Remedies for diarrhea in pregnancy: The DCAT Approach

During pregnancy, digestive issues including constipation and diarrhea are frequent. It is due to altered hormone levels, dietary changes, and increased stress. Although most digestive problems, like diarrhea, are normally not significant, they might complicate pregnancy if you have severe or persistent symptoms. Therefore, if your digestive problems do not improve after a few days or worsen, it is important to seek medical attention.

What Is Diarrhea?

Loose, watery bowel motions that may be more frequent are referred to as diarrhea. Having diarrhea when pregnant is common.

Diarrhea During Pregnancy

Having diarrhea when pregnant is common. However, having diarrhea alone does not always indicate that your pregnancy is the cause. Diarrhea during pregnancy can have a variety of reasons, including:

Dietary Adjustments: When women learn they are pregnant, many women alter their diets. Dietary changes may induce diarrhea and upset your stomach.

Prenatal Supplements: Prenatal vitamins are beneficial for both you and your developing child’s health. However, these vitamins might make you sick and make you throw up.

Hormones Alterations: Alterations in hormones might affect your digestive tract.

Food Sensitivity: One of the numerous changes you could face when pregnant is food sensitivity. Before being pregnant, you could have had no problems with certain foods, but now you might experience diarrhea, upset stomach, or gas.

Hence all these causes can be the reason for diarrhea during pregnancy.

Best Home Remedies For Diarrhea During Pregnancy

There are numerous at-home management and treatment options for diarrhea during pregnancy. You can use this DCAT  approach at home to ease your diarrheal condition in pregnancy:

• Drink plenty of water

Having frequent, watery bowel motions causes your body to lose a lot of fluid. Particularly if you’re pregnant, dehydration may happen rapidly and lead to significant consequences. The greatest thing to do to replenish the fluids lost to diarrhea is to drink water. To replenish some of the electrolytes, vitamins, and minerals your body has lost, you might wish to drink juice and broth. However, make an effort to refrain from consuming beverages with a lot of sugar. To reduce your intake of sugar, carefully read the nutrition labels.

• Consume bland foods

Consume bland meals. Try to limit your diet to a bland diet. A bland diet emphasizes soft, low-dietary fiber, cooked rather than raw, and unseasoned foods. The BRAT diet is frequently advised for gastrointestinal problems, including diarrhea. The BRAT diet includes the following:

• Banana
• Rice
• Apple sauce
• Toast

• Avoid certain foods

Avoid eating anything greasy, fatty, or spicy. Limit your consumption of milk and dairy products as well. Hence you should avoid certain foods to prevent diarrhea.

• Try to Include probiotics in your diet

Probiotics are a sort of beneficial bacteria that function in your digestive system to maintain a wholesome environment in the gut. When taking antibiotics and experiencing diarrhea, probiotics may be very beneficial. Hence probiotics can be the best option to overcome diarrhea during pregnancy.

Read more: Home Remedies for Heartburn During Pregnancy: The CHELSEA Approach

Foods To Be Avoided That Can Worsen Constipation

Some foods can worsen the diarrheal condition in pregnancy. When possible, try to avoid these. Following are the foods that should be avoided so that diarrhea doesn’t gets worsen

• Foods that contain caffeine
• Raw vegetables
• Milk and dairy products
• Spicy foods
• Processed Meat
• Fast Food

Medication For Diarrhea During Pregnancy

It’s crucial to see your doctor before starting any new medicine while pregnant.  Pregnant women are typically advised to take a kaolin-and-pectin-type medicine to treat their diarrhea (Kaopectate). Avoid using anti-diarrheal medications that contain atropine/diphenoxylate or bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol).

DON’T DO ANY MEDICATION WITHOUT THE ADVICE OF YOUR PHYSICIAN.

Read more: Home Remedies for Nausea During Pregnancy: The CRACKER Approach

Conclusion

Diarrhea is a common ailment that may strike anybody, even expectant mothers. During pregnancy, diarrhea can be brought on by hormonal changes, gastrointestinal infections, or underlying bowel diseases. Speak with a doctor if diarrhea persists for longer than 48 hours. For symptoms like fever, dehydration, bloody stools, or frequent vomiting, seek emergency medical attention. Additionally, it’s crucial to see a doctor before using any anti-diarrhea drugs. Dehydration may be avoided by consuming enough water and clear broths or soups.

Fatima Sarmad

I lead a team of professional nutritionists and dietitians. We provide our consulting services in different areas of nutrition.