You’ve probably heard about morning sickness and heartburn during pregnancy, but did you know constipation is extremely common as well?

Pregnancy changes a woman’s hormones, which in turn relaxes the intestinal muscle. In addition, the added pressure of an expanding uterus can further change your intestines. When it relaxes, the flow of food through your body slows down.

The issues with pregnancy.

Unfortunately, constipation occurs in nearly half of pregnant women and can continue in the months following a baby’s arrival. In fact, many women who didn’t experience it while carrying their child might feel a sudden onset after giving birth. 

How

As your body continues to expand and hormones change, your intestinal muscle begins to relax—causing your entire digestive track to slow down.

If you experienced a long labor or had a bowel movement in the process, it may take a couple of days to refill your intestines. And if you had a c-section, it can take up to four days to produce a bowel movement.