What else can I use for constipation?

Well, I have been taking metamucil two times a day for the past week for constipation. I need something because every time I strain to do a poo, I have a vaginal bleed, fairly scant, but its a bleed. I cant do metamucil. It certainly has cleared me out, but I have terrible wind, to the point I think I have pooed myself. And just today I have sat on the toilet at least a dozen times with loose stools. I am getting pains in my tummy too. I havent taken any for 24 hours, so heres hoping all the above will stop!!

I drink plenty of water, eat fruit and have just right for breakky. What else can I take that will help me go to the toilet without feeling like crap...pardon the pun!!!

TIA

Melissa

Some ideas (maybe don't try them all at once)
- Prune juice
- Psyllium
- A glass of warm water as soon as you wake up
- muesli for breakfast
- drinking more water during the day

You could also use some senekot if you are desperate, which is a mild laxative that is safe to use during pg, but I wouldn't want to start relying on those JIC it makes the problem worse kwim?

I would stick to the the water, plenty of fruit etc in your diet and the prune juice too if you can stomach it (I hate it LOL). eating liquorice will also help, but not too much.

I find the following works:

- heaps of water
- pears (fresh or canned)
- licorice (has to be the good stuff like Darryl Lea)
- heaps of almonds

If the above fails, then a mild laxative safe during pregnancy. Ask the pharmacist to recommend one!

:hug: sounds horrible darl! I hope things get back to normal/tolerable for you soon.

I used to put about 20g of All Bran on top of my usual morning cereal and found this helped. I think 20g has about 10g of fibre which is about a third of what most people need a day. I am just starting to do this again because things in that dept are starting to slow up now so hopefully it works!

Now this is gunna sound weird - but I have tried it and it works ...

During my pre-labour reading, I have read a few theories on sphincter relaxation ie throat, vagina, anus ....

Ok, when we strain we usually make a face and grimace and hold our breath hahahaha - all that glamourous stuff. Try sitting up straight, relax your throat and mouth, letting your jaw drop - if your throat is relaxed, other areas can relax too KWIM??

As I said, sounds weird but I have tried it and it has worked for me ...

If not, everything everyone else has said :p

Dried apricots are supposed to be good. My grandma always said stay away from cheese and bananas as they "bind you up" LOl

SamiH- yeh i find that works for me most times too...

if im sitting there and i know its going to be a horrible "trying to poo" session.. i relax. I take deep breaths and get everything relaxed down there.. then it seems to happen on its own. If i force it out i also bleed.. which is a pain!

HTH

ps.. i was told to try to limit my milk and bread (i go mad on these 2 things) as they bind u up aswell. so my midwife said :) :P

Thanks girls, will give all of the above a go...I'll spare you the results!!!1

my dad swears by LSA - you can get it from health food stores and some supermarkets. It's just ground up almonds, sunflowers and another seed but can't think what. You just sprinkle about a tablespoon over your cereal. I like to add it to smoothies.

My DD has had probs with constipation and I find giving her a dried fig a day really helps. You can also soak (dried) figs in water for a bit and they are more mushy, therefore allowing your system to break it down faster aiding digestion.

pear juice is also supposed to help, and if u like prunes they can also work, theres a pitted one in a purplely container or resealable bag which is handy for the fridge. good luck, i remember it thru pregnancy/ and after 2.

You know what did it for me??
The all bran cereal with the almond flakes...it is suprisingly nice, has a honey flavour. It really helped me go... Goodluck!!

I've never had to strain the hard that i have had a bleed but i found that it was alot easier once i started eating a breakfast with lots of fibre.
Sultana Bran and Lite'n'Tasty did it for me.

I have been having this issue for a bit to and for me its Milk - it makes my poo alot softer and easier to do. Maybe its just me but it works like a charm.

Sometimes a big glass of OJ will cause a 'dumping' which will help push things through.
Someone mentioned dried apricots, but there are many dried fruits that will help, prunes, figs, apricots... drink a big glass of water when you are eating them too.
there is a product called Nulax which is a combination of dried fruit that helps you go, it is made mainly of figs, so i would just buy figs and eat them.

Also someone mentioned warm water - try adding a squeeze of lemon juice and have this first thing in the morning - a great cleanser and the warm water gets things going

goodluck, its awful, i suffered badly in my last trimester, at one stage i thought that i would literally push MJ out !!

I have always had a problem in that area & even more so now that I'm late in the 2nd tri. I have a handful of all bran with vita brits in the morning, & a INNER HEALTH acidophilus tablet at night (my Ob said it's perfectly safe for pregnancy). The tablet seem to soften the stools so it comes out easier (sorry tmi). I swear by it....

im so glad i found this thread now I can try some of these ideas

Try Fybogel. It says on the pack that it can be used during pregnancy and breast feeding. I had it at the hospital a few days after giving birth (was very blocked up and I never am) and it worked a treat. It can be bought at the chemist.

Besides all the suggestion diet wise I also find (sorry if TMI) when sitting on the toilet if I have a little step (in my case 2 phone books) to put my feet on, it seems to help. KWIM?