Oh the grossness. Woe.

[annaconda]

Well... I have been working hard to keep up my fiber/water intake... but constipation hit hard last week. I'm fine now but over the course of the last week I've gone from 0-60 on the hemorrhoids front. My worst thought is that this will keep up for the rest of pregnancy... I'm 12 weeks.

Oh noes!!! It's gross. So I'm reaching out for help on this gross topic... either gross stories of commiseration or stories offering hope...

thanks mamas.

[othersomethings]

Sorry, I don't have any advice, just commiseration. My gastro-intestinal health is a serious issue for me pretty much from 8wks throughout the entire pregnancy. I sometimes cry thinking about having to use the bathroom...it's really just an unpleasant aspect of this whole deal.

[spargel]

They definitely suck. I've had them since long before I was pregnant, but surprisingly, they're not really bothering me during pregnancy as long as I eat vegetables and fruit.

My best defense is to use the cottonelle wet wipes instead of regular TP - it really seems to help prevent as well as ease. I've only ever had to resort to prep H once, but my DH likes the prep H wipes - they have witch hazel in them.

[Nanette56]

I get the witch hazel circular pads and put one right "up there" at night (not in, just on the outside) and usually by morning it has pretty well shrunken up. I had really bad constipation last week- so painful I was on on the potty every hour during the night. It wasn't lack of water, but may have been lack of fiber, and the one I've had since my last pregnancy flared up again. It's gross and they're uncomfortable, but witch hazel really helps. Good luck mama!

[greenmulberry]

Every time I poo I end with a wipe of a cotton ball soaked with witch hazel, that seems to help a lot.

Also, at my Bradley class, they said the "pelvic rock" exercises we were given are supposed to help with hemorrhoids. They seem to bother me worse when I slack off on the exercises.

[nikwik]

Try drinking aloe vera juice a few times each day (I drink mine right before each meal, and sometimes before snacks)... a little each time is plenty (I use an old Nyquil dosage cup and do about 3/4 full). You can also try chewable fiber pills, and especially upping your water intake. Personally, I would have spent most of my last pregnancy in a miserable knot if I hadn't been drinking so much water all the time -- I literally went through at least 100 oz. daily, usually closer to 120 oz. between 6am and 10pm.

As far as the discomfort you've already gotten... I agree with the other ladies about witch hazel. I used to buy cotton squares (the ones they sell for makeup removal; the circle ones are too small) and soak them in witch hazel, then apply that to the area and leave it there until next potty break... sort of a cheap homemade version of Tucks pads.

Hope that helps!

[jenniferadurham]

Yes...they suck. I have them from last pg bc my mw made me push way earlier than I needed to. So for almost 2 years everytime I poo, they come out. It doesn't hurt, but it's gross. When I'm done poo'ing, I can feel them going back in...ewww. I usually don't get constipated at all when I'm pg...I have the opposite problem. I can't keep it in. I did this sat morning. I took dd to a girl scout meeting, was dropping her off at a butterfly exhibit...waiting for the mom to get there...it HIT me...I HAD to go. I left dd in the lobby and RAN to the potty. I barely got my pants down...it was bad. Went to go wash my hands, and had to RUN back into the stall. Oh my.


So I'm not sure which is worse...I guess at least with the 'D' poo, it's not stopping you up. But then again, you have the 50/50 chance of soiling yourself in public...fun fun.


Have you tried a stool softener?

[livinzoo]

I would increase your magnesium to help with the constipation.

[nintendork]

It helped me A LOT to switch my prenatal vitamin to one with less iron. I also started adding benefiber to my waterbottle every morning. Those two changes have left me pain free for the last few weeks. Hope that helps.

[momtoS]

I bought this http://www.metamucil.com/metamucil-c...nd-natural.php

and it really helps. And it really has NO taste or Grit.!

[EnchantedMamma]

I am dealing with varicose vein issues and I'm pretty sure I read that Butcher's Broom can help (possibly) with hemm's as well.

You might want to do a quick google and maybe just try some for a week or two.

My midwife uses it for all serious varicose cases in pregnancy.

[EmedAK]

try a magnesium supplement like Natural Calm with Calcium. It's a powder that you mix with water. It's a little sour, like lemonade, but has a nice side effect of helping with the constipation. the extra magnesium and calcium are also good for pregnancy anyways - helps with blood pressure and leg cramps too!

[annaconda]

thank you mamas!!! so very very much.