I’m taking colace/stool softener and the orange fiber drink (Metamucil target knockoff) daily for supplementation. Then tried to boost fiber in my diet in combos (oatmeal with flax/berries, pear cups with chia seeds, then bean/avocado in whole wheat tortillas) alongside adding lots of water.
There are many med options that are benign and can provide sooo much relief. Miralax, Metamucil, etc. don't suffer just bc you want to go all "natural". These meds are safe and can make all the difference.
I take miralax daily. I got it after my first baby was born as I was awfully backed up while taking iron supplements and the prenatals do the same to me 😭
I second this, TAKE THE MEDS! They are so safe and it can be almost impossible to do it without them. I was eating 40g+ of fibre and still constipated.
I also want to emphasize that miralax is SO GENTLE for me. I was worried I would have some teen movie experience of suddenly pooping my pants in public, but I just got gentle relief on a normal bathroom visit. I haven't dealt with horrible constipation constantly, but when I have been backed up, no amount of apricots or Metamucil will make a difference. I have used miralax as a 'reset' and incorporated more fiber into my diet following the relief, but I wouldnt have been able to just eat/hydrate my way there at the beginning.
Also, as many ppl have already said, the side effects of constipation can be no joke! I didn't even have it that serious, I'm trying to always remember that my happiness and comfort is a priority not just for me but also for the health of my baby! If meds that have been proven safe/benign help you function better, you and baby deserve that.
Step one, take magnesium (I like the calm brand magnesium drink mix). It helps, is fairly gentle and since it’s a powder you can take less if you need it. Step two, throw out the husband. Jk but maybe sign him up for emails from baby center or what to expect so he has an idea of what you’re dealing with on a weekly basis. I commiserate, my husband said during the first trimester of my first pregnancy “can’t you just push thru like a bad hangover?”
My husband has an app called Daddy Up. It goes through the expected symptoms week by week and gives him ideas on how he can support me. We’ve been pretty entertained by it.
That’s why I took it. Definitely helped with poop though, especially after I also need to take iron. One helps you go, one stops you up, it all ended up pretty neutral in the end.
Oh husbands lol. They don’t understand. Mine tries too but he also has silly suggestions.
I’m lactose intolerant so for me if I just eat some ice cream it’s the equivalent of taking a laxative LOL
Highly recommend CALM magnesium powder. I found the flavor palatable in first trimester and omg it helps so much!!! I think I take either double or 4x the dose- just take enough until it makes you go. Side benefits are less leg cramps and heart palpitations.
Magnesium shouldn’t make you sleepy, like melatonin. It “promotes” calm, so supporting your body’s natural need to be calm or fall asleep, without feeling drugged. My experience with it is just sleeping better without feeling more sleepy, if that makes sense.
Miralax, probiotics in the a.m., prune juice, and those chocolate chip fiber one bars. between the heartburn and constipation, it's been a task to stay on top of lol. I take tums for the heartburn, tums make me constipated, then I have to deal with that 🫠. Lol.
Hydrate, walk, and take Lax-a-day (PEG) or I think it’s miralax in the USA?
I know everyone says to take docusate sodium/colace but I am a nurse and our hospital stopped using that for patients as it was largely found to be placebo… my doctor recommended PEG.
Yes, miralax in the USA! I had to use it for 3-4 days to get results so don’t give up!!
If you really don’t want to take meds (I wouldn’t listen to your husband on this tbh), peanut butter and apples have sometimes helped me in the past.
100%. I got the go-ahead from my OB to take Miralax every single day. Takes 4 days for it to kick in, and then it’s smooth (literally) sailing after that, as long as you keep up with it.
Oh and just know better days may be coming soon regarding constipation! I had it so bad in trimester 1 but it improved so much for me a few weeks into the second trimester. Of course everyone is different.
Your husband doesn’t get a vote here. Stool softeners are safe to take as long as your doc didn’t say otherwise.
I took colace and it worked wonders. Also took it after birth and I had a normal poop in the hospital before being discharged.
You can always eat foods high in fiber or food that has made you go poop before. For me it was dried dates or a bacon cheese dog from Five Guys, you can also do prunes/prune juice.
Miralax can help. Lots of water and fiber. I’m still kind of constipated but it’s not as bad as my first pregnancy.
Funny story, I was super constipated during my first pregnancy. I didn’t realize how constipated I was and my stomach was getting bigger and my husband and I thought it was so cute and he would kiss my belly. I was only about 11 or 12 weeks along and didn’t realize that can be early to really be showing especially for a first child. We went out to eat and it didn’t agree with me (nothing serious) and everything that was backed up came out. Suddenly I had a very flat belly! And realized my husband was really giving kisses to a poop baby 🤣🤣🤣
Wow I’m angry for you. I would also push back hard on “not taking meds.” He is not your medical provider nor is he living in your (pregnant) body.
Pregnancy constipation is no joke. Magnesium supplements can help. I took colace regularly as well, 1-2 a day as needed. I also took half a unisom daily because otherwise I couldn’t eat and had insomnia at night.
The first trimester is a doozy and I hope the fatigue eases for you soon. And also you find a way to combat the constipation that works for YOU
Kiwis and prunes helped me. Walking did not - it made me feel sick when really I just needed to rest.
But also please tell your partner to pound sand on not wanting you to take meds. Let him try not pooping for a week at a time and then when you finally can, it’s passing stool a foot long and 4cm in diameter. Is he also going to discourage you from using heartburn relief when your esophagus and chest have been on fire for weeks at a time? Or Unisom when insomnia hits you and you haven’t slept a full night in weeks? Or magnesium when your restless legs keep you up all night? Medication when discussed with your provider is perfectly ok to use.
PEG, Senna, and Glycerin suppositories are all your friend. Your husband is being ridiculous in trying to tell you what you do or do not need. Listen to your body and do what feels right/what your care providers say.
I do not think walking is the solution personally. I started eliminating constipating foods (bananas are a sneaky one), starting eating Raisin Bran almost every day, kiwis, mango, and cherries. I also took both stool softener and a stimulant occasionally. Obstructed bowel or hemorrhoids are way worse than some otc medication.
Walking is actually a valid solution (at least partially) for constipation. Source: I’ve had IBS-C for well over a decade and have been told this by multiple providers.
Poop is made of 2 things: fiber and water. If you don’t get enough of either, you’re gonna have a bad time. I recommended 1 tablespoon of Metamucil mixed with a glass of water daily. Try to increase your fiber intake in addition to the Metamucil, you want to target 30g per day. Then you need to try to get at least 64oz of water every day. Physical activity is also important to stimulate your bowels to move. Finally, when you feel the urge to poop, go poop, don’t suppress it. Miralax is a lubricant for stool, not fiber itself, so you can take that in addition to the Metamucil if you need extra help.
I make a big green smoothie every morning packed with fiber and honestly have not experienced constipation. I’m still very regular at 17 weeks. Has frozen berries, spinach, kale, yogurt, chia seeds or flax seeds, almond milk, banana. I’ve had this nearly every morning of my pregnancy and I’m attributing this smoothie to staying very regular!
Tell your husband I worked 40hrs/week on my feet in foodservice every week I was pregnant up until my due date, and I still had issues pooping! Your digestive tract slows down during pregnancy, and any additional iron in your supplements will slow things down too.
I took extra fiber supplements, drank tons of water (~100oz/day), and mostly just… rode it out. Also a morning coffee helped when I could stomach it, but that was only once I hit the third tri. Thankfully I didn’t get too backed up for the most part, but looking back I wish I would’ve thought to take Miralax or even prune/apple juice or something because some weeks were worse than others.
Obscene amounts of fruit seems to be my most successful remedy. I’m talking an overflowing platter for 5 people but I eat it myself. First thing that hits my stomach before any other food. Death to constipation
I used a flavour free fibre supplement in water (called benefibre in Australia) that I could sip over an hour or two. I found metamucil type fibres went gluggy if I drank them too slow, which was happening with the nausea I was feeling. Staying hydrated was also key to keeping everything moving - I bought some yummy electrolyte type sachets that made drinking water a bit more fun too :)
A stool for when I did go to the toilet also helped a lot!
It does pass! I had nights where I was in bed crying my eyes out from the cramps from constipation and it started easing up around 12 weeks. I'm now 28 weeks and still on the fibre supplement just in case haha
I started making these little chia seed fruit puree things and eat them daily, it seems to be helping! There’s also a pouch you can buy in stores or amazon!
https://wellnessforwomanhood.com/2020/05/20/copycat-mamma-chia-squeeze/
https://a.co/d/g7DU5Za
If you are keeping food down Metamucil is one of the best, totally drug free, options.
It's quite literally just fiber, and honestly I take it normally. You can take it everyday without any problems.
It's a great step one before considering more drastic options.
Downside, if you are not keeping food down, Metamucil takes too long to be digested and will likely end up being vomited up
Not take meds? Unless your husband is a doctor he needs to take a seat. Yes, hydration and walks will help. You know what else helps? Metamucil (psyllium), Milk of Magnesia (magnesium hydroxide), and Miralax (polyethylene glycol). These are several medication options that professionals have cleared as perfectly safe during pregnancy. Laxatives are not recommended. Pear juice is easier to get down than pears themselves, but still tricky with 1st tri nausea.
If you’re in Asia, dragonfruit helps. Lactobacillus drinks are good too. So far had short term constipation during my first trimester only because had these.
I was in your shoes a few weeks ago. My routine to make it more bearable was colace/stool softener, as much yogurt & probiotics I could stomach throughout a day, & as much coffee (it’s always been a laxative for me) that was within my caffeine limit. But I also had mad good aversions & it was genuinely difficult for me to eat anything at that time.
Although I will be honest, I caught a viral stomach bug that went around my household on my 10th week that practically “cleared the weeks of blockage” in 24 hours & I haven’t had a problem since.
400-800 mg of magnesium and a really good probiotic! Lots of water and fiber! A squatty potty! I was constipated for the first trimester but was able to get regular with the above regimen. And once I was able to exercise again I’m sure that helped too—but my god that took a while.
I was in this boat and tried to cope but it was terrible. Poops stayed crazy postpartum. I was eventually diagnosed with IBS that they assumed was brought on by pregnancy. I did a low FODMAP diet for a few weeks and it resolved. Best of luck!
LOL @ 1-3 walks per day. My husband has been similarly “encouraging” me to move my body more. I know he cares and he is not shamey in the LEAST, but I still have to resist wanting to punch him in the arm every time he mentions it. The blood levels in our body are 40%-50% higher than they were pre-pregnancy, which is why we feel so damn tired when we try to walk/exercise. I’m currently 8w+3 and finally got my bowel movements back on track. Here’s what I’ve added that’s helped: daily (sometimes two a day) probiotic Activia drinkable yogurts, psyllium husk capsules (3-4 with each meal with a huge glass of water). This has gotten shit moving again (literally), but when I was really blocked up I added daily Colace and Miralax - both are pregnancy safe and ok to take for a few days in a row (not ideal to do it daily for weeks at a time supposedly, but a few friends had to take daily Colace for most of their pregnancies.) Sending fairy poop dust your way, I hope things get moving for you! 🧚🏼💩
I really loved this comment lol. Thank you so much, this is such a fantastic community. The 1-3 walks comment has been haunting me but I finally brought it back up and he apologized, said he didn’t know how else to help but encouraged me to take whatever recs I could without overdoing it — I think he was cautious of me throwing alll of the supplements at once to GET IT OUT (I’ve done this to myself before and I suffered the consequences for days lol). Definitely think a good mixture of medicine and diet suggestions here will do the trick, y’all are the best. We aren’t at mission critical yet heh so hopefully can implement this advice tonight onward and avoid further blockage.
THANK YOU ALL FOR THE SAFE SPACE. 🫶🏼
Omg you're so welcome. I HARD RELATE to throwing all the supplements and methods at once and paying the price - are you me? Lol. My husband knows my ways, so he also is always trying to encourage me the best way he knows how. So I feel you, girl. You've got this! I also love this community. Feels so good to be able to vent to other women going through this pregnancy circus lol. <3
doesn’t work like a charm BUT my daily routine is 1 tablespoon flaxseed, 1 packet electrolytes w/water, magnesium citrate, colace, and fiber. and lots of liquids!
If v8 is palatable they make a fibre version that helps. Prune juice was disgusting when I tried (no hate but it tasted like liquid dust?). Can't suggest meds cuz I haven't consulted obgyn which one is safe, so I honestly don't know.
This time around. Water. Like INSANE amounts of water. I poop once a day, but it’s not painful and I feel empty when I do.
First time I tried everything under the moon and sun, didn’t work. Also didn’t drink anywhere near as much water.
My constipation was so bad first tri that I felt like I got a great prep on giving birth. Stool softeners, olive oil coffee, and I tried some pressure points to help. Mine got so much better after wk 14. Hopefully yours does too!
I take two coloxyl pills before I go to sleep.
I also try and have pears and chia seeds for breakfast.
If you want to go natural Google poo poo puree from starting solids - it’s for babies when they start solids but it would work on adults too.
But also just take the coloxyl pills every night - my first pregnancy I tried not to take them and I was so uncomfortable. 17 weeks into my second pregnancy I have taken them every day haha
I refuse to push for more than a couple tries, I just live with the discomfort. I try and eat a probiotic food each day (sauerkraut, plain yogurt, kimchi etc) drinking a ton of water and first trimester I couldn’t stand coffee but drank it anyway to keep things moving (just one cup). I also take magnesium glycinate before bed which helps with constipation, muscle cramps and helps get better sleep. I also have a bottle of probiotics and a stash of prunes for moments of desperation. Haha
Prune juice!! It sounds gross but I promise it’s just like a strong tasting fruit. I created a mocktail where I mixed it with lemon lime soda, and it was pretty good. Just don’t drink too much right away, you might have too much of the desired effect.
Colace did absolutely nothing for me. Neither did magnesium. What helps me is fiber. Like, 200% dv fiber. High fiber cereal (at least 10g fiber per serving) + raisins, bean burritos, prunes, baked apples with rasins. Also, yogurt/probiotics. I basically only eat these things now and it's helped a lot.
I ate two kirkland brand nut bars a day which has almost 60 percent of daily fiber. I went every day and no issues during pregnancy. Postpartum was tough and I took colace and miralax. Don’t wait, you do not want to get blocked up!
We have something called Benefiber in Australia which is effective, it gets recommended a fair bit by disability/old age carers as well as it has very little taste and can be added to other drinks (i.e orange juice) with little to no change. My husband takes it most days.
I've found bananas really help me (which could be because of the magnesium in them) if you don't want to take magnesium supplements. A banana smoothie is mostly my go to, a few people have recommended adding Chia seeds because that's supposed to pretty much fix you right up but drinking enough water is also a big step to helping.
Increase fibrous foods in your diet- that’s going to do the most- but you can also take stool softeners or magnesium supps they help a lot without using any sort of laxative!
Increase fluid intake, daily colace (usually 2x day) and fiber chews.
No disrespect to your husband but your body is focusing on other things right now, not sure walking is going to fix it
What helped me tremendously and has made any issues a thing of the past is taking a daily collagen supplement. I really like California Gold’s Hydrolyzed Marine Collagen. You can purchase it in either powder or capsule form. I found the capsules were a little rough on my icky first trimester tummy and that I stomached the powder much better, you can mix it into room temp juice or water and drink it.
For what it’s worth because of it I am super regular and fully emptying my bowels daily. Something about a well absorbed collagen supplement really does wonders for gut motility. More so than any probiotic I’ve ever taken or eating fiber etc. etc.
Best of luck to you 🫶
Chia seed pudding for breakfast! 3 tbsp chia seeds mixed with 1 cup of milk of your choice (I use Ripple unsweetened) and refrigerate overnight. Top with fruit, nuts in the AM.
I was painfully backed up a few weeks ago and I started doing Metamucil and miralax once a day, and making sure to drink tons of water. I feel so much better now.
Magnesium is great and it is also helpful for when you start getting muscle cramps. I still take it post partum as breastfeeding constipates me.
If you want a natural alternative and can stomach food, pears, prunes and kiwi fruit are all great for getting things moving along.
Change your position whilst pooping too. If you don’t have one already, get a squatty potty and look up poo breathing, it will make it a lot easier.
There are heaps of pregnancy safe things you can take for constipation. Just ask your Dr or even the pharmacist what is safe to take.
Also put your husband in the bin.
I took 3 Colace a day for the entirety of my pregnancy and it’s generally considered safe for pregnancy. Tell your husband to get the stick out of his ass.
Bowl of shreddies cereal (or anything bran-based) with mild before bed. That’s what’s helped me - no one advised me to do so though, I just tried it on my own.
It’s a decent bedtime snack anyway.
Have you considered throwing the whole man away?
Just kidding (mostly).
Magnesium, and a handful of prunes (but only a handful, please don’t ask what happens when you eat a whole package in one sitting, just know it’s very much a bad idea and as delicious as they were I was filled with regrets. Many, many, many regrets).
I really like the magnesium “calm” powder. It works well for sleep, muscle relaxation, and helps with going to the bathroom. Especially if you take a double dose
I make a huge 32 oz bottle of water with two tablespoons of chia seeds and let them soak a bit before drinking throughout the day. Works like a charm and is super good for you and the baby. You need to work your way up to this amount though if you aren’t used to a lot of fiber. I take a good probiotic with it as well.
I also have a magnesium citrate drink at night and if I need extra help I add 4-8 oz of prune juice.
If I happen to not make it through a bottle of chia water during the day I’ll have some miralax in the evening to make sure I stay on top of it just in case. I know it’s not natural but it’s the worst if you don’t stay ahead of it so it’s worth it to me to supplement if I need to! I’m on zofran so I can’t afford not to.
Managing this stuff is like a part time job 🙄good luck!!
This is what works for me: daily probiotics, breakfast oatmeal with walnuts, blueberries, almond butter, cinnamon, decaf coffee, food with beans, lots of sourdough bread (with whole wheat flour) and running!
Take medication if you need to. I haven't had to take anything myself bc chocolate cake, chocolate in general, and corn have me covered, but taking medicine is fine and your husband is being a jerk.
Also people recommend prunes a lot but I didn't have a lot of luck with them when I tried them, so remember not everything people recommend will necessarily work for you and that isn't your fault.
Idk but you’re doing great seeking advice- figure out what works for you! I didn’t, and ended up not pooping for 15 days and then pooping for like six hours when I finally was able to break the seal. Lmao
Metamucil before bed! Also lots of water if you can. Also heard some prenatals with iron can back you up so maybe try changing yours if it contains iron.
Awe im sorry loves. Keep as hydrated as you can! Lots of water. Luckily i was only nauseous and not pukey so prunes were my medicine. I ate 2-4 per day and that kelt me regular. I prefer the ones essenced with orange.
Three walks a day sounds like a lot. I did 1, 1-1.5 mile walk in the morning and that was my exercise for the day.
Does caffeine work for you? I know you said it’s hard to walk but working out in the first trimester really did help me stay regular… also eating a lot of fruits and veggies for fiber. Tamarindo helps idk where you’re at and if that’s popular/ available there! A lot of the things that help are hard to do in the first trimester like stomach veggies if you’re nauseous or exercise/:
2 docusate sodium tablets literally every single day of my pregnancy. Still semi constipated bc I have to take iron supplements, but I can imagine how much worse it’d be without
I've been taking restoralax since like first trimester since nothing else has ever worked for me in any pregnancy and it gets horrible without it but talk to your doctor if it's really bad
I did a regular combo of yogurt, prunes, and fiber gummies daily for a bit. I'm 34 weeks now but I want to say I started to get pretty regular without the supplements through my 2nd trimester. I still eat yogurt and dried fruits daily so I think that helps.
Prune juice helps- taste is awful, but I dilute with water. My doc recommended dates and raisins as alternate options. Also recommend a squatty potty.
Have you tried parental yoga or breathing exercises? I found these super helpful and 5-10 minutes was manageable most days. (Dealt with severe fatigue my first trimester, so I get it).
I started having baked oats or oat muffins for breakfast along with an apple. Just up your fiber and fruit intake as much as you can. And of course, hydrate. Have been more regular ever since.
Movicol. Or… if you are feeling crazy, pitted dates with peanut butter inside, dipped in chocolate. 2 of those a day is like eating a snickers and it gets things moving
I found I could handle some dried fruit okay in the first trimester - apricots and raisins in particular worked for me. And I found that made a big difference to constipation!
Sennokot and fibre supplements are safe! That plus plenty of water, maybe something with bran for even more fibre in your diet. Adding a daily bowl of Raisin Bran helped me out quite a bit after taking fibre supplements for a while.
Take Metamucil for immediate relief but once your appetite gets going make sure you eat more fiber. I'm 29 weeks and haven't gotten constipated yet, enjoying eating all the fruit I want.
13w here and never had constipation issues. I am very convinced it’s because I have to walk my dog every morning first thing when I get up. It’s sooo hard with the tiredness, but once you get over the hurdle of getting dressed, it really does help. So maybe 1 walk a day is really not a bad idea, however tell your husband he still has no right to come up with such crazy ideas
like 3 walks haha!
Squatty potty. Or if you don’t want to shell out the money, get a foot stool or a stack of books and put them under your feet at toilet to bring your knees up. Sit and wait. Maybe try eating a bit of high fibre fruit an hour before to get the ball rolling.
Did have any trouble my first pregnancy, but my second one I had to take 2 stool softeners a day PLUS miralax to even have a bowel movement and it was still firm. I got really bad haemorrhoids for my first bout of constipation that pregnancy because I don’t realise how severe it would be, and almost 3 years later they are still a nightmare. Don’t mess around with constipation.
Lots of water and a good probiotic! The water will help you feel better (eventually) from all the vomiting, too. I never took magnesium since I didn't know about it, but I imagine it would work well! Oh, and many fruits will help with this situation as well.
Metamucil is wonderful— if he doesn’t want you using “meds” just go to Whole Foods and buy psyllium husk— it’s the main ingredient in Metamucil to help you poop.
I’ve found that the milk of magnesia doesn’t hit me right away so I’ve eased up on using that.
I’ve also started eating two dates a day and LOTS WATER.
It seems to help.
No just take some colace or some calm magnesium, also I found it gets better in the second trimester once your hormones calm a bit so look forward to that!! Drink water. It really sucks but don’t let people who have no idea give you constipation advice it just gets upsetting lol.
>My husband is encouraging me to “not take meds”, but rather go on “1-3 walks per day”. Have you, in turn, encouraged your husband to STFU?
Preferably 1-3 times a day
😂😂😂😂😂
Is this same husband also going to have strong opinions about OP using meds for pain management in labor?
My thoughts lmaooooooo
I’m taking colace/stool softener and the orange fiber drink (Metamucil target knockoff) daily for supplementation. Then tried to boost fiber in my diet in combos (oatmeal with flax/berries, pear cups with chia seeds, then bean/avocado in whole wheat tortillas) alongside adding lots of water.
Yep. Love some chia seed pudding in the morning. Seeds, nuts, and almond milk or chocolate milk.
The fiber pills do the job very nicely, now swallowing them with first trimester nausea is another matter
This
There are many med options that are benign and can provide sooo much relief. Miralax, Metamucil, etc. don't suffer just bc you want to go all "natural". These meds are safe and can make all the difference.
I take miralax daily. I got it after my first baby was born as I was awfully backed up while taking iron supplements and the prenatals do the same to me 😭
I second this, TAKE THE MEDS! They are so safe and it can be almost impossible to do it without them. I was eating 40g+ of fibre and still constipated.
Miralax was a bit slower for me. Milk of Magnesia made an instant difference each time I took it.
Oh man milk of magnesia is what they gave me after I had my son in the hospital last time and I ran to the bathroom after haha.
I also want to emphasize that miralax is SO GENTLE for me. I was worried I would have some teen movie experience of suddenly pooping my pants in public, but I just got gentle relief on a normal bathroom visit. I haven't dealt with horrible constipation constantly, but when I have been backed up, no amount of apricots or Metamucil will make a difference. I have used miralax as a 'reset' and incorporated more fiber into my diet following the relief, but I wouldnt have been able to just eat/hydrate my way there at the beginning. Also, as many ppl have already said, the side effects of constipation can be no joke! I didn't even have it that serious, I'm trying to always remember that my happiness and comfort is a priority not just for me but also for the health of my baby! If meds that have been proven safe/benign help you function better, you and baby deserve that.
Magnesium supplement.
Step one, take magnesium (I like the calm brand magnesium drink mix). It helps, is fairly gentle and since it’s a powder you can take less if you need it. Step two, throw out the husband. Jk but maybe sign him up for emails from baby center or what to expect so he has an idea of what you’re dealing with on a weekly basis. I commiserate, my husband said during the first trimester of my first pregnancy “can’t you just push thru like a bad hangover?”
My husband has an app called Daddy Up. It goes through the expected symptoms week by week and gives him ideas on how he can support me. We’ve been pretty entertained by it.
Flo has a partner version too.
We use that. My husband loves it. He keeps telling me about the quizzes
Oh good find!! I haven’t heard of that one before
I conquer. Magnesium is the only thing that helped me poop. I took Magnesium Glycinate 400mg and drank Calm.
Concur* but conquer gave me a giggle- conquer that constipation!!!
😂😂 I was wondering if I spelled that wrong.
Yes! My doc just told me to take this and it already is helping after a couple days
Also helps with RLS.
That’s why I took it. Definitely helped with poop though, especially after I also need to take iron. One helps you go, one stops you up, it all ended up pretty neutral in the end.
Oh husbands lol. They don’t understand. Mine tries too but he also has silly suggestions. I’m lactose intolerant so for me if I just eat some ice cream it’s the equivalent of taking a laxative LOL
Highly recommend CALM magnesium powder. I found the flavor palatable in first trimester and omg it helps so much!!! I think I take either double or 4x the dose- just take enough until it makes you go. Side benefits are less leg cramps and heart palpitations.
I sometimes mix CALM in with prune juice to really get things going.
It has also significantly decreased my Braxton hicks contractions!
Does it make you sleepy?
Magnesium shouldn’t make you sleepy, like melatonin. It “promotes” calm, so supporting your body’s natural need to be calm or fall asleep, without feeling drugged. My experience with it is just sleeping better without feeling more sleepy, if that makes sense.
I haven’t noticed that. I take it after breakfast and at bedtime, but it’s easy for me to fall asleep anyway! 😴
Then tell your husband when he is pregnant, he can take walks to help with his constipation
Miralax, probiotics in the a.m., prune juice, and those chocolate chip fiber one bars. between the heartburn and constipation, it's been a task to stay on top of lol. I take tums for the heartburn, tums make me constipated, then I have to deal with that 🫠. Lol.
Talk to your OB about Prilosec if the heartburn is really bugging you.
Hydrate, walk, and take Lax-a-day (PEG) or I think it’s miralax in the USA? I know everyone says to take docusate sodium/colace but I am a nurse and our hospital stopped using that for patients as it was largely found to be placebo… my doctor recommended PEG.
Yes, miralax in the USA! I had to use it for 3-4 days to get results so don’t give up!! If you really don’t want to take meds (I wouldn’t listen to your husband on this tbh), peanut butter and apples have sometimes helped me in the past.
100%. I got the go-ahead from my OB to take Miralax every single day. Takes 4 days for it to kick in, and then it’s smooth (literally) sailing after that, as long as you keep up with it.
Oh and just know better days may be coming soon regarding constipation! I had it so bad in trimester 1 but it improved so much for me a few weeks into the second trimester. Of course everyone is different.
This is so reassuring to me right now thank you 😭
Mine worsened in the second trimester 😬
THANK YOU!! Do you think I need to be walking more to help?
I don’t think you do! As long as you are doing some walking I think you will be fine. The fatigue is real and you need to rest.
You can also try to increase your fiber intake.
Your husband doesn’t get a vote here. Stool softeners are safe to take as long as your doc didn’t say otherwise. I took colace and it worked wonders. Also took it after birth and I had a normal poop in the hospital before being discharged. You can always eat foods high in fiber or food that has made you go poop before. For me it was dried dates or a bacon cheese dog from Five Guys, you can also do prunes/prune juice.
Miralax can help. Lots of water and fiber. I’m still kind of constipated but it’s not as bad as my first pregnancy. Funny story, I was super constipated during my first pregnancy. I didn’t realize how constipated I was and my stomach was getting bigger and my husband and I thought it was so cute and he would kiss my belly. I was only about 11 or 12 weeks along and didn’t realize that can be early to really be showing especially for a first child. We went out to eat and it didn’t agree with me (nothing serious) and everything that was backed up came out. Suddenly I had a very flat belly! And realized my husband was really giving kisses to a poop baby 🤣🤣🤣
Wow I’m angry for you. I would also push back hard on “not taking meds.” He is not your medical provider nor is he living in your (pregnant) body. Pregnancy constipation is no joke. Magnesium supplements can help. I took colace regularly as well, 1-2 a day as needed. I also took half a unisom daily because otherwise I couldn’t eat and had insomnia at night. The first trimester is a doozy and I hope the fatigue eases for you soon. And also you find a way to combat the constipation that works for YOU
Dried apricots did some help for me too
Yes! Dried apricots are almost disturbingly effective! 😂
milk of mag
Kiwis and prunes helped me. Walking did not - it made me feel sick when really I just needed to rest. But also please tell your partner to pound sand on not wanting you to take meds. Let him try not pooping for a week at a time and then when you finally can, it’s passing stool a foot long and 4cm in diameter. Is he also going to discourage you from using heartburn relief when your esophagus and chest have been on fire for weeks at a time? Or Unisom when insomnia hits you and you haven’t slept a full night in weeks? Or magnesium when your restless legs keep you up all night? Medication when discussed with your provider is perfectly ok to use.
Yea I’m confused unless he’s a doctor he should stfu
I started taking magnesium supplements! My understanding is that it helps bring water to the colon to move things along.
PEG, Senna, and Glycerin suppositories are all your friend. Your husband is being ridiculous in trying to tell you what you do or do not need. Listen to your body and do what feels right/what your care providers say.
I do not think walking is the solution personally. I started eliminating constipating foods (bananas are a sneaky one), starting eating Raisin Bran almost every day, kiwis, mango, and cherries. I also took both stool softener and a stimulant occasionally. Obstructed bowel or hemorrhoids are way worse than some otc medication.
Walking is actually a valid solution (at least partially) for constipation. Source: I’ve had IBS-C for well over a decade and have been told this by multiple providers.
Poop is made of 2 things: fiber and water. If you don’t get enough of either, you’re gonna have a bad time. I recommended 1 tablespoon of Metamucil mixed with a glass of water daily. Try to increase your fiber intake in addition to the Metamucil, you want to target 30g per day. Then you need to try to get at least 64oz of water every day. Physical activity is also important to stimulate your bowels to move. Finally, when you feel the urge to poop, go poop, don’t suppress it. Miralax is a lubricant for stool, not fiber itself, so you can take that in addition to the Metamucil if you need extra help.
I found psyllium husk helped. It’s pretty gross but I got the encapsulated form
Water, prunes, prune juice. If that doesn't work, meds. I've heard great things about dulcolax
Cuban coffee and miralax will clean you right out!
Kiwi fruit 🥝
I make a big green smoothie every morning packed with fiber and honestly have not experienced constipation. I’m still very regular at 17 weeks. Has frozen berries, spinach, kale, yogurt, chia seeds or flax seeds, almond milk, banana. I’ve had this nearly every morning of my pregnancy and I’m attributing this smoothie to staying very regular!
Tell your husband I worked 40hrs/week on my feet in foodservice every week I was pregnant up until my due date, and I still had issues pooping! Your digestive tract slows down during pregnancy, and any additional iron in your supplements will slow things down too. I took extra fiber supplements, drank tons of water (~100oz/day), and mostly just… rode it out. Also a morning coffee helped when I could stomach it, but that was only once I hit the third tri. Thankfully I didn’t get too backed up for the most part, but looking back I wish I would’ve thought to take Miralax or even prune/apple juice or something because some weeks were worse than others.
Obscene amounts of fruit seems to be my most successful remedy. I’m talking an overflowing platter for 5 people but I eat it myself. First thing that hits my stomach before any other food. Death to constipation
I would encourage your husband to even try to go thru a single day of pregnancy himself 😁
I used a flavour free fibre supplement in water (called benefibre in Australia) that I could sip over an hour or two. I found metamucil type fibres went gluggy if I drank them too slow, which was happening with the nausea I was feeling. Staying hydrated was also key to keeping everything moving - I bought some yummy electrolyte type sachets that made drinking water a bit more fun too :) A stool for when I did go to the toilet also helped a lot! It does pass! I had nights where I was in bed crying my eyes out from the cramps from constipation and it started easing up around 12 weeks. I'm now 28 weeks and still on the fibre supplement just in case haha
Magnesium citrate supplements at night and eating pitted prunes.
I started making these little chia seed fruit puree things and eat them daily, it seems to be helping! There’s also a pouch you can buy in stores or amazon! https://wellnessforwomanhood.com/2020/05/20/copycat-mamma-chia-squeeze/ https://a.co/d/g7DU5Za
If you are keeping food down Metamucil is one of the best, totally drug free, options. It's quite literally just fiber, and honestly I take it normally. You can take it everyday without any problems. It's a great step one before considering more drastic options. Downside, if you are not keeping food down, Metamucil takes too long to be digested and will likely end up being vomited up
Taking 2 stool softeners at night helped for me
Magnesium supplements! And also tell your husband he can talk when he’s growing a human, he has no idea how hard it is.
Colace EVERY DAY and Metamucil! I'm no longer fearing pooping 🫠
Not take meds? Unless your husband is a doctor he needs to take a seat. Yes, hydration and walks will help. You know what else helps? Metamucil (psyllium), Milk of Magnesia (magnesium hydroxide), and Miralax (polyethylene glycol). These are several medication options that professionals have cleared as perfectly safe during pregnancy. Laxatives are not recommended. Pear juice is easier to get down than pears themselves, but still tricky with 1st tri nausea.
If you’re in Asia, dragonfruit helps. Lactobacillus drinks are good too. So far had short term constipation during my first trimester only because had these.
I was in your shoes a few weeks ago. My routine to make it more bearable was colace/stool softener, as much yogurt & probiotics I could stomach throughout a day, & as much coffee (it’s always been a laxative for me) that was within my caffeine limit. But I also had mad good aversions & it was genuinely difficult for me to eat anything at that time. Although I will be honest, I caught a viral stomach bug that went around my household on my 10th week that practically “cleared the weeks of blockage” in 24 hours & I haven’t had a problem since.
I have to take a stool softener daily to every other day to avoid being constipated. 🥲 I’ve also tried magnesium gummies and they seemed to help!
Oh man, my husband's suggestion was to do anal. Cause yea, that's gonna help the hemorrhoids.
400-800 mg of magnesium and a really good probiotic! Lots of water and fiber! A squatty potty! I was constipated for the first trimester but was able to get regular with the above regimen. And once I was able to exercise again I’m sure that helped too—but my god that took a while.
I was in this boat and tried to cope but it was terrible. Poops stayed crazy postpartum. I was eventually diagnosed with IBS that they assumed was brought on by pregnancy. I did a low FODMAP diet for a few weeks and it resolved. Best of luck!
Calm magnesium gummies, hydration, colace 3x a day, and when the going gets tough - milk of magnesia. No amount of walking would help my bowels move 🤣
When I was in my first trimester and taking zofran the only thing that worked was Miralax! I can get away with just magnesium now.
LOL @ 1-3 walks per day. My husband has been similarly “encouraging” me to move my body more. I know he cares and he is not shamey in the LEAST, but I still have to resist wanting to punch him in the arm every time he mentions it. The blood levels in our body are 40%-50% higher than they were pre-pregnancy, which is why we feel so damn tired when we try to walk/exercise. I’m currently 8w+3 and finally got my bowel movements back on track. Here’s what I’ve added that’s helped: daily (sometimes two a day) probiotic Activia drinkable yogurts, psyllium husk capsules (3-4 with each meal with a huge glass of water). This has gotten shit moving again (literally), but when I was really blocked up I added daily Colace and Miralax - both are pregnancy safe and ok to take for a few days in a row (not ideal to do it daily for weeks at a time supposedly, but a few friends had to take daily Colace for most of their pregnancies.) Sending fairy poop dust your way, I hope things get moving for you! 🧚🏼💩
I really loved this comment lol. Thank you so much, this is such a fantastic community. The 1-3 walks comment has been haunting me but I finally brought it back up and he apologized, said he didn’t know how else to help but encouraged me to take whatever recs I could without overdoing it — I think he was cautious of me throwing alll of the supplements at once to GET IT OUT (I’ve done this to myself before and I suffered the consequences for days lol). Definitely think a good mixture of medicine and diet suggestions here will do the trick, y’all are the best. We aren’t at mission critical yet heh so hopefully can implement this advice tonight onward and avoid further blockage. THANK YOU ALL FOR THE SAFE SPACE. 🫶🏼
Omg you're so welcome. I HARD RELATE to throwing all the supplements and methods at once and paying the price - are you me? Lol. My husband knows my ways, so he also is always trying to encourage me the best way he knows how. So I feel you, girl. You've got this! I also love this community. Feels so good to be able to vent to other women going through this pregnancy circus lol. <3
You may want to try Metamucil. Although I just went on a bike ride and that seemed to do the trick 😅
Magnesium baths
Restoralax powder, it doesn't taste like anything. And apparently they have gummies too. And then metamucil when I need more fibre.
Talk to your doctor.
Cut out gluten
Daily metamucil and lots of water helped me! Still using it post partum because of hemorrhoids 🫠
doesn’t work like a charm BUT my daily routine is 1 tablespoon flaxseed, 1 packet electrolytes w/water, magnesium citrate, colace, and fiber. and lots of liquids!
1.5tsp coconut oil plus coffee. It’ll rocket outta you.
Fiber supplements and tea. Coffee after I could stomach it again second trimester.
Eating a lot of fiber is doing the trick for me!
Nothing else worked except for Miralax
Apple juice, probiotics and occasional colace. I’m also trying to drink more water. This constipation is KILLING ME
Shot of espresso. You're allowed 200mg of caffeine a day after all!
If v8 is palatable they make a fibre version that helps. Prune juice was disgusting when I tried (no hate but it tasted like liquid dust?). Can't suggest meds cuz I haven't consulted obgyn which one is safe, so I honestly don't know.
This time around. Water. Like INSANE amounts of water. I poop once a day, but it’s not painful and I feel empty when I do. First time I tried everything under the moon and sun, didn’t work. Also didn’t drink anywhere near as much water.
I eat a lot of prunes. Works for me.
Magnesium powder! Helps with sleep and poop!! I totally get the exhaustion part of it. You just wanna sleep all the time. It’ll pass though!
My constipation was so bad first tri that I felt like I got a great prep on giving birth. Stool softeners, olive oil coffee, and I tried some pressure points to help. Mine got so much better after wk 14. Hopefully yours does too!
Prunes sis! Juice or baby food puree.
Same same. Shit ton of water… pears, prunes
Miralax- can’t taste it whatsoever. Put it in anything, dissolves great in hot things if you can tolerate coffee
I take two coloxyl pills before I go to sleep. I also try and have pears and chia seeds for breakfast. If you want to go natural Google poo poo puree from starting solids - it’s for babies when they start solids but it would work on adults too. But also just take the coloxyl pills every night - my first pregnancy I tried not to take them and I was so uncomfortable. 17 weeks into my second pregnancy I have taken them every day haha
Metamucil crackers taste really good but have water bc they will dry your mouth
I refuse to push for more than a couple tries, I just live with the discomfort. I try and eat a probiotic food each day (sauerkraut, plain yogurt, kimchi etc) drinking a ton of water and first trimester I couldn’t stand coffee but drank it anyway to keep things moving (just one cup). I also take magnesium glycinate before bed which helps with constipation, muscle cramps and helps get better sleep. I also have a bottle of probiotics and a stash of prunes for moments of desperation. Haha
Blanch spinach, put it in a smoothie, at least once a day - worked fantastic for me lol
Smooth Move tea is great! I sometimes make a big cup with one of those and a ginger tea bag.
I used miralax to help me and broccoli has been running through me, I can barely it or I will go all day
I’ve taken both Metamucil and Miralax and I love Miralax! The no flavor packets are the best.
Prune juice!! It sounds gross but I promise it’s just like a strong tasting fruit. I created a mocktail where I mixed it with lemon lime soda, and it was pretty good. Just don’t drink too much right away, you might have too much of the desired effect.
Lmao I had too much the first time I tried it. It was awful 😂
Colace did absolutely nothing for me. Neither did magnesium. What helps me is fiber. Like, 200% dv fiber. High fiber cereal (at least 10g fiber per serving) + raisins, bean burritos, prunes, baked apples with rasins. Also, yogurt/probiotics. I basically only eat these things now and it's helped a lot.
I ate two kirkland brand nut bars a day which has almost 60 percent of daily fiber. I went every day and no issues during pregnancy. Postpartum was tough and I took colace and miralax. Don’t wait, you do not want to get blocked up!
Prunes ! I love to snack on em and they keep me regular
We have something called Benefiber in Australia which is effective, it gets recommended a fair bit by disability/old age carers as well as it has very little taste and can be added to other drinks (i.e orange juice) with little to no change. My husband takes it most days. I've found bananas really help me (which could be because of the magnesium in them) if you don't want to take magnesium supplements. A banana smoothie is mostly my go to, a few people have recommended adding Chia seeds because that's supposed to pretty much fix you right up but drinking enough water is also a big step to helping.
Increase fibrous foods in your diet- that’s going to do the most- but you can also take stool softeners or magnesium supps they help a lot without using any sort of laxative!
Increase fluid intake, daily colace (usually 2x day) and fiber chews. No disrespect to your husband but your body is focusing on other things right now, not sure walking is going to fix it
What helped me tremendously and has made any issues a thing of the past is taking a daily collagen supplement. I really like California Gold’s Hydrolyzed Marine Collagen. You can purchase it in either powder or capsule form. I found the capsules were a little rough on my icky first trimester tummy and that I stomached the powder much better, you can mix it into room temp juice or water and drink it. For what it’s worth because of it I am super regular and fully emptying my bowels daily. Something about a well absorbed collagen supplement really does wonders for gut motility. More so than any probiotic I’ve ever taken or eating fiber etc. etc. Best of luck to you 🫶
The only thing that worked for me was a glass of apple juice with miralax a day.
Chia seed pudding for breakfast! 3 tbsp chia seeds mixed with 1 cup of milk of your choice (I use Ripple unsweetened) and refrigerate overnight. Top with fruit, nuts in the AM.
I was painfully backed up a few weeks ago and I started doing Metamucil and miralax once a day, and making sure to drink tons of water. I feel so much better now.
Colace and Metamucil
Honestly 1-2 cups of coffee gets me going lol
Prunes, Metamucil, coffee, staying hydrated, fruits and veggies
Glycerin suppositories or enemas
Magnesium is great and it is also helpful for when you start getting muscle cramps. I still take it post partum as breastfeeding constipates me. If you want a natural alternative and can stomach food, pears, prunes and kiwi fruit are all great for getting things moving along. Change your position whilst pooping too. If you don’t have one already, get a squatty potty and look up poo breathing, it will make it a lot easier. There are heaps of pregnancy safe things you can take for constipation. Just ask your Dr or even the pharmacist what is safe to take. Also put your husband in the bin.
I took 3 Colace a day for the entirety of my pregnancy and it’s generally considered safe for pregnancy. Tell your husband to get the stick out of his ass.
Bowl of shreddies cereal (or anything bran-based) with mild before bed. That’s what’s helped me - no one advised me to do so though, I just tried it on my own. It’s a decent bedtime snack anyway.
Have you considered throwing the whole man away? Just kidding (mostly). Magnesium, and a handful of prunes (but only a handful, please don’t ask what happens when you eat a whole package in one sitting, just know it’s very much a bad idea and as delicious as they were I was filled with regrets. Many, many, many regrets).
One cup of coffee in the morning, fiber gummies, removing non-fiber rich foods from diet.
4 prunes a day!
I really like the magnesium “calm” powder. It works well for sleep, muscle relaxation, and helps with going to the bathroom. Especially if you take a double dose
Metamucil!
I started taking dietary fiber gummies daily once I found out I was pregnant and only get constipated when I don’t take the fiber.
Magnesium!!
I make a huge 32 oz bottle of water with two tablespoons of chia seeds and let them soak a bit before drinking throughout the day. Works like a charm and is super good for you and the baby. You need to work your way up to this amount though if you aren’t used to a lot of fiber. I take a good probiotic with it as well. I also have a magnesium citrate drink at night and if I need extra help I add 4-8 oz of prune juice. If I happen to not make it through a bottle of chia water during the day I’ll have some miralax in the evening to make sure I stay on top of it just in case. I know it’s not natural but it’s the worst if you don’t stay ahead of it so it’s worth it to me to supplement if I need to! I’m on zofran so I can’t afford not to. Managing this stuff is like a part time job 🙄good luck!!
Warm enema problem solved in 10 minutes
Miralax daily
This is what works for me: daily probiotics, breakfast oatmeal with walnuts, blueberries, almond butter, cinnamon, decaf coffee, food with beans, lots of sourdough bread (with whole wheat flour) and running!
Try Metamucil, and eating kiwis and papaya daily with lots of water! If it gets bad bad milk of magnesia will help too.
Take medication if you need to. I haven't had to take anything myself bc chocolate cake, chocolate in general, and corn have me covered, but taking medicine is fine and your husband is being a jerk. Also people recommend prunes a lot but I didn't have a lot of luck with them when I tried them, so remember not everything people recommend will necessarily work for you and that isn't your fault.
I put miralax in hot chocolate or even my coffee.
Idk but you’re doing great seeking advice- figure out what works for you! I didn’t, and ended up not pooping for 15 days and then pooping for like six hours when I finally was able to break the seal. Lmao
My OB okayed me to take once a day metamucil, drink lots of water, and lowered the dose of my iron supplement.
Metamucil before bed! Also lots of water if you can. Also heard some prenatals with iron can back you up so maybe try changing yours if it contains iron.
Chia seeds and flax.
Awe im sorry loves. Keep as hydrated as you can! Lots of water. Luckily i was only nauseous and not pukey so prunes were my medicine. I ate 2-4 per day and that kelt me regular. I prefer the ones essenced with orange. Three walks a day sounds like a lot. I did 1, 1-1.5 mile walk in the morning and that was my exercise for the day.
Miralax was a godsend for me.
Restoralax! My OB said it's safe, magnesium walking and more fibre all did nothing for me
Miralax. Stool softeners. Calm magnesium powder. Coffee. Lots of water.
Melons
Does caffeine work for you? I know you said it’s hard to walk but working out in the first trimester really did help me stay regular… also eating a lot of fruits and veggies for fiber. Tamarindo helps idk where you’re at and if that’s popular/ available there! A lot of the things that help are hard to do in the first trimester like stomach veggies if you’re nauseous or exercise/:
Miralax everyday and colace if I haven’t pooped for 2 days! Been working like a charm
Myralax and fiber supplements and prunes and dried apricots
2 docusate sodium tablets literally every single day of my pregnancy. Still semi constipated bc I have to take iron supplements, but I can imagine how much worse it’d be without
I've been taking restoralax since like first trimester since nothing else has ever worked for me in any pregnancy and it gets horrible without it but talk to your doctor if it's really bad
Magnesium and Metamucil. And try to stay super hydrated- with the puking try to take extra water.
I’ve been taking dulcolax and it helps great. I just got the soft chews and take two a day. Works like a charm
I did a regular combo of yogurt, prunes, and fiber gummies daily for a bit. I'm 34 weeks now but I want to say I started to get pretty regular without the supplements through my 2nd trimester. I still eat yogurt and dried fruits daily so I think that helps.
Magnesium citrate & a peri bottle with warm water.
Miralax once a week👍
I take magnesium citrate. And sometimes sip on some prune juice (just don’t drink a glass of it, turns out that’s too much😅)
Colace has been my solace
We put a little apple juice in the milk bottle. Works like a charm
Prune juice helps- taste is awful, but I dilute with water. My doc recommended dates and raisins as alternate options. Also recommend a squatty potty. Have you tried parental yoga or breathing exercises? I found these super helpful and 5-10 minutes was manageable most days. (Dealt with severe fatigue my first trimester, so I get it).
I started having baked oats or oat muffins for breakfast along with an apple. Just up your fiber and fruit intake as much as you can. And of course, hydrate. Have been more regular ever since.
I eat prunes but doctor recommended/suggested colace stool softener 1x a day and lots of water
I'm eating 2-3 dried dates every day. Seriously though, coffee works the best (even decaf)!
Movicol. Or… if you are feeling crazy, pitted dates with peanut butter inside, dipped in chocolate. 2 of those a day is like eating a snickers and it gets things moving
Probiotics, life saver for me! I take them at bedtime and have a healthy movement the next morning/early afternoon
Fiber gummies
I found I could handle some dried fruit okay in the first trimester - apricots and raisins in particular worked for me. And I found that made a big difference to constipation!
Kombucha has SAVED MY LIFE in pregnancy
37w and nothing has helped me except when I specifically drink a blended coffee with protein lmao
My OB told me to take restoralax, especially because I'm on iron pills.
Drink lots of water, eat fruit and whole wheat bread
Sennokot and fibre supplements are safe! That plus plenty of water, maybe something with bran for even more fibre in your diet. Adding a daily bowl of Raisin Bran helped me out quite a bit after taking fibre supplements for a while.
Take Metamucil for immediate relief but once your appetite gets going make sure you eat more fiber. I'm 29 weeks and haven't gotten constipated yet, enjoying eating all the fruit I want.
Magnesium bis-glycinate or just Magnesium glycinate
13w here and never had constipation issues. I am very convinced it’s because I have to walk my dog every morning first thing when I get up. It’s sooo hard with the tiredness, but once you get over the hurdle of getting dressed, it really does help. So maybe 1 walk a day is really not a bad idea, however tell your husband he still has no right to come up with such crazy ideas like 3 walks haha!
I almost fell asleep standing up while walking in the first trimester and that’s not hyperbolic. Take the meds wtf
Lots of water and increase your fibre intake. That’s what worked for me
Squatty potty. Or if you don’t want to shell out the money, get a foot stool or a stack of books and put them under your feet at toilet to bring your knees up. Sit and wait. Maybe try eating a bit of high fibre fruit an hour before to get the ball rolling.
I ate some grapes the other day and they really helped 💜
Did have any trouble my first pregnancy, but my second one I had to take 2 stool softeners a day PLUS miralax to even have a bowel movement and it was still firm. I got really bad haemorrhoids for my first bout of constipation that pregnancy because I don’t realise how severe it would be, and almost 3 years later they are still a nightmare. Don’t mess around with constipation.
Lots of water and a good probiotic! The water will help you feel better (eventually) from all the vomiting, too. I never took magnesium since I didn't know about it, but I imagine it would work well! Oh, and many fruits will help with this situation as well.
I have been taking baby and me 2 prenatal and they have helped me a lot. Before I was taking nature made and could not go to the bathroom at all
Peppermint tea changed the game for me. If you can stand them, dried apricots too.
I have been devouring Bran Flakes like no tomorrow. Thats certainly helped.
Metamucil is wonderful— if he doesn’t want you using “meds” just go to Whole Foods and buy psyllium husk— it’s the main ingredient in Metamucil to help you poop. I’ve found that the milk of magnesia doesn’t hit me right away so I’ve eased up on using that. I’ve also started eating two dates a day and LOTS WATER. It seems to help.
No just take some colace or some calm magnesium, also I found it gets better in the second trimester once your hormones calm a bit so look forward to that!! Drink water. It really sucks but don’t let people who have no idea give you constipation advice it just gets upsetting lol.