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Diarrhea simply means having loose or watery stools during frequent bowel movements, which become harder to hold in than solid stools. Some people do not see it as a serious medical concern but as a mild condition. It is common in both children and adults and may last a few days or more.
This condition may be caused by several factors, including a virus, bacterial infection, an intestinal disease, stomach or bowel problems, food allergies, or reactions to drugs.
Diarrhea during pregnancy can be harmful to a woman and her unborn baby. For this reason, pregnant women must always seek the advice of a healthcare professional in cases of severe diarrhea.
In this article, you will discover a lot more about diarrhea during pregnancy, the foods you can eat, and the pregnancy diarrhea remedies you can use.
Why Is Diarrhea Common in Pregnancy?
A lot of women may experience diarrhea during pregnancy. However, having diarrhea may not be related to your pregnancy but may result from an infection or an unexpected bowel disorder. Some factors are related and could make diarrhea common in pregnancy, including:
- Hormonal Changes: Your digestive system may slow down when you are pregnant. This can be caused by changes in hormones such as prostaglandins, leading to constipation. The role of this hormone is to quicken contractions in the uterus and also increase movement along the digestive tract. In other cases, an increase in this hormone level may also trigger the speed of your digestive system, causing diarrhea.
- Change in Diet: This factor is common for women who are not pregnant but also specific to pregnant women. Over time, as women become aware of their pregnancy, they tend to change their diets. These changes may upset your stomach and can lead to diarrhea.
- Food Sensitivities: As you get used to a new diet during your pregnancy, food sensitivities may be one of the major changes you will experience. Foods that you were interested in before your pregnancy may now cause a stomach upset or diarrhea.
- Prenatal Vitamins: Taking prenatal vitamins is good for your health and that of your growing baby. However, these vitamins may upset your stomach and even lead to diarrhea. While choosing your prenatal vitamins and supplements, take care to choose right or consult a healthcare provider.
Effective Pregnancy Diarrhea Remedies
Nowadays, women are uncomfortable with taking drugs or pills during pregnancy, and rightly so. Well, there’s great news for you. We have curated some home remedies for pregnancy diarrhea to help you address your diarrhea without the need to seek drugs.
The following are some simple home remedies for diarrhea in pregnancy.
1. Drink Enough Water
During diarrhea, you will experience loose bowel movements that remove a lot of fluid from your body. Losing that much fluid can lead to complications for you and your developing fetus. It is advisable to drink water regularly to replace the fluids you may have lost.
You may want to try drinking fresh fruit juice and healthy broth to provide your body with necessary nutrients like electrolytes, vitamins, and minerals. However, you must be careful not to drink beverages with high sugar levels.
Always carefully read the nutrition labels on the beverage to be sure of your sugar intake.
2. Eat Bland Foods
While trying out foods, you may want to stick to eating foods with low dietary fiber. The BRAT diet, which stands for bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast, is recommended for stomach issues like diarrhea.
Most healthcare providers will also advise that you limit your intake of milk and dairy products because they make diarrhea worse.
3. Check your Medication
As a pregnant woman, you should always talk to a doctor before taking new medications. Some may be harmful to you and your baby’s growth while the safety of others may be uncertain.
If the pills you are taking trigger diarrhea, your body may develop a system to adjust its effect, causing it to stop. If it does not stop, reach out to your doctor about the medication.
4. Add Probiotics to Your Meal
This is not a common remedy, but adding probiotics can help relieve diarrhea. Probiotics are a group of small and good microorganisms that help create a healthy environment in your gastrointestinal tract. These probiotics may be more effective for diarrhea caused by antibiotic medication.
5. Visit a Doctor
Do not hesitate to schedule an appointment with your doctor if your diarrhea does not clear up within 2 days. During your consultation, the doctor will conduct a physical examination using your blood to find the cause of your diarrhea.
Foods to Eat When You Have Diarrhea
While trying to treat diarrhea, there are foods you can eat to easily digest and absorb some water from the stool. One effective eating plan is the BRAT diet, a great start to relieving your bowel movements.
The BRAT diet includes bananas, white rice, apple sauce, and toast made from white bread.
You can combine the foods in this diet plan to make a healthy delicacy. Each food in this diet is low in fiber, which means that it won’t trigger the digestive system. They will also help make your stool firmer and easier to release.
Other foods you can eat if you have diarrhea include:
- Soda crackers
- Apple juice with low sugar levels
- Cooked cereals like oatmeal, wheat, or farina
- Baked or boiled potatoes
Foods to Avoid When You Have Diarrhea
Certain foods can trigger the digestive system and worsen your diarrhea experience. You must avoid the following foods:
- Fried, fatty, and greasy foods
- Processed foods
- Milk and dairy products
- Raw vegetables
- Spicy foods
- Citrus fruits and other fruits like pineapples, grapes, cherries, seeded berries, and figs
- Alcohol, caffeinated or carbonated drinks
When to See a Doctor
In some cases, diarrhea during pregnancy may lead to serious dehydration and malnutrition, which can also cause complications for you and your unborn baby. The following symptoms will require the immediate attention of a healthcare provider:
- High fever
- Occasional vomiting
- Diarrhea that lasts beyond 48 hours
- Stools with pus or blood in it
- Serious pain in the stomach or anus
- Various signs of dehydration, including major thirst, dry mouth, lightheadedness, less urination, and dark urine
Frequently Asked Questions
If a pregnant woman has diarrhea with serious symptoms like stomach pain and fever, especially in the first trimester of the pregnancy, it can be harmful to both mother and fetus.
However, mild diarrhea may clear on its own with the help of certain home remedies.
The most important thing to drink during diarrhea is plenty of water. Doctors may also advise you to drink fruit juice, OTC rehydration solutions like Pedialyte, or low-sugar beverages.
Make sure you drink plenty of clear fluid, eat low-fiber food, add probiotics to your meals, and avoid all sorts of dairy products. All of these and more can loosen your bowel motion during pregnancy.
Just wondering if all of these remedies are safe during all trimesters? Been having a tough time with my stomach this go around.
Most remedies are generally safe but checking with a doc is always best. Probiotics helped me a ton!
Really appreciate this guide, Vitamins for Woman! Gonna try the bland foods tip tonight. Hope it helps her!
not sure if I buy all this. sounds like a lot of stuff you read everywhere. anyone actually tried this and it worked?
Excellent reminder about the importance of hydration. It’s so easy to overlook but so crucial during pregnancy.
Is it weird that i’m thinking maybe adding food coloring to water to make hydration more fun? Getting tired of plain water already.
Adding probiotics is a game changer! Helped my wife a lot.
do these remedies work fast? my cousin needs something that works quick.
I’ve read about using probiotics before. It’s fascinating how gut health impacts overall well-being, even in pregnancy.
how legit is this stuff? I’ve heard mixed things about probiotics.
Probiotics have made a huge difference for me. It’s all about finding the right strand that works for you.
Great advice on the foods to eat! Planning to incorporate these into my new recipe book for pregnant women.