Especially in the first trimester, the level of progesterone increases in the mother’s body, which slows down the passage of stool in the intestines. Even if the role of this hormone is to relax the muscles and ligaments, to prepare the mother’s body for the necessary expansion to make room for the baby and to facilitate the birth, the changes can have a negative impact on the intestinal transit, especially in the first trimester.
The body prepares for development
Unfortunately, constipation is one of the problems that most pregnant women face at some point and this is due to the fact that the entire digestive system becomes slower for the intestines to extract the quality nutrients necessary for the development of the fetus. In this way, the body absorbs the water before passing through the intestines and constipation occurs, followed by the weakening of the pelvic muscles, and as the pregnancy increases and the uterus enlarges, it will press on the bladder, which will aggravate the condition of constipation.
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Symptoms of constipation in pregnancy
Often during pregnancy, constipation can be accompanied by heartburn precisely because of the slowing down of the stomach emptying process, explained by the increase in gastric secretion necessary for digestion.
There is also the feeling of constant bloating, back pain especially in the lumbar area, fatigue and excessive sleepiness, stress, painful defecation and gas.
An imminent danger is the appearance of hemorrhoids precisely because of the presence of hard stools, an aspect that leads to the appearance of anal bleeding due to cracking of the rectal walls.
Natural remedies to combat constipation
Yoga is a good way to take care of both your body and mind during pregnancy and not only that, practiced daily will help you strengthen your muscles.
In addition, Kegel exercises, simple but effective, will help you increase the yield of the pelvic muscles. It would be advisable to do them especially when you urinate, by interrupting the flow of urine as often as possible.
Choose to exercise at least 30 minutes daily, walking, dancing and don’t forget to hydrate properly.
Opt for a diet rich in fiber, vegetables and fresh fruits to form the volume of the stool and help the stool to move towards elimination more easily.
Another natural remedy is ginger, which you can use in salads or in water, garlic will help you eliminate gas and get rid of bloating, while dried and raw fruits will lead to easier elimination of stools.
And last but not least, don’t forget the probiotics, yogurts with live cultures that will also stimulate the bacteria in your gut helping to eliminate stool much faster and easier.
