Constipation -- what REALLY works help to unclog the pipes?!

ShuTree

I ran out of my stool softeners this week and can really notice a difference.  I take citrucel tablets as well.  But what else works besides popping these pills?  PLEASE share!!!

 

t.bird

Miralax.

MaMaC15

Cereal actually works for me. I haven't had any trouble with BM's lately though. I feel like I bm no more than an hour after eating. Cereal and salads have always worked for me.

inluvwitcowboy

magnesium supplements

erinjcianciolo

i drink a glass of Metamucil every morning (in addition to my stool softeners at night) and it really seems to help.  

you may want to check with your OB about taking any laxatives (such as Miralax), but i think most of them are ok with it for a day or 2....... 

Yules

MaMaC15:

Cereal actually works for me. I haven't had any trouble with BM's lately though. I feel like I bm no more than an hour after eating. Cereal and salads have always worked for me.

Salads, raw apricots and cherries always work for me. Oh! And spicy food, if you don't mind that bum-burning feeling on the way out. 

trinakb

MaMaC15:

Cereal actually works for me. I haven't had any trouble with BM's lately though. I feel like I bm no more than an hour after eating. Cereal and salads have always worked for me.

THIS! Specifically Frosted Mini Wheats. This seems to do the trick most of the time.

EuroChick

I posted something about this recently.  Firstly make sure to eat lots of fresh fruits, dried fruits, and some fiber products.  Drink tons of water and apple juice.  If this doesn't help take something like metamucil.  But if you are still really straining talk to your doctor.  I have was having major issues so I went to the hospital where they gave me an enema and put me on a prescription stool softener afterwards.  In all honesty it made a huge difference in my quality life and I regret not calling my doctor earlier.

cutetx

Eat pickled jalapenios, a lot, they give you the effect.

JMCAVC

Lots and lots of water.  I drink between 30 and 60 oz just at work and have been fortunate not to get constipated.  My doctor swears by it because it keeps everything hydrated so nothing can "bind" up.  As soon as he told me that, I'm a friggin camel - ha ha ha!  Of course before I got pregnant, two cups of coffee seemed to do the trick for me.  Now I actually prefer ice water in the mornings over coffee.  A positive, healthier change for this preggo chick since I used to put 5-6 sugars in my morning java (I know - yuck but I only had 1 cup).  My mom used to call it my "morning sludge" - ha ha ha!

golichmi

Coffee!

blondek8

Black coffee and a cigarette? ... oh wait.

gnomely

I used to have a routine of a Diet Coke and an apple if I was really backed up. Worked wonders for me. Coffee does the same.

I find that the bouncing on the exercise ball gets things loosened up. Also, water and prunes. 

walkerb4

I eat prunes.  One serving a day.

Other dried fruit works to keep me regular, too.  Just watch the sugar content.

mathy333

prunes and prune juice

one cup of regular coffee (it's ok to have just one cup a day - my doc said so!!

a big fat bran muffin!!

ucpinky

Baby carrots! Seriously, If I don't eat them for a day I get bound up, but the day after I eat them I am all set. I haven't really had constipation this whole pregnancy (had it bad with DD) and I think it's because I have been eating tons of baby carrots!

Hudson_Hawk

5-10 dried apricots clean me out in about an hour.

katrana

LOTS of fruit (dried or fresh), LOTS of water, and walking/stretching.

A (small) cup of coffee may help too.

Hammee

Lots of water and blueberries - quite the effective combo!

smerka

I second the Frosted Mini Wheats.  Started on these last week and it has been smooth sailing.  I will say I am pretty sensitive to eating too much fiber.  There are cereals out there with more fiber, but they do me very wrong.  I also like Benefiber (it has soluable fiber in it)

NikkiK78

Walking!

ktwilley

Raisins and yogurt.

hollyg1920

start the morning with some oatmeal and stir in a heaping teaspoon of metamucil clear and natural...

 and when all else fails...milk of magnesia (2-4 tablespoons) will do the trick