Bladder, bowel problems and Discomforts During Pregnancy
Certain conditions, such as frequent urination, incontinence, constipation, and hemorrhoid formation are common during pregnancy. Therefore, both regular exercise and healthy diet are important during pregnancy.
Constipation
Hormonal changes during early pregnancy cause relaxation of the smooth muscles around the stomach. This slows down the passage of food to the intestines, which can cause difficulty in passing stool, or constipation. Discomforts During Pregnancy As pregnancy progresses, the baby’s head also increases the pressure on rectum.
Iron supplements can also lead to constipation or worsen it.
Constipation can make the stool hard and lumpy.
Constipation during pregnancy can be managed by:
- Eating fiber rich foods, fruits and vegetables.
- Exercising in the form of walking, swimming or yoga.
- Drinking plenty of water. A glass of fresh fruit juice daily is also beneficial.
- Decreasing the intake of iron supplements.
- Avoiding laxative pills to manage constipation as they may cause dehydration.
The health care provider should be consulted if the above treatments fail to manage the condition.
Hemorrhoids
Hemorrhoids or piles are swollen veins that form in or around the lower rectum and anus. Hemorrhoids during pregnancy can occur due to constipation. They can be as small as the size of a pea or large as a grape. Itching and pain are the common symptoms. Bleeding can occur in severe condition, which can make passing of stool difficult.
Hemorrhoids can be managed by:
- Eating fiber-rich food, along with whole grains and fruits and vegetables to prevent constipation.
- Drinking plenty of water.
- Icing to prevent swelling and itching.
- Dipping the buttocks in a hot bath tub for 10 to 15 minutes every day. This can be done easily using a Sitz bath, which is available at a medical store.
- Not straining while passing stool.
- Avoiding long sitting, especially on the toilet seat, as it increase stress on the rectum.
- Regularly changing position to increase the circulation.
- Pushing them inside if they start hanging.
- Cleaning the anus properly after passing stool.
- Patting over the painful area, rather than rubbing.
- Applying a stool softener crème over the area, as prescribed by the physician.
The woman should immediately consult a physician in case of bleeding from the area.
Frequent Urination
An urge to pee often is common during early pregnancy. Some women may experience this symptom until the baby is born. The problem may arise due to:
- Pressure of the growing baby’s head on the bladder.
- Increase in the volume of blood flow.
- Hormonal changes during pregnancy.
Frequent urination is the first sign of pregnancy, and starts around 6 weeks.
The urge to urinate during the night can be prevented by cutting down late evening drinks. Rocking back and forth while peeing releases the pressure on the bladder, which may further reduce the urination.
Frequent urination can be managed by:
- Completely emptying the bladder.
- Skipping a few drinks, such as alcohol, tea, coffee or soft drinks as they contain diuretics, which increase the urine output.
A physician should be consulted if there is any pain or burning sensation while passing urine, or if there is blood in the urine.
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Incontinence
Another common pregnancy problem is incontinence. It occurs because the muscles of the pelvic floor relax preparing the surrounding structures for delivery. The pregnancy hormones further increase this relaxation by making the tissues and ligaments more elastic. Once the tightness is reduced, even mild coughing, sneezing or changing the position can cause small leakage of urine. Incontinence can be managed by:
- Regularly emptying the bladder.
- Practicing Kegel’s exercises to strengthen the muscles of pelvic floor.
- Eating healthy food to prevent gaining excessive weight.
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