Pregnancy, cramps and constipation page

[orielwen]

I'm four months pregnant and have been slightly constipated for those four months. Sometimes it's better than others but it's usually quite hard to poo. I also have occasional leg and foot cramps.

I take 150mg magnesium bisglycinate twice a day for a total of 300mg; I also reckon I get another 100mg or so at least from my food. Is this now too much? Or still not enough? Is there something else I can try?

[Dragonfly]

Try a bit more (like 500 mg) and take it all together right before bedtime. I find this timing helps with my morning bowel movement. (as well as sleep!)

Magnesium citrate has a better laxative effect than bisglycinate, so if you switch, you may be able to take less for the same effect.

You may also be low on potassium. Try 1/2 a banana or avocado every day.

Also make sure you are salting your food to taste. Do not limit salt.

[murf73]

Have you tried exercising like walking? That can help. Also, have you tried things like dried fruit especially prunes? Ask your doctor, but it might not be a bad idea to take a stool softener.

[orielwen]

I did try prunes and figs but it didn't seem to help much, though I am desiring more fruit in general (trying to stop myself from snacking on three handfuls of raisins in the evenings!). I'm also desiring more salt, which fits with what Dragonfly says. I'd love to have some avocados and am desperately waiting for them to come back into season; at the moment they're expensive and not very nice, at least here. I could try bananas, but I thought they had a generally constipating effect themselves?

I do have some lactulose I could take, but it tends to bloat me so I try and avoid it. Magnesium citrate has the advantage of being cheaper than bisglycinate, so I might give that a go.

[Dragonfly]

Coconut water is another source of potassium, if you prefer.

And given your leg cramps, I would definitely focus on overall mineral balance. A stool softener will not help with this!

[PoisonApple]

Make sure you're drinking plenty of water... and this may sound strange, but when I was pregnant I was given this crazy advice. When your trying to go... bang your knees. Seriously, make a fist and bang on your knees. For some reason that works for some pregnant women, if anything, its worth a shot.

[twinmama]

Any food with a pit offers a laxative effect. In a pinch I would go with frozen peaches. Make a smoothie, or let them thaw a bit and just eat. Go slow, no reason to cause yourself an insane blowout: Avocados, peaches, cherries, apricot, mango, etc.

Keep all of this in mind for baby too. When avocados come into season get as much as you can on sale. scoop, mash, freeze via a food saver. Have it avail for times like this and they are not in season.

You might need an increase in water. Again, I would go slow.

Ok, and the weirdest but yes it works suggestion. A glass of WARM orange juice. No idea why that works. But be near a bathroom.

[frenchie79]

increase water for sure. You could take a stool softener: colace or docusate... they are safe for pregnancy but their effectiveness is not so great. The doctor I work with does not prescribe it anymore. As for potassium supplements, I would have my K+ levels checked if I was you before taking any supplement.

[Cryptocode]

Try papaya, fresh. Or the papaya enzyme. It works for a lot of people.