Am I constipated or is it just baby growing?

Question

Currently 19 weeks pregnant. First time mom. Don’t know what’s “normal”.

I feel like I’m constipated but I go daily. My bowels are just smaller than pre-pregnancy.

Is this pressure in my belly/back constipation or is it just the baby growing? Or both?

Answer

I am 19 weeks today with my second. Your baby is growing, your uterus is rapidly stretching, your stomach/other organs are actively rearranging themselves to accommodate growing a whole child, and your hormones (which directly can speed up or slow down digestion) are all over the place. So, because your baby is growing, you are constipated lol. I will go through days where I have very hard stool and feel like my digestive tract is so slow moving, and then it will be followed by a bout or two of diarrhea, then back to constipation. The best thing is to stay very hydrated and eat enough fiber

Am I constipated or is it just baby growing?

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