Many pregnant women experience hemorrhoids during pregnancy and they can literally be a pain in the butt. They are often something that most cannot avoid because women often are constipated during this time.

Some women will get hemorrhoids for the first time when they are pregnant. Sometimes they come in the beginning or they might happen in the second stage of labor when the woman is pushing to get the baby out. They sometimes will go away once pregnancy is completed.

As the pregnancy continues and the uterus grows to accommodate the baby’s growth it can push on the pelvic veins and other veins in the surrounding area. This can slow the blood that returns to the lower part of your body. This can make the veins more swollen or dilated.

Women also have more constipation during pregnancy because they may be straining to get feces out. The strain can make the hemorrhoids either get more aggravated or can get them started.

Progesterone also increases during pregnancy and can cause the vein walls to relax which allows them to swell. This can also slow down the intestinal tract.

How to Get Relief from Hemorrhoid

There are many ways to relieve the symptoms of hemorrhoids during pregnancy. Here are a few:

Sitz Bath – One way that many women find to help their hemorrhoids is to sit in a bathtub. This is not always possible when you are pregnant so another suggestion is a Sitz bath. This is a small plastic container that you can sit over the toilet and sit your bottom in to sooth the hemorrhoids.

Hot and cold treatments – Some women find relief when they use hot and cold treatments. You can start with an icepack on the hemorrhoids and then sit in a warm Sitz bath afterwards.

Medicated wipes instead of toilet paper – There are some brands of medicated wipes that are easier to use for wiping than toilet paper. Tucks has one brand that can help. Sometimes these are more soothing to hemorrhoids than regular toilet paper.

Creams or suppositories -. There are many topical remedies that you can put on hemorrhoids to stop the itching and inflammation. Preparation-H is one type but you can also find creams or suppositories to help.

How To Avoid Hemorrhoids During Pregnancy

There are many ways to avoid hemorrhoids during pregnancy so that you will not have to deal with them. The first thing to do is to eat whole foods that are high in fiber. Fruits and vegetables are best because they have the roughage you need and they are natural fiber.

Adding more water to your diet will be good for you and your baby. Drinking the 8-10 glasses of 8 ozs of water or at least 3, 24 oz bottles of bottled water will keep you hydrated and stop constipation.

Finally try to get a little exercise even if it is just a walk around the block. This will also help your circulation and help you stay away from constipation.