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Are You Suffering From Diarrhea?

It is a common misconception among women that diarrhea is normal during pregnancy due to increased water retention or increased hormone levels. While this may be the case in a small percentage of women, it is far more likely for you to suffer from constipation than diarrhea during your pregnancy.

Is Your Baby Safe?

The short answer is yes, but there's more to it than that. The main cause of diarrhea is not water retention, it is a bacterial infection or virus. Don't worry, the placenta is an effective barrier between you and your baby that will stop both of these from harming your baby. What you should worry about, however, is your intake of water.

Many women make the mistake of denying themselves water to help harden their stool - don't do this! Your body is losing a lot of water from diarrhea and this water needs to be replenished.

Natural Diarrhea Remedies You Can Use

-camomile tea
-dried bilberries or bilberry juice
-fresh vegetable soup with grated root ginger
-low fat live yogurt
-plenty of water

What Should You Do If Diarrhea During Your Pregnancy Persists?

If diarrhea continues, see your doctor immediately. They may need to examine a stool sample or perform an examination. This can be done quite safely, even during pregnancy. Conditions that can be diagnosed with this technique include reactivated or newly diagnosed inflammatory bowel disease, bleeding from internal hemorrhoids and so on.

Your Vitamins May Be To Blame

Many women take multivitamins or have changed their diet to include more calcium as part of a healthy pregnancy diet. In this case, you might try skipping the vitamins for a few days and see if that makes any difference, or eliminate milk from your diet for a few days (but be sure to get your calcium and folic acid from other sources).

Ultimately, if you are experiencing diarrhea during your pregnancy, you must consult with your doctor before making any changes to your diet. If you are on any medications you will definitely want to consult with a doctor as medications that were prescribed previous to your pregnancy may not be safe during your pregnancy.

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