Does pregnancy cause constipation?

Please be very careful with this. I had severe constipation which led to painful fissures and bleeding, making my high-risk pregnancy even more difficult. If you are straining too much, don't wait for it to cure itself, contact your doctor immediately for safe options.

My elder sister literally cried because of this during her third month. She used to sit in the washroom for hours. It’s super common apparently, and she had to completely switch to eating a lot of basic home-cooked dal-chawal and green veggies.

It is a very common side effect due to the high progesterone levels and iron supplements. While lifestyle modifications like dietary fiber and hydration are the first line of defense, your doctor is the best person to recommend a safe stool softener if the issue persists.

Oh god, yes! When you are craving all those heavy, cheesy pizzas but your stomach decides to completely stop working, it's the worst. I had to balance my cravings by adding lots of high-fiber fruits like papaya (only if ripe and approved by doctor!) and apples, plus drinking gallons of water.

The body is redirecting its energy to nurture the baby, which naturally slows down digestion. I found that doing extremely gentle walks after meals and practicing simple, safe stretching helped keep my bowel movements regular. Always listen to your body and keep it active.