Homeopathy for Constipation in Pregnancy

Carrying on with the topic of homeopathy for use in pregnancy, this blog post will be about homeopathy for constipation in pregnancy (these remedies can be used for anyone not pregnant as well, if the symptoms fit!).

Although not as commonly talked about as a topic such as morning sickness, constipation is an extremely common “side effect” of pregnancy.

This post is for general informational and educational purposes only. See my full disclaimer here. If you are concerned about your health or the health of your baby, always seek the guidance and help of your doctor or midwife.

Why do pregnant women get constipated?

During pregnancy, the hormone progesterone increases, causing a relaxation of the body’s muscles (intestines included!). This can cause slower digestion leading to constipation. Sometimes it’s a chronic (long lasting problem). Sometimes it’s related to diet (ex, too much gluten can slow things down), lack (or addition, like iron) of certain nutrients, or dehydration.

To help your body out, focus on eating lots of fruits and veggies, drink lots of water (aim for 3L), stay active and if all else fails, look to the homeopathic remedies below.

If constipation is a chronic (long lasting) problem of yours, it would be best to meet with a classical homeopath to go over your full history and receive a constitutional remedy to help you combat your constipation for good.

A pill for every ill?

Before we dive into the remedies, I wanted to point out something huge. In homeopathy, we DO NOT take “a pill for every ill.” What does that mean for you? For example, if you are experiencing morning sickness, constipation, exhaustion and headaches you do not find a remedy for each individual symptom. You want to find ONE remedy that covers every symptom that you are experiencing. If you are unable to do that on your own while reading through these blog posts, send me and email and I’d love to set up an appointment time (30-45 minutes) to chat with you to find the individual remedy you need.

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Homeopathy for constipation in pregnancy

Below you’ll find 5 common homeopathic remedies that may help your pregnancy constipation. If you’re new to homeopathy, please also reference this post.

alumina

This remedy may be useful for you if some of the following is true:

• you must strain for every bowel movement, even if your stool is soft
• usually you have no urge to go to the bathroom
• you have to work hard to pass a stool – if you’re successful, your stool is made up of dry, hard round balls (that feel like they’re cutting), possible with red clots of blood or mucous

bryonia

This remedy may be useful for you if some of the following is true:

• your stools are dry and hard (as if burnt)
• stools seem too large and you seem to have no power to push them out
• you may experience burning during and after your stool
• you often have a headache when constipated, which feels worse when you move around
• you are extremely irritable (“the bryonia bear”)
• you also experience dryness elsewhere in your body

lycopodium

This remedy may be useful for you if some of the following is true:

• your bowel movements are dry, hard, small and difficult to get out
• you may also experience burping, bloating and gas
• rubbing your abdomen or eating something warm may helps to relieve your symptoms
• you crave sweets and are very tired and have many energy slumps throughout the day

Nux vomica

This remedy may be useful for you if some of the following is true:

• you have the urge to go to the bathroom, but you sit down and cannot go; after much straining, you pass a small amount of stool; if you are able to pass a larger amount, it is very hard and you don’t ever feel like you’re “done”
• you experience painful cramping with your constipation
• a feeling of your rectum being cut may remain hours after you go to the bathroom
• you constipation is caused by lack of physical activity or eating junk foods
• you are very irritable and critical

sepia

This remedy may be useful for you if some of the following is true:

• you can have large, hard, dry bowel movements, sometimes mixed with mucous
• you have to strain and push to be successful
• a heavy, full feeling remains in your rectum all of the time, even after you go to the bathroom
• exercise improves your constipation and your overall mood

*This is a specific remedy for pregnancy problems due to hormonal changes, and for women who are drained and worn out from the needs of pregnancy and motherhood.

what can i expect after taking a remedy?

If you have not exactly matched your symptoms to the correct remedy, it is possible that nothing will happen and then you need to come back and see if there is a better fit.

If you have correctly matched your symptoms, you should expect relief from your symptoms as the remedy helps the body to better manage the changing hormones.

If you have seen improvement, stick with that remedy.

Please reference the blog post how to use homeopathic remedies in acute and first aid situations for some guidance on how and how often to take the remedy.