Try eating more soup like foods or maybe add some yogurt to your daily diet. Eating lots of dry foods like sandwiches, hot dogs, etc. will cause constipation.
Metamucil. That's what I do.
Try drinking a lot of apple juice. That might help.
I do Metamucil and eat shredded wheat cereal regularly. First I took 2 colace every day (it's a stool softener) but now I take peri-colace every so often (it's a mild laxative and stool softener).
Also, try using a heating pad on your lower back.
The diet change and medicine should help move things along, but if you find yourself straining hard then try sitting on the toilet differently. Tmi but I sit with one foot raised (like a squatting Captain Morgan) and it helps everything flow better. Worst case, get on the floor on your hands and knees. You can clean up after.
Oh yeah, and if it's really hard (since you haven't gone in awhile) I recommend massaging your perinium while you go, just so you don't tear yourself up struggling. GL~
My doctor had me take stool softeners during my pregnancy to keep me from getting constipated
You can use magnesia it helps sooooo much
Im 13 weeks now, and been suffering w/constipation for about 4 weeks,causing too much presure on my baby,so my dr. said that i shouldnt take any stoole softeners but i do take papaya juice blended w/water and its really helpful
My wife take this Digestic by Mimonis in relieving her constipation. It works well on her as she did pooped at least once daily and our baby is healthy enough when it was delivered.