Frequent bowel movements during late pregnancy

Feces are metabolic waste that occurs every day in normal people. Under normal circumstances, the number of bowel movements per day will vary depending on the amount of food the human body consumes. However, pregnant women often have abnormal bowel movements due to the growth of the fetus in their bodies. Therefore, we should pay attention to the changes in the pregnant woman’s body. So what is the reason for frequent bowel movements in the late pregnancy?

The third trimester refers to the period after the seventh month of pregnancy. At this time, the fetus in the pregnant woman's belly is growing bigger and bigger. As the fetus grows larger inside the pregnant woman's body, it will press on many organs. There may be some abnormalities in the functions of these organs, such as compression of the large intestine and bladder, causing frequent urination and bowel movements in pregnant women in the late stages of pregnancy. This is why pregnant women always want to defecate in the late stages of pregnancy.

1. Is it normal to have a constant urge to defecate during late pregnancy?

If you keep thinking about defecation in the late pregnancy, it is because the enlarged uterus in the late pregnancy will press on the rectum, so you will have frequent bowel movements and urination. This is normal, don't worry, I wish you good health.

2. Precautions in late pregnancy

What are the precautions in the late pregnancy? Precautions in the late pregnancy include the pregnant woman’s sleeping position, diet, prenatal examinations, etc. Pregnant women need to take charge of their own self-care and precautions during pregnancy.

1. Sleeping position in the late pregnancy: In the late pregnancy, it is best to choose to sleep on your left side, and keep the leg on the bed side bent. With the ventral side against the bed, you will feel safer. For expectant mothers whose legs are often swollen, they can put pillows or bolsters under their legs to raise their legs when lying on their side. This improves blood circulation in the legs and reduces fatigue. Avoid sleeping on your stomach or back during pregnancy. Sleeping on your stomach with your abdomen pressed is not good for the fetus or the pregnant woman; sleeping on your back in the late pregnancy will cause the enlarged uterus to press on the spine and hinder blood circulation.

2. Abdominal pain: In the late pregnancy, expectant mothers may experience lower abdominal pain due to false labor when resting at night. The pain usually lasts only a few seconds, with intervals of several hours. It is not accompanied by a feeling of falling, and the symptoms will be relieved during the day. If an expectant mother suddenly feels persistent severe pain in the lower abdomen, it may be premature birth or a sign of uterine rupture. You should go to the hospital for treatment in time and do not delay.

3. Diarrhea: Once an expectant mother develops diarrhea, the main treatment measure is appropriate fluid replacement to replenish the water and electrolytes lost due to diarrhea, especially potassium ions, and replenish the calories lost due to diarrhea. At the same time, closely observe the fetal condition and whether there are any signs of premature birth.

4. Diet for late pregnancy: Towards the end of pregnancy, the fetus will move further down the pelvic cavity, so the pressure on the gastrointestinal tract will be reduced and the appetite will become strong again. Mothers in the late stages of pregnancy should increase their protein intake and try to eat more animal protein and soy foods. You should also take in an appropriate amount of essential fatty acids and eat some animal liver to supplement iron.

5. Fetal toxins: Traditional Chinese medicine believes that fetal toxins are mainly dampness and heat, which are accumulated by mothers during pregnancy and may cause eczema in babies after birth. Expectant mothers should have a balanced diet throughout the pregnancy. They should eat some nourishing foods to ensure nutritional intake, and they should also eat more fresh vegetables and fruits to ensure the intake of various nutrients and keep bowel movements smooth. Pregnant women are not recommended to consume food containing drugs or medicinal ingredients.

6. Fetal movement: If the fetal movement is frequent in the late pregnancy (fetal movement is greater than or equal to 30 times/12 hours or greater than or equal to 4 times/hour), it is normal, so expectant mothers do not need to worry too much. The number of fetal movements will vary depending on the time. Generally speaking, fetal movements are more frequent at night and less frequent in the morning.

7. Edema: Expectant mothers who suffer from edema in the late pregnancy should pay attention to their diet, eat more fruits and vegetables, and eat less high-salt foods, which will help reduce swelling. No matter what the cause of pregnancy edema, drug treatment cannot completely solve the problem. It is necessary to improve nutrition and increase protein intake in the diet to increase the albumin content in the plasma and change the colloid osmotic pressure in order to bring the water in the tissues back to the blood.

8. Pubic pain: As the time of delivery approaches, the expectant mother's body will secrete a hormone called thyroxine, which will make it easier for the fetus to pass through the birth canal and the pubic symphysis will be looser. At this time, the fetus's head will be compressed by the pubic area, and the pelvis will seem to fall down, which will feel very painful. The pain begins in the second half of pregnancy and gradually intensifies until delivery. This pain will disappear with the birth of the baby. When the pain is very severe, lie down, try not to be compressed by the pubic bone, and rest well.