MS, RD, LDN, CSSD, CBS
Rachel holds a Master’s in Nutrition Communication from Tufts University and is also a Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics. She works as a nutrition and wellness coach with focuses on infant and maternal nutrition, and mindful eating.
During pregnancy, hormonal changes, decreased physical activity, vitamin supplementation, and your growing uterus may contribute to constipation. This uncomfortable symptom can be managed to help keep regular bowel movements. Ensuring you consume enough fiber and fluid can help prevent constipation, and probiotics found in some food may help too.
High fiber foods – including vegetables, fruit, beans, nuts, seeds, and whole grains – help to increase fluid content in your stool, which makes it softer and adds bulk, both of which help the stool to pass easier. Additionally, prunes may help with constipation due to their high content of sorbitol, a sugar alcohol that pulls fluids into the colon and aids with the passage of stool.
Probiotics are bacteria that can help promote health when consumed regularly and in the right amounts. Probiotics are not “naturally” found in foods, but some probiotics are added to some foods, e.g. certain yogurts, cereals, supplements.
During pregnancy, your fluid needs are approximately 10 eight ounce cups per day. Eating plenty of produce will help meet your fluid intake as these foods tend to have a high water content.
For more on this topic, check out the following articles:
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