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Constipation is another of those really unpleasant symptoms of pregnancy. This is usually a direct result of the increase in the hormone progesterone, and this slows the movement of your food through your digestive system.

It usually also gets worse as your pregnancy progresses. As your developing baby gets bigger there is an increase in the pressure which is placed on your rectum. To make matters worse, iron supplements – which are usually give to pregnant who may be anemic - will make this condition worse.

Other causes of constipation during pregnancy?

There are other reasons which may bring about constipation, and these may include

Worry or anxiety

Lack of physical exercise

A low-fiber diet

Low intake of fluids

Preventing or treating constipation during pregnancy

As with most issues, prevention is the best form of treatment, but in reality most people are not concerned about prevention until they suffer from the condition. In this case though, prevention and treatment are one and the same. Preventing, or treating constipation would be done by doing the following

Eat a high fiber diet: Ensuring that your diet is rich in fibre will help ease digestion. You should aim to consume 25-30 grams per day of fibre. Fruits, vegetables and whole grain breads are good sources, to name a few.

Drink a lot of fluids: Drinking 10 to 12 glasses of fluid a day – preferably water - is important during your pregnancy.

Exercise routinely: Following a regular exercise routine will reduce your chances of suffering from constipation. Of course there are other benefits for both you and your developing baby if you follow a regular exercise program both during and post pregnancy.

Over-the-counter remedies: Over the counter products such as Metamucil may help you with constipation, but it is important that you always consult with your health care provider before taking any over the counter medication.

Laxative pills are NOT recommended for the treatment of constipation during pregnancy.

Mineral oils should NOT be used during pregnancy.

Reduce or eliminate iron supplements: If you are taking iron supplements then there is a good chance that you are going to suffer from constipation even if you are taking the above precautions. If you are eating a healthy diet then there is a good chance that you will not need to take additional iron supplements, unless your health care provider has specifically recommended that you do. Get your iron levels checked on a regular basis, as a good diet often results in taking a lower dosage of Iron, and thus reduces the chances of constipation.

Eat foods high in fibre! Avoid foods such as chocolate and pastry which can make your constipated. Eat lots of fruit, vegetables, porridge, bread and also drink orange juice. These foods can all cause a naturally laxative. I am due tomorrow and used to suffer from bad constipation but I started eating more fibre rich foods and the problem eased off. If it persists or gets severe, visit your doctor who may be able to prescribe with you medication to ease the problem.

Gentle exercise such as walking,balanced diet with plenty of fruit/veg and fibre, drinking plenty of water. If you do get constipated talk to your doctor or midwife and they'll be able to give you a suitable laxative.

You need lots of water when you eat lots of fibre cos it gets stuck in your gut otherwise and the vitamin c found in fresh orange juice would help too x

Really you can't "prevent" it but eating fruits and things high in fiber can help. And take Colace if you are constipated. I take Colace and drink apple juice. If you can drink prune juice that would help too.

I found out that be eating dried prunes, and taking Citrucel helped me a lot, the dried prunes were so much better than prune juice.

Any kind of dried fruit would be good, so good for you and so much fiber it helped me a lot♥

I don't think you can prevent it, but there's a way to help it.

Just add more fibre and fruit into your diet.