Pregnancy brings many changes to your body, most of them not necessarily painful but possibly uncomfortable at times. With all those hormonal and physical changes, you may become constipated. This is a normal part of being pregnant, but it should be dealt with if you want to avoid another all-too-common complaint among pregnant women — hemorrhoids.
The changes in your circulation, blood flow, diet, and bathroom habits can all add to the possibility that you will have a hemorrhoid problem while you are pregnant. Add to that the weight of your growing baby, and you have a recipe that can mean one more change that you will have to take care of so that it doesn’t get out of hand.
Hemorrhoid symptoms in pregnancy may be very similar to hemorrhoid problems for anyone else, except pregnant women have the distinct disadvantage of being required to do a lot of pushing during childbirth, which could make the problems worse.
If you are pregnant and have hemorrhoids, even just a small one, you will want to do all you can to make sure the symptoms don’t escalate and become worse. Quite often, the prenatal vitamins you have to take can cause constipation. If they contain iron, that possibility is even greater. If you take such a prenatal vitamin, ask your doctor to suggest something that will help you avoid becoming constipated. If you can keep having regular, soft bowel movements, you will increase your chances of avoiding hemorrhoid symptoms altogether.
Another thing you can do is make sure you are eating enough fiber to keep your digestive system working properly. Water is also important to keep you well-hydrated and functioning properly in all areas. You will want to avoid caffeine, which can cause you to actually become dehydrated and make it more likely that you will become constipated.
If you have any bleeding as a hemorrhoid symptom, make sure that you tell your doctor about it. It may mean that you need to be especially careful and take it easier. It may mean that there is too much pressure on your rectal area, and you need to be on your feet less often. Or it may be something entirely unrelated to hemorrhoids. Talking to your doctor will help you know for sure why there is blood and what you can do about it.
After the baby is born, you can relax more about your bottom health, but for now, you will want to make sure that you feel as good as you can down there. Being comfortable in pregnancy, labor, and delivery will make the experience that much more memorable and enjoyable.
Pregnancy is supposed to be a happy time. Taking precautions to make sure you don’t end up with hemorrhoid problems may help make it an even happier time. Having your baby, taking care of him or her and yourself, and being healthy all over will create a better beginning for a new life. Taking care of any pregnancy hemorrhoid symptoms before they become bigger problems can help.