Treating Pregnancy Constipation

Avoiding pregnancy constipation takes a bit of planning – but before long, you'll find that its second nature to eat the right foods and implement other lifestyle changes that can help make your pregnancy a more comfortable time. Handling pregnancy constipation involves:

Adding fiber to your diet. Fiber is your best friend in the war against pregnancy constipation. You can get fiber from fresh fruits and vegetables (either eaten raw or lightly cooked with the skin left on for maximum benefit), whole grains (like bread and cereal), legumes (like beans and peas), and dried fruits (like prunes and raisins). You should also work to avoid refined sugars and overly processed foods that tend to cause constipation or aggravate constipations (like white bread and white rice). If you are not accustomed to eating fiber-rich foods in abundance, be sure to take it slowly at first, or you will be setting yourself up for bloating and painful gas that these foods can cause. Instead, add a bit of fiber to every meal, like steamed broccoli and brown rice with your lean chicken, but don't overdo it. Give your body a chance to make the switch.