Constipation

Dealing with Constipation

Constipation is a common complaint during pregnancy. It is caused mainly by hormone changes that make your digestive tract sluggish. Your uterus pressing on the bowel as it grows, being less active and taking iron supplements can also add to the problem.

Now… the Good News   

The good news is that constipation is easily prevented or corrected by:

• eating more higher-fibre foods
• drinking eight to 12 cups of fluids daily such as water and milk. Coffee and tea count too but you should not drink more than two cups daily
• being physically active every day – walking or swimming are good ways to be active when pregnant.

How Much Fibre Do You Need?

Aim for about 28 grams of fibre daily. To get this amount of fibre include lots of these foods in your diet:

• vegetables and fruit – at least seven to eight servings daily
• whole grain foods such as whole wheat bread – not products made with white flour
• foods made with bran such as bran flakes, bran buds, natural wheat bran, oatbran
• legumes such as baked beans, lentil or split pea soup, hummus dip, chilli with beans
• seeds, nuts and nut butters such as peanut butter.

Eating the High Fibre Way

Note: Fibre is found only in plant foods, not in milk or meat products, or condiments like jam or salad dressing.

Wondering how much Fibre is in a Food? Read food labels….

Most packaged and canned foods list the fibre content per serving of food in the Nutrition Facts table on the package label. In Canada, a serving of food that provides at least:

• 2 grams fibre is a “source” of fibre
• 4 grams fibre is a “high source” of fibre
• 6 grams fibre is a “very high source” of fibre

The Fibre Content of Some Common Foods