Severe Constipation - 12 Weeks Pregnant

Hi,
I am 12 weeks pregnant and have a long history of alternating constipation and diarrhea.  However, in the last 4 years since I have been exercising regularly, I have not had a frequent problem.  I continue to exercise in my pregnacy 4-5 days a week, an hour at a time.  However, in my 11th week I had a diarrhea attack and I got constipated for 4 days - took Milk of Magnesia- and had a small bowel movement.  I didn't go again for a few days so I took Milk Magnesia again and a Ducolax suppository which gave me a few small bowel movements (my OBGYN recommended I do this).   I can tell my body is getting stuck in this constipation mode.  I have tried 20 glasses of water a day, prune juice, strawberry juice, apple juice, eating vegetables with beans, and fiber (all of which would have kept me in the bathroom for days prepregnancy) but nothing natural seems to work.

How can I manage my constipation throughout the rest of my pregnancy safely?

[ggreg]

First of all, cut back on the juice!  Too much actually has a drying effect on the body and can contribute to constipation...a small glass per day is all you need.  In addition, while lots of water is a great idea, 20 glasses is too much...you would do better with half that, otherwise you wash away electrolytes and wind up with mineral deficiencies.

To get that constipation straight, there are some things you can eat DAILY that should keep you regular.  Cheerios cereal, 100 percent whole wheat bread, salad.  Also, you've got to get enough Omega-3s, which comes from eggs.  (I would recommend fish, but there's just too much junk in the ocean.)  I eat free-range or uncaged chicken eggs, cooked in a very small amount of olive oil.

Another very important thing for constipation is relaxation.  Like many people, you probably are in high-gear all day long, very busy, which is fine.  But you must not rush when you eat, and you must also allow extra time when you usually go to the bathroom, so as not to rush that either.  Exercise is great, but be sure to include a lengthy, easy rhythmic kind.  The best way to completely relax the body is warm baths and massage.  Make it a habit for several times a week to take an undisturbed bubble bath by candlelight.  Or laying on the floor with your legs bent, concentrate a while on deep breathing, and listen to easy music, about 15 minutes several times a week will work also.  In addition, you MUST get thee to a massage therapist, find one who has the right touch, and go once a week.  Another thing that is restful is twice a month going to a beauty salon and either getting your hair washed and blown out or getting a pedicure where they soak your feet and rub them for you.

Concerning massage and how important it is, me, I have a back that is goofed up from a car wreck.  The most painful part of my body is the low back, extending around the sides.  This is where the leg muscles move in the back, so every time I do a lot of walking or standing on cement floors, like at the grocery store, it jars those low-back muscles.  I can't tell you how good it feels to have that low-back area and around the sides get massaged.  You may have similar areas that when they are rubbed, it should release endorphins and give you an instant sense of relaxation and relief.

I really think all the things I have mentioned will help with your constipation, and I hope you will try them all.  There are two other things that MIGHT be affecting you.  Some vitamin complexes will dry a person out, so if you recently started taking something new along those lines, change brands and only take them two or three times a week max.  Generally it's the iron that constipates, so choose a kind that doesn't have too much in it, without eliminating it.  Have your doctor regularly draw blood and check your nutrition levels, so you can judge if you're getting exactly the right amount of vits and minerals and such, all thru your pregnancy.  Secondly, to jump-start your constipation situation, try consuming either Acidophilus milk or Activia yogurt for a couple weeks, it helps regulate the flora in the bowels, which helps break down waste a whole lot better.