Constipation is pretty common, more often later in pregnancy - especially when the baby's size begins to pressurize your intestines and make peristalsis less efficient.

Here are a few thoughts and suggestions : (1) No matter how bad the constipation - NEVER strain. This goes for when you are not pregnancy too, but especially now. You really need to learn to relax as much as possible (try Yoga) and employ this technique when you visit the toilet. The intestines natural muscular movements that help you go can actually be inhibited by your efforts to strain. This stops the natural evacuation motion, plus it can cause piles (ouch!) and is probably not at all good for the stability of your developing foetus. I know it is tough - but try to use some relaxation techniques and let the Laws of Nature take over for the 'bowel movement' process.

(2) Go with prunes! These dried plums have a concentration of natural fibre that can really help the bowel activity. Organic dried apricots (look a bit weird - but who wants to be consuming even small amounts of synthetic fertilizer/insecticides at a time when a little person is developing inside you!) are also excellent - (those kind that are quite moist are great.) Eat some at breakfast, lunch and later meals - or include them in snacks during the day.

(3) Try to develop a routine - your body will benefit from the 'regularity' - and it should help the 'psychology' of the 'time to go' period...but again do not try and force it. If you, say, take a bath or a shower at a certain time - the warm relaxed feeling may help you to go straight after.

(4) Keep on keeping your fluid intakes high. Drink filtered water (you don't want any flourides or chlorine if you can avoid it - and if they are in your local water - they are potential endocrine disruptors...again why risk it whilst that little one is developing); fruit juices - NOT fizzy drinks; NOT anything with artificial sweeteners; NOT anything with caffeine. Coffee and tea are best avoided not only because of the caffeine - but they have a mild diuretic effect and can exacerbate de-hydration.

(5) If constipation has ever been a problem, even when not pregnant - consider re-building the integrity of your gut-flora. Our intestines are home (as you probably know) to billions of bacteria. Over time (depending on dietary and other habits) you can decimate your GOOD bacteria and have an overgrowth in BADDIES! Try something like the pro-biotic product En-liven that you can find here under the MiVitality link: http://www.saferalternativ e.com - to re-colonise the gastrointestinal tract with the full spectrum of Lactobacillus (friendly) bacteria. This certified organic product has really worked wonders for many people and can help overcome that bloated feeling too (But remember, for your peace-of-mind, it is always wise just to check with your MD/GP that anything you are thinking of taking during pregnancy is considered okay by them.)

(6) And as an added thought - not actually to do with 'constipation' directly - but consider changing your bathroom products to get rid of those things that use synthetic and toxic chemicals. Ideally use only completely natural, preferably certified organic products. Some additional advice and links can be found here via the web-log http://toxictimebomb.blogspot.com if you are interested. It was more than a worry to us to discover the many toxic chemicals our little girl might be exposed to via the shower soaps, shampoos and other stuff we used when I was first pregnant 10 months ago (Aimee is now a happy, healthy 1 month old!) - which is why we switched!

(Article published Feb. 2006. NOTE: This article may be freely distributed and re-published but the 'Author's Bio' details, and any other links must be left intact)

About the author:

Ruth Ramos de Smith & Al Smith - Write under the pseudonym 'websage' on many Internet forums - and publish http://toxictimebomb. blogspot.com - promoting healthy, natural and organic products. Reduce your family's exposure to environmental toxins choose to defuse your 'toxic-time-bomb' today by finding a safer alternative.