Constipation question (way TMI) - Page 2 « Back to Group Discussions

[MPsSweetie]

Yay for pooh!!

[spughy]

LOL.  I remember reading somewhere that occasionally a bowel movement stimulates some nerve (maybe the vagus nerve?) and you get that feeling like WOW POOPING IS AWESOME!!!! and sometimes you don't - that's the difference between a satisfying bm and one that just gets the job done.  I think when your poop backs up a bit it might be better at that nerve stimulation.

[chocolatechip]

Clumsy, you are awesome!!! I managed to poop once yesterday and once today, and it's kind of hilarious how happy it makes me each time.  Not that it's exactly pleasant, yet, but it's happening, and that makes it great!

RainGardenMama, my midwives got back to me yesterday also, and suggested upping my cal-mag intake as well. I wasn't really taking it regularly, but I've started (yesterday and today, anyway). One more piece to the puzzle, I hope.

Writermama, beets are one of the only foods left that I still have NO desire to eat. Though now that I think about it, my digestion is a little sensitive to them even when I'm not pregnant. So maybe I should start snacking on them a little. Wish they sounded more appealing! And eating more fat, huh? Darn. 

firespirtmelody, I didn't even think about trying some sort of lubricant. Why didn't I think about that? Olive oil (or coconut oil? I have that in the bathroom for skin care already...) sounds like a great idea. I'm going to break that out if I'm unfortunate enough to have a next time. With all the stuff about perineal massage we've read about in our childbirth class recently, this sort of idea should have occurred to me.

Meggsy, thanks for the description of soluble vs. unsoluble fiber. It sounds like I've been on the right track with my various efforts to eat high fiber foods.

It really is amazing, isn't it, how we can eat so many high fiber things and have it barely make a difference? I'm so glad I'm not the only one here struggling with this! The food I've been eating the last couple days would normally have made everything *very* loose, and instead I'm still getting firm stools, though at least not ginormous rock hard ones.

I've also determined that I really was dehydrated a couple days ago. I drank water like a camel yesterday, and still had fairly dark yellow pee all the way until late yesterday night. My body seems to be doing this on occasion while pregnant, and I think it might be a sign of something transitioning. At the end of the first trimester, for example, I was super exhausted and dehydrated for a day or two, and then suddenly felt better than I had in months. Maybe this time it was an uptick in progesterone? Who knows. Gonna keep up my fluid intake, though!!!

[chocolatechip]

So, spughy, you're saying there might be something like "orgasmic pooping," along the same lines as "orgasmic birth?" 

[spughy]

Originally Posted by chocolatechip 

So, spughy, you're saying there might be something like "orgasmic pooping," along the same lines as "orgasmic birth?" 

You might have to really stretch the definition of "orgasmic" to include "just want to high-five someone" but sure, why not.

[cabbitdancer]

Oh, man. You ladies have me CRACKING UP. "Orgasmic pooping!" HA! It is especially funny, since I have definitely "been there," and know exactly what you mean. XD

[chocolatechip]

Is there really no high-five smiley? I NEED A HIGH-FIVE SMILEY. It will be my new "regular bowel movement" mascot.

cabbit, we have to laugh about it right? Appreciate the good feeling parts!

[jodieanneanton]

 chocolatechip, I find this guy just as satisfying as a high five!!! :D

[spughy]

Originally Posted by jodieanneanton 

 chocolatechip, I find this guy just as satisfying as a high five!!! :D

Ironically, bananas can cause constipation.

[jodieanneanton]

  These would work, too, Spughy!! 

[chocolatechip]

Originally Posted by spughy 

Ironically, bananas can cause constipation.

Really?!?!? But they're fruit! Sigh. I just read something that said less ripe bananas can be constipating, but really ripe bananas can be good fiber. Still, I'm going to cut back on my bananas, because I was still eating them.

I had a little  success today (thanks for the smiley, Jodie!). Still feel like there are several meals left inside of me, and the increased fiber, cal-mag intake, and even smooth move tea haven't been hugely successful. Ugh. I guess I'll just try drinking tons of water again today. And take a longer walk! Because those two changes will work great together, won't they? (I can just see myself ducking behind a bush at some random person's house to pee...)

[spughy]

Bananas have hardly any fiber.  And lots of starchy starch.  They're great food, but they're what you use when you've got the opposite problem.  Ever heard of the "BRAT" treatment for diarrhea?  Bananas, rice, applesauce and toast.  It makes it easy to see why so many people find their babies get constipated when they start on solids - because the solids they start with tend to be bananas, rice, and applesauce!

So... don't eat bananas.  Eat broccoli instead.  It's a cuter smiley, too.    (And don't let your baby go nuts on the bananas and applesauce and rice when he/she starts eating real food either.  A bit of all of those is fine - but I've seen babies where that makes up 90% of their diets...)

[sunshinelove]

DD has always loved bananas, but I quickly learned that if i gave her bananas to eat without prunes she would get constipated. And it was also best to skip a day with the bananas. They are super constipating for a lot of people--i recommend cutting them out for now and switching to plums or peaches or pears if you're craving fruit

[spughy]

Or frozen blueberries!  My perennial favourite.  Frozen sweet cherries, too, when I can find them!  I'm regretting not freezing some myself now - but I was soooo tired in my first trimester, the thought of spending hours pitting cherries just did not fill me with any kind of happiness at all.  Now I want to go back in time and kick my own rear.

[firespiritmelody]

A good friend of mine was in a car accident a while back and in the hospital for several weeks with essentially a hip replacement. It was infuriating because he was having issues with constipation and on serious meds to "remedy" it - but they were giving him bananas with EVERY meal! IN THE HOSPITAL! Banana for breakfast, banana pudding with lunch, banana pie or something with dinner. It was ridiculous. Once *we* figured out that was the problem he tried to talk to the nurse about it and they told him he was imagining it. SMH.

So yeah, hold off on the bananas for a bit

[spughy]

Oh, and another tip for everyone generally - IF you do end up with a c-section, try to chew some gum immediately after surgery.  It helps keep your digestive system operational without putting any stress on it.  Fascinating recent study showed that such a simple intervention actually helped patients regain bowel motility much faster after surgery - one less thing to worry about!  It doesn't matter what kind of gum.

[chocolatechip]

That's a really good point about the baby food! I'd never thought of it that way!

I have definitely switched to other fruit. Apples, oranges, prunes, dried peaches, frozen berries... Last night I ate half of a mini watermelon, despite them being completely out of season, and it was delicious.

I think one reason this is hard for me is that I was struggling with more of the opposite problem for most of this pregnancy. So I'd managed to figure out how to shift my diet from my normal one to one that helped solidify everything better. And now suddenly I have to swing the other direction, and I don't have all the skills built up! 

Chewing gum after a c-section... Maybe I'll put gum in my just-in-case hospital bag, because otherwise there's no way I'd remember that!