Elizabeth Somer, M.A., RD, writes in her book Nutrition for a Healthy Pregnancy that during pregnancy progesterone is one of the culprits behind constipation -- it slows the movement of food in the intestine. The other problem is the lack of the hormone motilin. Motilin helps move food through the intestine, but during pregnancy, it is not as readily available. The end result: constipation and gas.

Somer suggests you avoid caffeine, since it is a diuretic and will cause even more water loss, bringing on more constipation. Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Add fresh fruits and vegetables to your diet, and of course, don't forget to exercise!

Be careful with suddenly adding fiber to your diet. You want to do it gradually or else you will end up with quite a bit more bloating and gas than you wanted. I once thought that I would add more fiber to my diet and bought a cereal that had 5 grams of fiber. Boy, was I sorry! I had a lot of discomfort, and needless to say, was turned off from the thought of a high fiber diet. So, I say try the water and fresh fruits and veggies.

As a last resort, try slowly adding fiber to your diet -- don't make a whole meal out of it, though. If that doesn't work, you may want to try something like Metamucil. Good luck!

Related information:

What can I do about constipation?

Are laxatives safe to take during pregnancy?

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