How to cure constipation after childbirth. Treatment of constipation after childbirth in a nursing mother. Why Constipation Occurs After Having a Baby

25.03.2017

Childbirth is a serious stress for the body of even the most healthy and physically fit woman. Therefore, the occurrence of problems with the digestive tract after the birth of a long-awaited child is not at all uncommon. One of the most common complications in this case are difficulties with defecation, which give the new mother a lot of unpleasant minutes. However, a timely appeal to specialists will help you quickly understand how to get rid of constipation after childbirth as quickly as possible.

The main causes of constipation after visiting the hospital

Many of the fair sex, who gave birth to a son or daughter, during the rehabilitation period complain of a long absence of defecation, as well as partial or painful bowel movements. This may be due to the following reasons:

A significant increase in the uterus towards the end of pregnancy. Avoiding constipation in the postpartum period is quite difficult, since this organ returns to its normal size rather slowly: in 6-8 weeks. An enlarged uterus constantly presses on the intestines and the rectum itself, disrupting their motility and even causing a slight displacement of the intestines. The absence of normal peristalsis leads to stagnation of feces and activation of fermentation processes in the body. This can provoke the absorption of toxins into the blood and even their penetration into breast milk. Therefore, during the first weeks after delivery, it is worth adhering to a strict diet in order to normalize the defecation process if possible.
Wrong diet. It is desirable for the mother to drink more - and then constipation after childbirth is unlikely to visit her. It is necessary to drink at least 2–2.5 liters of fluid per day, and also to refuse too hard, dry and salty foods, otherwise you may face dehydration. This is due to the depletion of its resources due to the constant production of milk.
Stretching and sagging of the muscles of the perineum and abdominals with insufficient physical preparation of the expectant mother for childbirth. In this case, the feces, for physiological reasons, simply cannot move to the exit from the rectum.
Change in hormonal background. It is considered one of the most common causes of regular constipation after childbirth.
A strong stressful state due to the new state of the body and various psycho-emotional fears.
Genetic anomalies of the intestine, which are often aggravated after the birth of crumbs.
Slow peristalsis of the small, large and rectum after epidural anesthesia, often used during childbirth.
Imposed after a caesarean section or episiotomy (suturing perineal tears) seams. Often a woman is afraid to strain the sphincter muscles too much because of unpleasant pain and fear of divergence of the seams, as well as with pronounced hemorrhoids.

Varieties of constipation

To understand what to do with severe constipation after childbirth, you need to correctly determine its type. In modern medicine, there are several types of it:

Physiological. Inevitable changes in the expectant mother's body can cause a temporary lengthening of the large intestine, causing the stool to travel a longer distance. In this case, it is necessary to wait a little for the restoration of the function of the digestive tract after delivery and drink plenty of water to avoid severe hardening of the stool.
Atonic. Such constipation after childbirth is a traditional consequence of a caesarean section or malnutrition. They are characterized by suppressed intestinal motility and a decrease in the tone of the muscles of the peritoneum and other parts of the digestive tract. Such a condition can be assumed by unpleasant pains in the abdomen, a feeling of a “clogged” intestine, loss of appetite, weakness, nausea, excessive flatulence, painful defecation, and the formation of huge portions of feces.
Spastic. With this constipation, hypertonicity of the intestinal muscles is revealed. Mostly, the root of the problem lies in severe stress and nervous breakdown, which leads to muscle spasm and difficulty in peristalsis. Spasmodic constipation is accompanied by the formation of "sheep" feces, when the stool is very hard and compressed and is excreted in small portions. Its other signs are fatigue, anxiety, loss of appetite, intense gas formation, nausea, cramping pains in the left abdomen.

The most important stages of constipation

It is better to imagine what to do with persistent constipation after childbirth, an idea of the stages of this disease will help. They are distinguished by three:

Compensated, in which defecation occurs every 2-3 days, but the patient feels that the intestines are not completely cleared of feces. During this period, there are frequent complaints of pain discomfort in the abdomen and flatulence.
Subcompensated. The chair happens no more than once every 3-5 days and leaves only after an enema or taking medications. A woman who has just become a mother can be tormented by increased gas formation, painful cramps in the abdomen and painful defecation.
Decompensated. With her, the act of defecation occurs every 10 days or less. On palpation of the abdomen, fecal stones are found in it, signs of intoxication of the body are also visible. Bowel cleansing is possible only due to hypertonic or siphon enemas.

How does constipation manifest itself?

It is not difficult to determine constipation after childbirth due to the pronounced symptoms. After a few days, intestinal troubles are easily identified by the following signs:

complete absence of stool or difficult (due to too small or too large portions of feces, soreness) defecation for 2 days;
bloating;
intensive gas formation;
poor appetite;
insomnia;
feeling of a clogged intestine with food;
paroxysmal pains in the left parts of the abdomen, aching and pulling;
nausea;
the need to push during bowel movements;
lethargy, weakness, fatigue, aggressiveness, anxiety;
frequent belching.

How to cure constipation after having a baby?

Constipation after childbirth, when a woman is still very weak, can cause her great suffering, so you should not let this disease take its course. Today, there are many effective ways to normalize stools using both drug therapy and proven home and folk methods. Traditional medicine offers treatment in this way:

Enema. It helps to thin the stool and improve intestinal motility. An enema is done not only with warm water, but also with flaxseed tincture, which has proven itself in this case. One tablespoon with the top of flaxseed must be poured with 1 glass of freshly boiled water and left to infuse for 3 hours. No more than 50 ml of warm infusion is poured into the rectum, repeating the operation at least 3-4 times a day.
Laxatives. If a happy mother is breastfeeding a baby, it is allowed to take drugs such as Forlax, Fortrans, Duphalac, lactulose syrup. The use of preparations of horse chestnut, Regulax, Gutalax, Chitosan-Evalar, Doctor Taissa should be abandoned. "Trisasen", "Glaksenna", "Sennalax" will not help with spastic-type constipation, but will only worsen the patient's condition due to their ability to increase the tone of smooth muscle muscles.
Candles for constipation (mainly glycerin). They are intended for the symptomatic treatment of chronic constipation during the postpartum recovery period. However, it is not recommended to use them regularly due to the possible addiction of the intestines to them, as well as to enemas and laxatives.

Folk remedies for postpartum constipation

Every mother dreams of giving birth without serious health consequences. But in some cases, it is not possible to avoid trouble with the administration of natural needs after this. Then traditional medicine comes to the rescue, the methods of which are still recommended to be used with caution in each individual case. For spastic constipation, the following remedies are recommended:

2 tbsp. spoons of figs are poured into a glass of freshly boiled water or milk, cooled and drunk 1 tbsp. spoon as needed.
The potatoes are peeled, passed through a blender or meat grinder, squeezed out the juice and diluted with water in a ratio of 50 to 50. Take a drink of 5 dessert spoons about half an hour before meals three times a day.

With atonic constipation, the following recipes will help to cope:

Stir in equal amounts the fruits of fennel, anise and cumin, and then pour 2 teaspoons of the collection with a glass of freshly boiled water, leaving the mixture to infuse for no longer than a quarter of an hour. Strain and drink 6 dessert spoons 20-30 minutes before meals three times a day.
Combine in equal quantities the fruits of fennel and mountain ash, nettle, oregano and blackberry leaves. Mix well, take 1 tbsp. a spoonful of mass and fill it with a glass of freshly boiled water. Infuse the collection for about an hour and a half in a thermos. Then strain and take 6 dessert spoons on an empty stomach (20-30 minutes before meals) three times a day.

Diet food

To prevent constipation after childbirth, you need to carefully review your diet. The menu of a woman who has just given birth must necessarily include oatmeal, muesli, bran, wholemeal bakery products. Also suitable are kefir, buckwheat, millet and pearl barley, cabbage, carrots, pumpkin, beets, boiled zucchini. And also lettuce, cherries, spinach, melon, apricots, apples, dried fruit compotes.

With atonic constipation, it is recommended that immediately after getting up in the morning, drink 1 glass of freshly boiled water before breakfast to start the bowels. You should not eat semolina, legumes, blueberries, white bread and millet bran, walnuts. Sometimes it is permissible to treat yourself to quince, strawberries, currants, hard cheese, soups, brown rice (rarely).

Constipation exercises

To restore the tone of the abdominal wall, improve the elasticity and firmness of the abdominal muscles and, accordingly, activate the work of the intestines, do not neglect special gymnastics. Charging takes no more than 10 minutes, and it is desirable to repeat it 2-3 times a day. The main exercises are as follows:

In the first days after the birth of the baby, exhaling, draw in the stomach and hold your breath for a short time. Then, while inhaling, try to strongly squeeze your knees together in a prone position, and relax as you exhale.
While lying down, inhale and raise the left arm and right leg, exhaling, return them to their place, and then change limbs.
After inhaling, draw in the muscles of the abdomen and vagina while standing in the "dog" position, do not breathe for a couple of seconds, then exhale.
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and stretch your arms forward. Well resting your feet on the floor, inhale your left hand, take it as far back as possible and return it to its original position, exhaling. Change hands. A variation of the exercise is to turn the body to the right and left, clasping the palms of both hands.
Standing, raise your palms to your shoulders, placing your elbows in front, and try to reach your left elbow with your right foot, pulling your knee to your chest. Then change legs.

It is quite possible to cope with difficulties in defecation after the birth of the crumbs, subject to certain recommendations and adherence to a healthy lifestyle.

During pregnancy, a woman in labor has a lot to go through. Even if the entire pregnancy proceeded successfully and without complications, you will certainly have heard a bunch of different stories about how unsuccessful and difficult it can be to give birth, you have undergone many different examinations, passed many different tests. Due to a weakened immune system during pregnancy, you could pick up some kind of virus. And many women have experienced all kinds of joys of pregnancy: dizziness, constipation, heartburn, swelling, ...

And after giving birth, you, of course, breathed a sigh of great relief - everything is already behind. But in some cases, all the trouble is just beginning. And if you have never had difficulty emptying your bowels, including during pregnancy, they may appear after childbirth.

Causes of constipation after childbirth

To eliminate postpartum constipation, you need to find out the cause of its occurrence. Experts identify the two most important:

Physiological. Due to the many changes that a woman's body has undergone during pregnancy, the abdominal and perineal muscles can become stiff and stretched. Peristalsis may also be disturbed, the intestines may shift. Because of this, it may be difficult to empty the intestines. The cause of constipation can be hormonal fluctuations in the female body, improper diet, an elongated large intestine. With weakening of the muscles, atonic constipation can develop - the stool at the beginning of deformation resembles the shape of a cylinder, which liquefies and thins and may also contain impurities of blood or mucus. A woman feels the formation of gases, apathy, nausea, heaviness in the intestines, discomfort, and pain.
Psychological. Occurs due to fear of seam divergence. Experts advise not to push for a month after giving birth, this can develop constipation. In addition, new worries, thoughts, worries appear, life priorities change, the regime of a woman changes. Overwork and lack of sleep also play an important role.

With nervous and psychological experiences, spastic constipation often develops - while the muscles are in good shape. In such cases, the stool is in the form of hard spherical lumps. The woman has no appetite, becomes irritable and nervous, may experience nausea, spastic pain in the abdomen. With frequent trips to the toilet, bowel movements do not occur at all.

How to deal with constipation after childbirth?

The doctor must find out the cause of constipation in order to develop a treatment regimen. It may not include medication. The drug should be treated at the other end, if no other methods help, and you need to start with the safest.

You cannot treat constipation with pills on your own. Even homeopathic remedies may not be safe for you. As a rule, all laxative drugs are addictive, so they should be taken only in emergency situations, dosed under the supervision of specialists. Due to herbal medicine, an allergic reaction may occur in a baby if you feed him with mammary glands, so at first you need to abandon any course of treatment. Especially beware of medicines based on horse chestnut - with its help milk production is stopped.

This also applies to enemas - it should not be abused, only in emergency cases. Only laxative suppositories are not particularly harmful, but only if you do not have anal fissures and do not suffer from hemorrhoids.

The basis of the course of treatment for constipation should be physical activity and proper nutrition. If stool retention after childbirth is associated with muscle weakness, try to strengthen them. If constipation is caused by psychological factors - pay special attention to the general relaxation of the body and the normalization of the nervous system. But, in general, it is necessary to solve the problem in a comprehensive manner and work simultaneously in all directions. There is no difficulty in this.

First of all, organize your own nutritious diet and regimen. Forget about - now the important thing is your health and the newborn. You don't need to overeat, and you can't starve. You will gradually lose weight, and you will soon be able to return to your previous forms. If necessary, make every effort to do this, only later. At the moment, you need to eat right and fully.

There are many prohibitions on the diet after childbirth. Experts set very strict restrictions, but each woman independently determines the limit of what is allowed. Do not forget that everything you eat goes to the baby along with breast milk. Therefore, heavy and allergenic products should be discarded.

Build a menu based on safe foods: muesli, oatmeal, vegetable oil, fruits and fresh vegetables (melon, apples, apricots, pumpkin, lettuce, carrots, spinach, zucchini). Eat other cereals (barley, millet, buckwheat), o not rice. Eliminate coffee, strong tea, currants, blueberries, strawberries, quince, pears, hard cheeses, legumes, nuts, cookies, crackers, semolina, rich pastries, white bread from the diet. As well as drinks and foods that are hard to digest.

For constipation, dairy products can be consumed. It is advisable to drink plenty of fluids - ordinary clean water, compotes from cherries or dried fruits.

Establish rest and sleep patterns. Despite the fact that you have more worries, you need to gain strength and rest a lot. In addition, you need to lead an active and healthy lifestyle. Aerobics, Pilates, gymnastics will definitely benefit. Daily walks are required.

Learn to relax. It can be aromatherapy, breathing techniques, a contrast shower, a bath, massage - the main thing that helps.

Never rush to take drugs, be happy and calm, get enough sleep, do not starve - and constipation will recede.

At the birth of a baby, a woman has cuts or tears in the perineum. This can cause severe constipation after childbirth. What to do in such cases, it is necessary to consult a specialist under whose supervision the newly-made mother is. As a rule, such constipations are spastic in nature.

Why constipation after childbirth, and what to do when they appear and begin to interfere with normal life? The causes of this phenomenon in the postpartum period are many factors:

hormonal imbalance in the body;
insufficient production of iodine by the thyroid gland;
displacement of internal organs as a result of uterine growth, as a rule, intestinal deformity;
disorders in the work of the nervous system;
damage to the intestinal microflora as a result of taking antibiotics;
postpartum complications in the form of perineal ruptures, prolapse of hemorrhoids;
and other reasons.

Constipation can be of different origin. Therefore, in order to know exactly how to treat the disease, it is necessary to establish the cause due to which it was formed.

In the case of suturing, a woman has some fear of defecation. It begins to seem to her that at the slightest tension in order to free the intestines from feces, the edges of the wound will disperse. And the woman begins to consciously avoid the process of emptying. Against the background of fear and an unstable state of the nervous system, defecation delays develop.

In the intestine, under the influence of nerve impulses, smooth muscle spasms occur, causing narrowing of the intestinal lumen and difficulty in moving fecal clots. Such disorders in the work of the digestive tract very often occur due to severe psychological stress. Childbirth is just such a stress for a woman.

Emotional stress is also caused in a woman by new worries related to caring for a baby, night vigils due to the baby’s restless sleep, worries about his health. Many mothers suffer from postpartum depression. For some, it passes in a mild form, someone is affected by it more deeply.

Spasmodic constipation can be recognized by excreted excrement. In appearance, they resemble hard balls, similar to sheep feces. The patient suffers from increased gas formation, discomfort inside the abdomen. There is unmotivated fatigue, irritability, chills are disturbing.

What to do with spastic constipation

If it is difficult for a woman to deal with postpartum depression on her own, she should contact a psychotherapist or perinatal psychologist. The doctor will help to cope with fears, remove anxiety, relax, regain a joyful perception of the world.

In difficult cases, a woman may be prescribed sedatives or antidepressants. With a mild form of depression, a woman can control her emotional state herself. This requires awareness of what happened, and the formation of a certain self-attitude by the patient. In addition, you can drink light soothing teas. Help to relax and warm baths with the addition of aromatic oils.

The restoration of the normal functioning of the nervous system is a decisive factor in the treatment of spastic constipation. However, some other measures should be taken to help rehabilitate the cleansing function of the intestine.

Diet

In case of problems with the work of the intestines, as a rule, first of all, they pay attention to the nature of the patient's diet. With constipation of a spastic nature, a sparing diet is needed. Patients are advised to eat the following:

vegetable puree soups or weak meat broth;
cereals with or without milk;
wheat bread;
pasta dishes, mashed potatoes;
low-fat varieties of fish, meat;
ham;
all types of dairy products;
freshly squeezed berry and fruit juices, compotes from them, jam;
weak tea, coffee.

With spastic constipation, it is better not to eat fresh vegetables.

They significantly increase peristalsis and can cause severe intestinal spasm. Vegetables are best eaten cooked, without overcooking them. You can make salads.

Treatment of hemorrhoids as a cause of constipation

In addition to stitches in the perineum, prolapse of hemorrhoids can provoke constipation of a spastic nature. Sharp pain, bleeding in the anus cause stress in a young mother, giving rise to fear of the natural act of emptying. Constipation with blood after childbirth is explained just by the presence of hemorrhoids.

In this case, to normalize defecation, it is necessary to neutralize the focus of the disease. You can use medication, but only as directed by a doctor, as well as folk remedies:

Rectal suppositories

Candles for rectal use based on sea buckthorn, propolis and other herbal ingredients. They can be purchased at a pharmacy, as well as made independently.
Herbal decoctions and infusions with anti-inflammatory and analgesic orientation. Take inside. Such folk remedies as buckthorn, carrot tops, wild raspberry leaves and others are used.
Herbal water extracts with hemostatic action. They are used for hemorrhoids complicated by bleeding. They use nettle, yarrow, red beet juice, etc.
Cold local baths give a good analgesic and hemostatic effect.
Enemas are used to treat the internal form of hemorrhoids. For this purpose, decoctions of wormwood, chamomile, as well as sage, St. John's wort and other anti-inflammatory herbs are prepared.
Hemorrhoidal bumps can be treated with vegetable oils: propolis, St. John's wort, castor, sea buckthorn and others.

Despite all the inconvenience that constipation causes, you should not take a laxative without a doctor's recommendation.

Remember, during the period of breastfeeding, uncontrolled medication is not allowed, even if they are absolutely safe.

In many cases, an enema can help with constipation. After childbirth during the feeding period, when a child can develop an allergy to any new product, an enema with milk and butter will be a real salvation for mom.

Atonic constipation

For a productive bowel movement, you need to strain the muscles of the abdominal wall of the abdomen. In women who have given birth, there is a weakening of the muscles of the press and the pelvic floor. There is a drop in bowel tone. In this case, constipation after pregnancy may also be observed.

With atonic constipation, fecal masses are characterized by a large volume, which makes emptying difficult, as well as unevenness. First, there are dense excrement, then more plastic, and at the end - mushy.

In this case, a diet is very important, since you can get rid of constipation after childbirth, first of all, with proper nutrition, rich in vegetable fiber. It enhances intestinal peristalsis. This is facilitated by raw vegetables and fruits, various salads and other dishes prepared from them, as well as freshly squeezed juices.

Honey, bran bread, oils of vegetable origin, as well as lemonade, kvass, koumiss stimulate the activity of the large intestine. A glass of raw water with a slice of lemon, a spoonful of sugar or honey is useful on an empty stomach.

It is very important to observe the correct drinking regimen, especially when breastfeeding. You need to consume plenty of fluids so that the lack of moisture in the body does not provoke an exacerbation of constipation.

You need to drink enough water

It is necessary to move more, take daily walks, and also do light physical exercises. This will help to quickly get rid of constipation, and gain good health.

Decoctions of medicinal plants

If the treatment of constipation after childbirth with the above remedies does not work, herbal treatment should be added.

Recipe 1.
It is necessary to collect the following composition: chamomile, immortelle, trifol - one tablespoon each; dill seed, joster - one teaspoon each. Pour the mixture in a thermos with boiling water in the amount of 3 glasses. Leave for 20 minutes and strain.

Recipe 2.
We form the following composition: chamomile, valerian, joster, corn stigmas - one tablespoon each; buckthorn bark - two tablespoons. 2 tbsp. l. mixture pour a cup of boiling water and hold on low heat for 20 minutes, strain.

Infusions should be taken in half a glass in the morning, after breakfast, and immediately before bedtime.

In addition, rectal suppositories are very effective. After childbirth from constipation, as a rule, glycerin suppositories help well. They are considered the most gentle remedy for the treatment of constipation during the period of feeding a child. They are also indispensable for rupture of the birth canal, when a woman should not strain.

Massage and therapeutic gymnastics

When constipation is associated with weakening of the abdominal muscles, exercise therapy and massage are the most effective means. Exercises related to jumping, squats are very useful, running also helps a lot. In the treatment of atonic constipation, the load on the muscles of the peritoneum during physical education falls, as a rule, is large.

Favorable impact is exerted by water procedures in the pool. There is an involuntary massage of the abdominal muscles, the motor function of the intestine is activated, and the emptying process takes place without difficulty. Swimming is useful not only for atonic, but also for spastic constipation. This should be done no earlier than two hours after eating.

Swimming is good for constipation

With spastic constipation in physical therapy classes, the strengthening of different muscle groups alternates with relaxing exercises. The muscles of the abdominal wall are subjected to minimal stress so as not to strain the already spasmodic intestines. Here, the exercises are relaxing, performed slowly and without jerks.

Treatment of dysbacteriosis

Constipation can occur due to long-term use of antibiotics. After childbirth, young mothers are usually prescribed a course of antibiotic therapy. Because of this, the normal functioning of the intestinal microflora is disturbed, constipation develops.

In this case, some drugs that normalize the state of the intestinal microflora can help. They should only be taken on the advice of a doctor. It is not worth it to treat bacteriosis with medications on your own.

To restore the internal intestinal microflora, you can include yogurt, yogurt, acidophilus, kefir in the daily menu. They must be taken twice a day, after lunch and before bedtime, for at least two months. During this period, the beneficial microorganisms found in these products will populate the large intestine, and its microflora will be completely restored.

Conclusion

Treating constipation usually takes time and effort. A serious attitude to your problem, careful implementation of the doctor's recommendations in most cases allow you to count on the success of treatment.

How to deal with constipation after childbirth, can tell the centuries-old experience of traditional medicine. There are a wide variety of recipes that alleviate the patient's condition and help get rid of this problem forever.

Constipation is difficult, incomplete or absent bowel movements for several days. Very often, young mothers who have recently undergone childbirth suffer from problems with defecation. At the same time, they can not only not go to the toilet for a long time, but also experience discomfort and a feeling of overcrowding in the intestines, which interferes with normal life. How to treat constipation after childbirth for a nursing mother? A detailed answer to the question is presented in this material.

Causes

Before you start treating constipation, you need to establish the cause that is behind its appearance. In most cases, bowel problems are caused by various complications or the fact that the body simply cannot adapt to your daily lifestyle. According to medical experts, constipation after childbirth can be caused by both physiological and psychological factors. Let's take a closer look at each of them.

Physiological factors

They mean by themselves that there are any problems in the work of the digestive tract.

The main ones among them are:

hormonal imbalance;
taking antibiotics that have harmed the intestinal microflora;
weakening of muscle tissue in the abdominal and inguinal region;
an increase in the size of the uterus, as a result of which it creates pressure on the intestines;
intestinal displacement;
violation of peristalsis;
the presence of pathological diseases.

In addition to all of the above, constipation after childbirth during breastfeeding can be triggered by malnutrition and insufficient water intake.

Psychological factors

In addition to violations in the normal functioning of internal organs and systems, constipation can also manifest itself as a result of psychological factors.

The most common among them are the following:

conscious suppression of the urge to defecate, if a woman meaningfully ignores the natural needs of her own body, as a result of which the gastrointestinal tract ceases to give appropriate signals for emptying;
fear of pain or divergence of stitches;
stressful condition, which can occur due to overstrain when caring for a baby;
overwork.

As statistics show, constipation after childbirth is considered a very common occurrence, the causes of which in approximately 80 percent of cases are associated with a lack of good nutrition. Due to severe fatigue and lack of time, many young mothers switch to a dry diet, which provokes constipation.

According to medical professionals, before starting treatment, it is very important to first establish the cause of the problem, since therapy depends precisely on the nature of the factors that caused the disruption in the functioning of the intestine.

Classification

If you suffer from constipation after childbirth, then you need to try to establish their nature. When understanding the essence of the problem, it will be much easier to choose the right treatment and quickly get rid of the disease.

Constipation is divided into two types:

spastic;
atonic.

Constipation of the first type is accompanied by atony of the intestine and difficulty in emptying it, and the management of the need is poor and in small portions. The main factors that cause constipation in women are psychological. As for the clinical manifestations, the representative of the weaker sex may experience severe abdominal pain, nausea, bloating, toxicosis, irritability and fatigue. Such constipation after childbirth can be easily cured by adjusting the daily routine. You need to get as much rest and sleep as possible, as well as make a healthy menu, which should include only allowed products.

The main symptoms of atonic constipation are pain during bowel movements, discomfort and periodic cramps in the lower abdomen, and lack of appetite. This type of constipation can be triggered by various medications, malnutrition, or a caesarean section. If no measures are taken, then the mother may experience tears of the mucous membrane of the anus and rectum.

Enemas are most effective in treating any type of constipation. They contribute to the liquefaction of feces and normalize the functioning of the intestines. To prepare such an enema, you will need a tablespoon of flaxseeds, which is poured with 200 ml of boiling water and infused for three hours. The enema procedure is performed 4 times a day using 50 milliliters of decoction.

ethnoscience

When answering the question of what helps with constipation after childbirth, alternative methods of treatment should not be ignored. According to many experts, alternative medicine is more useful and effective in the fight against constipation, since it is based on the use of medicinal plants that are distinguished by their naturalness.

The following remedies help with spastic constipation:

A decoction of figs. Two tablespoons of figs are poured with a glass of boiling water. After cooling, the solution is taken in 1 tbsp. l. 2-3 times a day.
Potato juice. Root crops are passed through a meat grinder, after which the juice is separated from the pulp with gauze and diluted with water in equal proportions. The remedy is taken in the morning, afternoon and evening half an hour before meals, 50 milliliters.
Medicinal decoction. For cooking, you will need nettle, anise fruits, mint, wild strawberry leaves, chamomile flowers and valerian. All components are dried, crushed and mixed. For one glass of boiling water, a tablespoon of herbal collection is required. The medicine is infused for about an hour and a half, filtered through a sieve and taken 50 milliliters twice a day.

If you have atonic constipation after childbirth while breastfeeding, then a herbal collection consisting of oregano, rowan berries, fennel fruits, as well as nettle and blackberry leaves will be a good remedy. All components are mixed in equal proportions. To prepare a medicinal decoction, you need to insist a tablespoon of herbs in one glass of boiling water, then strain. Drink in the morning, at lunchtime and in the evening for half a glass after meals.

A few words about proper nutrition

Constipation after childbirth, regardless of their type, is primarily a problem with the functioning of the digestive system, so patients should pay great attention to their diet.

The following foods are allowed for consumption:

kefir;
sunflower oil;
muesli;
boiled beets;
bran;
wholemeal bread;
oatmeal;
steamed vegetables.

wheat bread;
walnuts;
hard cheeses;
blueberry;
pear;
peas;
beans;
strawberry;
strong tea;
semolina;
pear;
currant.

Also, if you suffer from constipation after childbirth, it is recommended to drink plenty of fluids daily. It can be both ordinary water and various compotes, sour-milk products, mint decoction and chamomile tea.

Preventive actions

If you have cured constipation, then in order for it not to return, it is recommended to follow these recommendations:

Try to take as few medications as possible.
Do postpartum exercises.
Stick to proper nutrition.
Drink plenty of fluids.
Don't overwork yourself and get good sleep.
Try to move as much as possible.

If you follow the preventive measures listed above, you will never know what constipation is.

Conclusion

Nursing mothers should closely monitor their health, as any problems with it can be transmitted to the baby. Therefore, at the first suspicion of constipation, it is not recommended to self-medicate, but it is better to seek help from a specialist, since only an experienced doctor will be able to prescribe the correct treatment.

Do not forget to regularly monitor your health. In case of manifestation of any ailment, it is better to immediately contact a specialist in order to avoid negative consequences in the future.

And so on. Two thoughts help her in this. The first is to have a healthy baby. And the second is that after giving birth, all this disgrace, as if by magic, will stop, and she, a happy mother, will become strong, healthy and beautiful again. But now the birth is over, but some of the "unpleasant appendages" remained, and something was added. Among those "somethings" are constipation, which can make life difficult after having a baby.

Constipation is a difficult or systematically incomplete emptying of the intestine (defecation) or the absence of it for one and a half days or more. Constipation in the postpartum period is associated, as a rule, with several reasons:

A sharp change in hormonal levels.
Weakening and stretching of the abdominal muscles and perineum.
Uterine pressure. In the early postpartum period, the uterus is still enlarged and continues to compress the intestines to some extent. (Immediately after birth, the mass of the uterus is about a kilogram, and it returns to normal, "non-pregnant" sizes only after 6-8 weeks).
Change in the position of the intestine in the abdominal cavity, its gradual displacement to its usual place.
Violation of peristalsis (motor activity of the intestine, due to which food masses move).
Fear of straining due to sutures (imposed in the case of caesarean section, episiotomy, ruptures) and.
Irrational diet for a nursing mother.
Psychological stress associated with caring for a child and a new family status.
Congenital features of the intestine, for example, its elongated sections.

Why do constipation occur?

According to the mechanism of occurrence, two types of defecation disorders can be distinguished.

The first type is atonic, at which the tone of the muscular wall of the intestine decreases, peristalsis becomes sluggish, unproductive. Atonic constipation often occurs due to muscle weakness, after a caesarean section. This is a common bowel reaction to any surgical intervention in the abdominal cavity. It can also occur due to dietary errors.

Another form is spastic constipation, when the tone of the intestine is increased and peristalsis becomes unproductive due to the "clamped" state of the intestine. For this type, psychological reasons are more characteristic.

Atonic constipation may be accompanied by pulling, aching pains in the abdomen, a feeling of fullness in the intestines, increased gas formation, lack of appetite, nausea, lethargy, apathy, depressed mood. When defecation occurs, there is a lot of stool, the initial portion is formed, dense, of a larger diameter than normal, the final portion is liquidish. Defecation is painful, there may be tears of the mucous membrane of the rectum and anus, then streaks of blood and (or) mucus remain on the surface of the feces.

In the spastic form, the pain is paroxysmal, more often in the left side of the abdomen. There may be flatulence, lack of appetite, fatigue, nervousness, irritability, nausea, fecal masses in the form of the so-called "sheep feces" - the stool is very dense in small rounded portions. The urge to defecate may even occur several times a day, but the emptying of the intestines is incomplete, difficult, in small portions.

Separately, it must be said about constipation associated with lengthening of the large intestine. Although outwardly they appear as a spastic form, such constipation is not associated with intestinal contraction, but with a longer passage of feces along a longer path. At the same time, more water is absorbed back into the body from the intestinal contents, and the feces become solid. Such constipation is treated not as spastic, but rather as atonic, but more on that later.

Solving the problem of constipation

To solve the problem of constipation, a young mother, in any case, needs to choose the right diet, taking into account breastfeeding and possible allergic reactions, which are different for each baby. Useful: muesli, buckwheat, millet and pearl barley, oat bran, black bread, vegetable oils, fresh and cooked vegetables and fruits (carrots, beets, pumpkin, zucchini, spinach, lettuce, broccoli, cabbage, dried fruit compotes, melon, apples, apricots, cherries), dairy products.

You can take a decoction of gooseberries (pour a tablespoon of berries with a glass of water and boil for 10 minutes, then strain). Take it in a quarter cup 4 times a day, if necessary - you can add sugar. When brewing tea, you can add slices of dried apples or cherries. In the atonic form of constipation, the bowels are stimulated by a glass of cool water, drunk in the morning on an empty stomach.

With constipation, you can not use strong tea, mucous soups, semolina, white bread, wheat bran, polished rice, blueberries, quince, pears, currants, strawberries, legumes, walnuts. Hard cheeses can also slow down peristalsis.

Attention! With frequent and prolonged (several times a week for 1-2 months) use of almost any laxatives (both medicinal and herbal), addiction may develop, requiring an increase in the dose of the laxative. The effect of its use is weakening, and the problem of constipation itself is aggravated.

When breastfeeding, laxatives are not contraindicated - Forlax and Fortrans.

Of the ready-made laxatives during breastfeeding, you can not take: Gutalax, Regulax, Chitosan-Evalar, Dulcolax (aka Bisacodyl), Dr. Theiss - Swedish bitterness.

Preparations (Sennalax, Glaxenna, Trisasen) based on senna (aka cassia holly) or alexandrian leaf increase the tone of the muscular wall of the intestine, so it should not be taken with spastic forms of constipation. When breastfeeding, they must be taken very carefully, as they can cause intestinal pain in the baby.

To solve the problems of constipation offers such recipes.

With spastic forms of constipation

Freshly prepared potato juice, diluted in water 1 to 1, take a quarter cup half an hour before meals 2-3 times a day.
A decoction of figs in milk or water at the rate of 2 tablespoons of raw materials per 1 cup of boiling water; you need to let it cool at room temperature and take 1 tablespoon 2-4 times a day.
Mix in equal parts the fruits of anise, stinging nettle herb, valerian rhizome officinalis, wild strawberry leaves, chamomile flowers, peppermint leaves. Brew a tablespoon of the collection with a glass of boiling water in a thermos and leave for 1.5 hours, then strain. Take half a glass after meals in the morning and evening.

With atonic forms of constipation

Mix in equal parts the fruits of anise, cumin and fennel. Brew 2 teaspoons of the mixture with a glass of boiling water, leave for 15-20 minutes, strain, drink a third of a glass 3 times a day for half an hour before meals. Please note that for this collection, the seeds must be ripe.
In equal proportions, take oregano herb, rowan fruit, gray blackberry leaves, nettle herb and fennel fruit. Brew a tablespoon of the collection with 1 cup of boiling water, insist in a thermos for 1.5 hours, strain, take a third of a cup 3 times a day after meals.
The safest, most effective, and most versatile way to get rid of postpartum constipation is through exercise. Stretched abdominal muscles do not provide full support to the abdominal organs, there is a risk of developing a hernia of the white line (midline of the abdomen), the uterus contracts more slowly. Flabby skin and abdominal muscles do not adorn the figure, exacerbating emotional discomfort. The stretched muscles of the perineum cannot become a reliable support for the pelvic organs - there is a threat that the uterus will descend into the vagina, prolapse or prolapse of the uterus will occur.

By regularly performing physical exercises, you can get rid of the extra pounds acquired during pregnancy, improve your well-being, improve your emotional background, and gain strength. They may object to me: "What else is gymnastics when I'm tired and fall down like that!" That's right, mother's work cannot be underestimated, but this fatigue is not so much physical as psychological, from lack of sleep, from various worries and simply from muscle detraining, which gradually arose in the last months of pregnancy. Without loads, muscle strength cannot be returned. It is not necessary to tear the barbells, it is enough to spend 5-10 minutes a day exercising (it is advisable to do a set of exercises several times a day).

The day after giving birth

Lying on your back, arms loosely along the body, legs slightly bent at the knees, take a deep breath and inflate your stomach, hold your breath a little and exhale forcefully through your mouth, while trying to pull your stomach in as much as possible. Repeat 5 or more times.

On the third day after childbirth

The starting position is the same, the knees are pressed to each other. Simultaneously with the usual breath, strongly tighten the muscles of the pelvic floor (as to prevent defecation), holding your breath a little, exhale and relax. Repeat several times.
The starting position is the same. At the same time as you inhale, lift your right leg and left arm up, as you exhale, lower it. Repeat with left leg and right arm. Repeat 5 times or more.
Standing, feet shoulder-width apart, arms extended forward. Without lifting your legs, turn your torso to the right, pulling your right arm back as much as possible, inhale. Return to starting position, exhale. Repeat on the other side. Do the exercise several times.

On the fourth day after birth

Starting position - as in exercise number 4. Interlace your fingers in a lock in front of you. Turning the torso, try to take your arms as far back as possible. Repeat several times.
Lying on your back, arms freely along the body, legs bent at the knees, while inhaling, raise the pelvis and hold it for several seconds, lower with exhalation. Repeat.
Standing on all fours, while inhaling, draw in the stomach and perineum, hold your breath for a couple of seconds, relax with an exhalation. Repeat.

2 weeks after birth

Standing, raise your hands to your shoulders, put your elbows forward. Bending the right leg at the knee and raising it, try to touch the left elbow with the knee. Repeat several times on both sides.
Complicate exercise No. 6 by slightly spreading your legs to the sides and at the moment of lifting the pelvis, strain the muscles of the perineum, as in exercise No. 2. Repeat several times.
Lying on your back, alternately bring the leg bent at the knee and hip joints to the stomach.

For irrigation, you can use an infusion of oak bark (2 parts) and 1 part of horsetail herb, valerian root or horse chestnut seeds, chamomile flowers; and an infusion of 1 part sage leaves mixed with 2 parts oak bark. Both infusions are prepared in the same way: a tablespoon of the mixture is brewed with a glass of boiling water, heated for 15 minutes in a water bath, and infused for another 40 minutes. The infusion is allowed to cool at room temperature and filtered. Compresses, baths or irrigation with these infusions can be done several times a day. To carry out the procedure, the mixture of infusions must be poured into a syringe and irrigate the perineal area without introducing the syringe into the rectum.

In conclusion, I would like to note that the problem that has become the subject of our conversation is unpleasant, but completely solvable. And if you follow all the recommendations of the doctor, then soon you will be able to cope with it.

Anna Ivanchina
general practitioner, Medical Center for Administrative Affairs of the President of the Russian Federation

Discussion

I am the same, after giving birth I suffered from constipation, but even before I had them periodically. I just recently found a solution for myself, I put an Exportal bag in tea and drink it with food, and soon everything will pass for me :)

My sister gave birth 3 weeks ago and since then constipation began to haunt her daily. Some laxatives are now ineffective, do not help at all (((

16.01.2017 17:12:37, TatyanaLemesheva

Senna is the most powerful and terrible thing you can think of! Do not use it after childbirth. It is better to use Rektaktiv, but not many times, but 1-2 to adjust the stool or when it is impossible to strain after a cesarean.

03/14/2016 13:19:23, Julia_Ya

I tried senna grass, I read about it on the Internet. I don’t know who and how she actually helped, but I had terrible colic from her that I couldn’t even get up. Until the doctor scolded me for such experiments on herself and assigned me to the forlax course, I never managed with the problem of constipation. I no longer experiment with either enemas or herbs, but I use proven products without side effects

10/28/2015 12:10:20 pm, Alla Sankova

It is possible and stoic, but somehow I don’t smile at all to suffer from this.
So it's better to treat.
Of the above, I had the worst with constipation - forlax rescued, a good drug. Candles, alas, did not help me at all.

I also switched to Rektaktiv, they really suited me, they worked in the first 10 minutes.

31.03.2015 17:20:38, Alexandra Ignatova

I prefer laxative suppositories from dry horse chestnut extract, they quickly stimulate the intestines and there is no discomfort with them.

03/21/2015 04:13:29 PM, Afina333

Rektaktiv suppositories help me best, they act quickly and are very gentle.

05.03.2015 18:23:53, Raisa Viktorovna

And I often have constipation, spasms, seething. Thank God, the pregnancy passed more or less, from the second trimester I took trimedat, it really helped, stimulated the intestines, but I thought the problem would end after the birth, it wasn’t there. After giving birth, it became even worse, the intestines did not want to work at all. I did not breastfeed, now I always keep trimedat at hand.

09/19/2013 05:16:43 PM, Nata Dem.

And tell me, my sister is no longer breastfeeding (her milk burned out due to a divorce), she wants to cleanse her body, as she did before. And after childbirth, constipation somehow worsened (maybe this is due to nerves). Start small stages of therapeutic starvation, she has strength and patience))))) She used lavacol before, she lost weight so once a year by 2-3 kilos at once. But I'm embarrassed that 3 months have passed since the birth, will it not be harmful to her body? True, given that it is still worth doing before fasting (it protects against intoxication and lowers the feeling of hunger), in short, I am in doubt, I want advice

I had constipation only in the first week after the birth itself, but it happens to everyone, such a physiological feature, as the doctor explained to me, is postpartum intestinal atony. And so I just drink a lot of sour milk, and in general nutrition is ... anti-constipation) I studied from childhood, I used to have such problems, so I had to discipline myself. And she coped with postpartum with the help of suppositories, natalsid, they actually help well with hemorrhoids, and without dubious additives, so they are widely prescribed during pregnancy - and they also have the ability to lighten the stool. So I killed two birds with one stone. I strongly advise you to take it with you to the hospital. [link-1] here is an article about hemorrhoids, there is a little about these candles, if anyone is interested

03/30/2011 08:22:27 PM, Viantta

And we didn’t often have this .. only with my girlfriend)) someone there, like her mother, duphalac advised her, and then she passed it on to me as advice. my husband ran to buy for me) two weeks was enough and normul) constipation was again only a year later)