Getting the loosies is never a good thing, but during pregnancy, it can be even more uncomfortable. It could even make you worried about whether it's affecting your baby. Here is a complete guide to help you.

Doctors consider diarrhoea to be three or more loose, watery bowel movements in a day. Fluctuating hormones during pregnancy can also cause loose or watery stools. 

7 Causes of Loose Motions During Pregnancy and Remedies

Relaxin, the pregnancy hormone. 

Relaxin prepares your body for labour and delivery by loosening your joints and ligaments. Since it works on the entire body, it can also loosen the joints around your rectum, causing bouts of diarrhoea.

Try to manage with these tips:

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana or 'bridge pose' is a safe yoga pose to help to improve your blood flow, making you feel more energised. It also stimulates the thyroid gland to regulate metabolism. Try this daily if you have a rumbly stomach.

You can also do Balasana (also known as the child's pose)using some pillows under your belly, so there is no compression, since that leads you towards the conscious exploration of your breathing to relieve the tension in your abdominal muscles. 

Another helpful pregnancy variation is the Hare pose, Come on your fours as you do in Balasana and stay on your elbows. Drop your head down keeping it relaxed in between your arms.  

Kegel exercises can help you to tone and tighten the functioning muscles around your rectum.

Prenatal vitamin cause loose stools for some

There are many different brands of prenatal vitamins. Some are more likely to cause constipation, and some can lead to loose stools. If you think you’re having diarrhoea because of your vitamin, talk to your doctor and ask for a recommendation for another brand.

Your growing uterus that pushes your digestive tract. This can cause changes in bowel movements, one of which is diarrhoea. 

Yoga helps in giving your abdomen space. Make sure you do yoga under the guidance of a pregnancy yoga expert.

Gentle abdominal breathing and other pranayamas will help in expanding the abdominal cavity. Asanas such as Marjari asana, Sitting cat and cow, simple camel pose, and Tadasana are a few very simple yet powerful stretches. These are very safe to perform in all the trimesters.

Diet

You got pregnant and got serious about having lots of fruits and vegetables. Now, if this wasn't your pre-pregnancy diet, your tummy might rumble.

Give your body time to adjust to the new diet. Consuming lots of foods like berries or grapes can cause you to have diarrhoea. Have foods that are easy to digest and don’t irritate or stimulate the stomach and digestive tract. The BROT diet (Bananas, Rice, Oats, Toast) plus the nutrients in other easy-to-digest foods (potatoes, chicken and vegetable soup, lean meats, pasta, bread) can help until the diarrhoea has passed. Stay away from fried, spicy, and high-fat foods, which can exacerbate diarrhoea.

Home remedies: for loose motion during pregnancy

• Mashed banana little bit of salt and tamarind, mix well and eat. 
• Rub half a teaspoon of fresh ginger juice over your navel area. 
• Drink fresh carrot juice 4-5 times a day. 
• Apply nutmeg paste (prepared with nutmeg powder and water) on your navel

According to Ayurveda, too much Pitta can cause diarrhoea. Here are some remedies for that:

• Apples (sweet), ripe grapes, milk, ghee, melon, plum, asparagus, leafy greens, cabbage, cucumber, cauliflower, and capsicums will pacify Pitta.
• Lots of liquids, beginning with water. Set yourself targets for water consumption!
• A glass of Jeera water after meals is a fantastic way to help digestion.
• Coconut water and fresh fruit juices are good, too. but don’t have more than half a glass of either per day unless your doctor prescribed so. Click here to read our blog on coconut water in pregnancy,

What to exclude in the diet to pacify pitta dosha.

• White sugar
• Sesame oil
• Beef
• Chicken
• Salmon
• Walnuts and cashews
• Salted butter
• Urad dal
• Brown rice
• Fruits and veggies such as corn, bananas, grapefruit, pineapple, tamarind, beets, eggplant, garlic, tomatoes, and turnips.

Yoga Asanas or postures that can help in reducing an aggravated Pitta

‍Child pose or Balasana: Sit on your knees, bring your hand to the sides and bend your head to touch the floor with your forehead. Please use some pillows under your belly, so there is no compression.

Hare Pose - It is a variation of a child's pose especially for 3rd trimester. Come on your fours similar to balasana and stay on your elbows. Drop your head down keeping it relaxed in between your arms. This will create a good space for your belly.

‍Marjaryasana: Take the hand and knee position. Place the hands on the floor and inhale while arching your spine to create a cat pose. Follow this by relaxing the spine and lifting the head.

‍Sheetali Pranayama: This involves inhaling from the mouth and exhaling from the nose. 

‍Nadi Shodhan Pranayama - Also known as alternate nostril breathing. Breathe in from the left nostril while closing the right and breath out from the right. Again breath in from the right and vice versa. Continue for 7-8 rounds very slowly and gently.

Infections

Some organisms that can cause infectious diarrhoea: bacteria, such as Escherichia coli or any in the Campylobacter, Salmonella, or Shigella genera viruses, including norovirus and rotavirus parasites, such as Giardia lamblia and Cryptosporidium enteritis.

The doctor. will recommend stool tests and start you on medicines immediately. Do not delay seeing the doctor.

Diet

• Dehydration will be very evident, add ORS to your routine, at least one sachet a day to prevent the same

• During this time, include only bland food in the diet so that the gut lining is not irritated.

• Don't have anything raw as it will slow down digestion and irritate the stomach more.
• Avoid dairy when you have loose stools as they have proven to elongate the process of healing.

Prevention

• Add probiotics and prebiotics to the diet regularly to strengthen your digestion and gut health. For instance,  homemade curd, fermented foods like idli, dosa and vegetables and fruits along with the skin.
• Avoid eating outside foods. Mainly raw foods, raw vegetable pieces, non-vegetarian food. 

Travel

Some women are prone to traveller's diarrhoea, because of the change of the kind of food and water.

In addition to taking your regular precautions, please have lots of fluids. Weak tea, clear soup, and coconut water are the best. Avoid canned juices at all costs since they have too much sugar. 

Signs of dehydration during pregnancy

• Dry mouth 
• Feeling lightheaded, dizzy, or as if you may faint
• Headache
• Nausea or vomiting
• Urinating less often
• Urine that has a strong smell
• Urine that is very dark yellow or orange

Diarrhoea in the 3rd trimester: A Sign of Preterm Labor?

Diarrhoea during the third trimester is not as uncommon and is more likely to happen as you approach your due date. It could be a sign that labour is near, and it can occur right before labour or a couple of weeks before labour.

In the third trimester, the chemical prostaglandin, which causes your uterus to contract, can also cause diarrhoea.

Other signs of preterm labour may include:

• changes in vaginal discharge (watery, mucus, or bloody)
• an increase in vaginal discharge
• pelvic pressure
• dull back pain
• regular or frequent contractions
• your water breaking.

Go straight to the hospital if you have stools that contain blood or pus, and/or, the diarrhoea has gone on for 48 hours, or you had six or more loose stools in a 24-hour period.

Mum, don’t let small roadblocks in pregnancy make you anxious remember the baby needs a happy mum!

We are here by your side: The iMumz Womb Care Program offers daily yoga, lifestyle tips, and expert-led classes for making your womb a better place for your baby. It comes with a panel of coaches to be by your side and make your journey amazing.