What can I take for constipation while pregnant?

I had been very uncomfortable for about a week and a half, unable to poop. I’m 16 weeks pregnant today. I’ve been very constipated my whole pregnancy so far but the last four days I’ve been feeling actually ill from it and had been feeling desperate. I was nauseous, I felt full even when I hadn’t eaten. When I tried to eat I could only have a few bites. I lost my energy and felt drained and was starting to just really feel sick all over because of it. Bloated and backed up and just all around uncomfortable. I tried prune juice the one day, which really only made me gassy. The next day I tried coffee (I NEVER drink coffee) and it helped a small amount I was able to get a little tiny bit out. Well last night I had enough, I was still so miserable and just wanted relief. I squirted a little tap water up my rear end, about a cup or so of it. I let it sit about 2 or 3 minutes and was able to finally go. I feel so much better and more energized today.
My question is this tho: it hadn’t occurred to me until this morning that perhaps that was dangerous. I don’t know what you are and aren’t allowed to try when pregnant and I couldn’t find anything online to tell me if what I did could harm my baby. Could a very small tap water enema hurt a baby 16 weeks in gestation???

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Should call a dr just to double check also they could recommend something

Take 2 stool softeners every night. I promise it will help and it’s ok to take. It wont make you go every day but at least every other.

Try eating 5 or 6 prunes instead of prune juice. They taste better and they work better than juice in my opinion.

Hmmm… Call and ask. Next time use bottled water or boil it first (obviously let it cool before hand. Lol). But I’m sure you’re okay.

Make sure you’re drinking lots of water amd eating fruits and high fiber veggies. Hold off on bread and dairy for a couple days. And I’ve actually heard that prenatals constipate some people… Just play around with your diet some and see what works best for you. I dont know if you can during pregnancy, you’ll have to look it up, but suppositories are a godsend when you’re that backed up.

I’d consult your doctor. But you can try stool softeners… cloace, increase water consumption, add fiber supplement, and when real backed up… an enema… which should be administered by a professional considering your pregnant.

My doctor said safe to take colace

Lots of fibre or milk of magnesia is what I had to use

My prenatals did the same thing to me. They had to change them to make me more comfortable. Maybe check into that. But others mentioned stool softeners until you can make a change in the prenatals will help.

I took colace every single day of my pregnancy. It’s the only way I kept from getting constipated. I took 3 a day before delivery and after and had no issues using the bathroom despite tearing because of it

I had to take stool softeners with my daughter and it takes more than one glass sometimes a prune juice to get stuff going. There have been days I literally had to take two or three glasses of prune juice just to get stuff moving

You should try a stool softener doesn’t work right away you take it everyday and it will help you to loosen what you’re trying to do check with your doctor it’s a miracle worker

Go to KFC and get a 2 piece meal with mashed potatoes, gravy, coleslaw, and a biscuit. It’s never failed to break up any constipation I’ve encountered.

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Call your doctor, but as long as it isn’t in your vag I’d think you’d be fine. Try to ask him about baby safe options like fiber, stuff to make you poop. You got this mama

Girl, u can do pericolace, miralax (multiple times a day,) and slaine enemas. Talk to ur doc.

With my last pregnancy I end up in the emergency room because of this very issue near the end of my pregnancy. Enemas should really only be a last resort because enemas can cause contractions.

You need to get checked out I had the same symptoms before Christmas and went to emergency to find out my intestine was blocked and had surgery

In addition to stool softeners I ate a lot of raisins

I had to do that sometimes at the beginning of my pregnancy but i followed along with my dr and had to make sure nothing else was wrong. I would talk to your ob to make sure theres not an underlying issue

Rasian bran cereal!! I was constipated with all 4 of mine. That cereal was my saving grace.

You can do stool softeners and milk of magnesia

Stool softeners are fine to take during pregnancy. I dont think an enema is harmful to your baby- call the nurse at your ob office and ask her if your worried

You’re talking about a life long problem for me I finally solved.

  1. I am lactose intolerant. For me, it causes horrible intestinal symptoms that run the whole spectrum.

  2. I suffer from chronic constipation.

Solution for me:

Drink water. Lots of it. I bought a clear water bottle with increments on the side. So I always know how much I drink.

Increase your fiber intake. Its not hard. It means raw fruits: bananas, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, apples, etc.

Vegetables like green beans, sweet potatoes, carrots, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and asparagus are loaded with fiber. So are, believe it or not, artichokes!

Eat whole grain breads and cereals. I no longer eat white bread at all. I even use Orowheat whole grain sandwich thins instead of hamburger buns. Cuts calories and adds fiber.

Finally, I take OTC water soluble fiber capsules at the recommended rate of two, 3-times-a-day.

My problem is solved. Add to that the unexpected bonus improvements in my weight, my blood sugar, my triglycerides, and my cholesterol, and you have one happy woman.

Use Miralax, its safe durning pregnancy.

Not likely to hurt baby

Green tea helped me. But get decaf.


This is going to sound gross. But I worked for an OB doctor.

She did international massage stimulation on pregnant women with severe constipation.

Take two very clean fingers insert into vagina.
Massage the left side of the vaginal walk in a downward motion.
Viola! Poop will come tumbling out.

As for the enemas, you should make sure everything is clean (sterilized would be better) and that you’re using distilled or sterile water. Tap water can have microbes, although rare.