blood pressure. This cure should be used only if prescribed by a doctor

6. Flaxseed

This is another very popular home remedy for treating constipation during pregnancy. Flaxseed is full of dietary fibre, which adds much-needed roughage to your diet and contains omega-3S. Even for this cure, you must supplement it with around ten glasses of water. You may also consider using flaxseed oil.

7. Massage

Constipation is inevitable during the early stages of pregnancy; however, you should not ignore it; it can escalate into a more severe problem. Massaging the stomach gently can provide relief from constipation. It has to be done in a clockwise motion. This remedy should be avoided if you are at risk of premature labour or the placenta is low lying.

8. Reflexology

This is a natural remedy for a lot of ailments. This is a safe method where pressure is applied to various unique points in the limbs. The method is entirely safe and natural. You can ask someone in the family to help and gently massage the upper soles of the feet to relax and ease the digestive system. If you are alone, then you can use the reflexology zones in the palm to get relief from constipation. Begin by massaging around the edges of the palm in a clockwise motion and working your way up. You may also place a water bottle under the sole of each foot and roll the bottle back and forth on the floor as you relax.

9. Acupressure

This ancient art of healing is found to be quite effective in treating constipation. The healer or practitioner believes constipation is usually caused by energy blockage (Qi).To release this block, you need to find the correct pressure point in the centre of the abdomen. It is located around 5 cm below the navel. Gently pressing this point and gradually increasing the pressure around 30 times daily helps. This remedy should be stopped at the latter stages of your pregnancy. If you have a disposition to premature labour, this point must be pressed about 30 times and repeated during the day.

10. Laxatives

There are two types of laxatives. One adds bulk to the stool, and the other induces contraction of the bowels. The laxatives add bulk to the stool by increasing the water content. However, these could lead to a bowel cramp. The unintelligent use of laxatives can trigger a lot of side effects. Hence they must be used efficiently and effectively. Laxatives help relieve chronic constipation. The chronic use of laxatives can lead to a lazy and twisted bowel. You should always consult a physician before you decide on using a laxative.

These natural remedies can help relieve you from the uncomfortable effects of constipation. However, if your constipation does not seem to respond to any of the home remedies, or alternative healing techniques, then it is recommended that you consult your doctor.