If you went without food during a long labor, you might go a day or 2 without a bowel movement due to the fact that there isn’t really anything in your intestinal tracts, and if you had a C section, it can take 3 to four days for your bowels to start operating normally once again. It is not an uncommon phenomenon: a minimum of 20% of women suffer from constipation after C area for the first few days of recovery. If you’re constipated and can’t go, unwind! Do not require it. A few lifestyle and dietary changes may offer constipation relief, however if constipation continues, see your healthcare company as you may require medication or a stool conditioner.
Causes of Constipation After C Section
1. Internal Causes
The constipation might be a result of diarrhea during pre-labor or early labor, and vitamins taken during the breastfeeding period might likewise be a contributing aspect. What’s more, the iron tablets you were faithfully taking might likewise be adding to your constipation. The digestive system becomes extremely sluggish while in labor, and takes a few days to return to typical. The chronic constipation after delivery could be the leftover elevated levels of the hormone progesterone in your body that you produced throughout pregnancy.
2. External Causes
The stitches and bruising from delivery make women feel uncomfortable when using the toilet. New mothers fear that they may tear the stitches and hence hesitant to use the toilet when they get the urge. Moreover, numerous women do not like using the toilet in health centers because they feel uncomfortable with the lack of personal privacy. Painkillers like diamorphine or pethidine, for pain relief during labor, may likewise slow down a bowel movement.
Ways to Ease Constipation After C Section
You don’t need to resign yourself to the anguish of constipation. There are a lot of things you can do to reduce the constipation after C section. It’s essential to be knowledgeable about the lifestyle and dietary changes that can help solve chronic constipation. Following are a few basic steps you must take when handling postpartum constipation:
1. Keep Hydrated
Dehydration will cause the fiber you take in to end up being dry and compacted in your digestive tract, worsening the constipation. Keep hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids such as water and fruit juices, and if you’re breastfeeding, you’ll have to increase your fluid consumption to support milk production. Generally, drinking about 8 to 10 glasses of water a day is good.You will likewise want to stop your usage of caffeine and alcohol, because they actually cause dehydration. We strongly recommend quitting drinking alcohol and smoking.
2. Drink Prune Juice to Easy Constipation After C Section
Eating prunes or drinking prune juice can help ease constipation by increasing the number of bowel movements. They have stool softening properties that reduce straining during defecation. Prunes are high in fiber accounting for a few of positive digestive impacts, and they likewise contain natural laxative substances that help to alleviate constipation.
3. Add Fiber to Your Diet
Including dietary fiber can help ease constipation after C area. There are two types of fiber that your body needs, soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber can take in water, which helps soften stools and make them much easier to pass. You get soluble fiber from fresh fruits, and vegetables, in addition to whole grains such as pasta and whole-grain bread. Include foods with fiber to your diet slowly, 20 to 35 grams suffices, due to the fact that eating more fiber may cause bloating and gas.
4. Workout
Numerous medical professionals agree that constipation may be caused by an absence of physical activity. You were most likely told to rest after your C area, and to limit yourself in terms of physical activity to give your body time to heal. Nevertheless, when you are not recovering, and in examination with your healthcare provider, you ought to resume your normal activities and get a little workout to help ease constipation. Start with walking to help stimulate intestinal function as soon as possible, and attempt to walk a little more every day.
5. Have Some Legumes
Legumes are a significant source of high quality inexpensive protein, and navy beans, chickpeas, kidney beans, soybeans, and lentils will add soluble fiber to your diet and help you end up being routine once again. The gas produced by beans can be reduced by breaking down the fiber before eating by grinding or mashing them, such as hummus, or refried beans. You can likewise decrease gas by not eating extreme amounts, and eating them in mix with other foods.
6. Limit Processed Food
Prevent fast foods or processed foods, such as white breads, doughnuts, unripe bananas, potato chips, sausage, fast-food hamburgers and chocolate. Limitation low-fiber foods, or foods that are high in fat and sugar, such as ice cream, cheese and other high fat milk products, because they can cause or exacerbate constipation after C area.
7. Other Tips to Ease Constipation
Don’t disregard the urge to have a defecation. The longer you delay, the more likely water will be soaked up from your stool, and the harder it becomes.
- Eat meals regularly
- Don’t take medicines with constipating side-effects, consisting of some painkillers such as codeine.
- Limit carbonated products because it might cause your intestines to fill with more gas than regular.
Is Caffeine Safe?
Coffee is understood to assist many people preserve a regular defecation schedule. However it’s smart to stay away from caffeinated beverages while breast-feeding.
Caffeine is travelled through breast milk to your baby. This can add agitation at a time when sleeping schedules and other everyday routines haven’t been developed.
The Takeaway
A diet that includes a lot of water and fiber should help relieve constipation after a cesarean delivery. Prevent refined and highly processed foods due to the fact that they do not have nutrients and fiber. They also usually have a high amount of salt and sugar.
If after a few weeks, you still haven’t found relief, contact your doctor. They might be able to recommend a breast-feeding-safe laxative or stool softener.
When Should You See Your Doctor?
Although it may be irritating to have constipation after C section, it’s not usually serious. However, chronic constipation can cause complications, or be a sign of a more serious condition. Consult with your health care company if you experience any of the list below conditions:
- Defecation happening more than 3 days apart, in spite of lifestyle changes in workout or diet
- Constipation lasting longer than 3 weeks
- Intense pain in abdomen
- Bloody or black stools
- Painful hemorrhoids
- Diarrhea that rotates with constipation
- Unusual weight loss
