Foods that Cause Constipation during Pregnancy

Pregnancy causes constipation in 90% of women and though this is not something to worry about the constant constipated feeling can get on the nerves. It is natural to feel bloated because of gas formation in stomach during pregnancy. If you are pregnant and feel a constant struggle every morning to clear your bowels then understanding the cause and the root of this problem may help alleviate this issue. Learn more about what food groups cause constipation during pregnancy. In this articleWhy Does Constipation Occur During Pregnancy?ChocolateRed MeatBananasCaffeinated Foods and DrinksWhy Does Constipation Occur During Pregnancy?The pregnancy hormones in your body affect the stomach muscles and the bowels and slow down their activity rate. You might have difficulty digesting food during pregnancy even if you had no such trouble before you got pregnant. There is an important positive aspect of food remaining on the digestive track for a longer period of time. There is now more time for food nutrition to be absorbed into the bloodstream and this means that more nutrition can reach your baby.Again, your ever expanding uterus takes up more space and this obstructs the bowels (which are right beside it) from functioning normally. If you are consuming iron supplements then this too is a contributing factor to the stomach clog. However, do not make the mistake of stopping the supplements as these are extremely essential for you and your baby. Learn about which foods to avoid instead.Food Groups to AvoidHere are foods that you must avoid if you are coping with constipation.ChocolateChocolate is a food that should be on your avoid list if you are pregnant. The large amount of fat contained in the chocolate bar will further slow down the sluggish muscles. Food will move through your bowels slower and there is a chance that you can experience severe peristalsis. If you cannot resist chocolate then have two pieces of dark (caffeine controlled) chocolate every two days….anything more than that can cause trouble.Red MeatRed meat has a lot of fat and high protein content and this makes it difficult for it to be digested. If you are experiencing constipation during pregnancy then limiting your consumption of red meat can help you a lot. Also, red meat has a lot of iron content which can worsen sluggish digestion.BananasBananas are a food paradox. Ripe bananas can aid digestion and help you digest food faster but raw bananas can hinder the digestion process. There is a lot of starch in green bananas which makes it difficult for your body to process it. There is a lot of Pectin in bananas which can draw in water towards the stool and make existing levels of dehydration worse. So it is better to avoid green banana consumption during pregnancy.Caffeinated Foods and DrinksCaffeine is a substance that can dehydrate the body and affect the digestion process. Most doctors advise pregnant women to limit consumption of caffeine high food like coffee, cold drinks and chocolate as they hamper digestion and are bad for the health of mother and child.One easy tip for you to combat constipation problems is to have high fiber food like salads, sprouted legumes etc. The ideal daily consumption of fiber should be around 35 grams. Also make sure that you drink adequate amount of water every day.

Why Does Constipation Occur During Pregnancy?

The pregnancy hormones in your body affect the stomach muscles and the bowels and slow down their activity rate. You might have difficulty digesting food during pregnancy even if you had no such trouble before you got pregnant. There is an important positive aspect of food remaining on the digestive track for a longer period of time. There is now more time for food nutrition to be absorbed into the bloodstream and this means that more nutrition can reach your baby.

Again, your ever expanding uterus takes up more space and this obstructs the bowels (which are right beside it) from functioning normally. If you are consuming iron supplements then this too is a contributing factor to the stomach clog. However, do not make the mistake of stopping the supplements as these are extremely essential for you and your baby. Learn about which foods to avoid instead.

Food Groups to Avoid

Here are foods that you must avoid if you are coping with constipation.

Chocolate

Chocolate is a food that should be on your avoid list if you are pregnant. The large amount of fat contained in the chocolate bar will further slow down the sluggish muscles. Food will move through your bowels slower and there is a chance that you can experience severe peristalsis. If you cannot resist chocolate then have two pieces of dark (caffeine controlled) chocolate every two days….anything more than that can cause trouble.

Red Meat

Red meat has a lot of fat and high protein content and this makes it difficult for it to be digested. If you are experiencing constipation during pregnancy then limiting your consumption of red meat can help you a lot. Also, red meat has a lot of iron content which can worsen sluggish digestion.

Bananas

Bananas are a food paradox. Ripe bananas can aid digestion and help you digest food faster but raw bananas can hinder the digestion process. There is a lot of starch in green bananas which makes it difficult for your body to process it. There is a lot of Pectin in bananas which can draw in water towards the stool and make existing levels of dehydration worse. So it is better to avoid green banana consumption during pregnancy.

Caffeinated Foods and Drinks

Caffeine is a substance that can dehydrate the body and affect the digestion process. Most doctors advise pregnant women to limit consumption of caffeine high food like coffee, cold drinks and chocolate as they hamper digestion and are bad for the health of mother and child.

One easy tip for you to combat constipation problems is to have high fiber food like salads, sprouted legumes etc. The ideal daily consumption of fiber should be around 35 grams. Also make sure that you drink adequate amount of water every day.