Bad Constipation - Does Straining Hurt Bubs

[belfie]

ooh this is a thread after my own heart! I had the worst constipation (for the first time ever) of my entire life at 21.5 weeks, and ended up going to hospital by ambo with suspected umbilical cord prolapse or visible (externally!) membrane. Turned out to be nothing more than a vaginal wall prolapse and bubby was fine.. it was all thought to be due to straining (even tho - weirdly, I didn't have any 'roids or anything like that! So wouldn't that mean I didn't strain too much? I was trying to NOT strain. Or mebbe I strain weirdly??! ).

Anyway, so my motto is a huge "avoid avoid avoid!". interestingly I had already been taking some metamucil (but I think a combo of headcold/accidental dehydration sent me up nasty creek without paddle). Plus I also am unable to eat pears/apples/sultanas/prunes/bran/coloxyl etc due to a malabsorption problem with fruit sugars, so can't resort to many of the typical remedies.

So it didn't hurt bubs per se, but I could have lived without the stress! (given we were told that bubby probably wasn't going to make it, and I was taken to a birthing room ready!). Ever since, I take my metamucil religiously, eat as much fibre as possible and ALWAYS take a book in (like an old grandpa hahaha!) because I relax and don't think about it, and then it always happens (and believe me, there's nothing like making you paranoid about pooing than to have it result in a trip to hossie!). And touch wood - no further prolapses/problems since. Haven't tried the bookshop thing tho .. might have to trot off to Borders!

Hope i've scared u all enough to eat prunes by the bucketload! Seriously, think I was pretty unlucky... or just "special". haha.

[MummyTummy]

Wow Belfie! That must have been so scary.... I''m off to drink a litre of water right now!! I had my muesli for breakfast so I'm looking good on the fibre side so far today, now to just get that water down!

thanks for the warning though!

[thepixie]

Hey if you're still around juleswa - the girls in the 16-30 July group were wondering what you're up to and if you still keep up with that thread?

[rose]

Question for those taking metamucil, What time of day do you take it? I usually forget til 9pm and then if I take it then I get h/burn with it. It also makes me feel so full just b4 or after a meal. What do the rest of you do?

[cateblu]

hi
you could also try warm water to drink first thing in the morning (if you can stomach it!) and seeded bread, both work wonders for me as metamucil makes me want to be sick! also, definitely pay attention to your posture when pooing as bigbubbabelly said, having suffered terrible hemaroids first time, i've been more careful this time and so far so good