Already 7 Months In, But Why Does Everything Feel So... Stuck?

It's not in your head. Your body is literally working against you right now and here's why.

You're doing everything right. Drinking water. Eating your fruits. Taking your supplements like clockwork.

And yet, nothing is moving.

Not just uncomfortable. We're talking three days of bloating, that heavy "full but can't go" feeling, and straining that leaves you more exhausted than before you tried.

If this is your third trimester, this is almost a rite of passage. Constipation affects up to 40% of pregnant women, and the third trimester is almost always the worst stretch. Not because of anything you're doing wrong, but because of everything happening inside your body right now, all at once.

Your Body Is Basically Working Against Your Gut Right Now

There's not one reason you're constipated. There are three. And they're all hitting at the same time.

🌀 Your hormones are putting your gut to sleep 

Progesterone relaxes smooth muscle throughout your body including your intestinal walls. Great for keeping babies safe. Not so great for keeping things moving. Digestion slows, stools harden, and your gut just... stops cooperating.

👶 Your baby is literally sitting on your bowel

By the third trimester, there's a whole human pressing on your intestines. There's simply less space for things to move the way they should. That "full but can't go" feeling? That's not in your head. That's physics.

💊 Your iron supplement is quietly making it worse 

Iron is non-negotiable during pregnancy, but it's also one of the most well-known causes of harder, drier stools. Nobody warns you about this nearly enough.

Three things, happening simultaneously, with nowhere to go. Literally.

“Just eat more banana, good for your constipation”

When you mention constipation, someone will tell you to eat more fruit. Usually bananas. High in potassium, good for pregnancy, easy to grab.

And it's not wrong. It's just... incomplete.

Because here's what nobody tells you: that firm, yellow banana you just peeled? It might actually be making things worse.

Unripe bananas are packed with resistant starch and tannins, compounds that slow gut movement down instead of speeding it up. The banana you want is the one that looks a little past its prime. Spotty, soft, almost too sweet. That's when the starch has broken down enough to actually be gentle on your gut.

So if you've been reaching for the prettiest banana in the bowl, you've been picking the wrong one all along.

But here's the bigger plot twist; even the perfectly ripe banana isn't your best option for pregnancy constipation.

The fruit with the strongest clinical backing? It's not even in the same family.

It's prune.

Why Prune Is The One You Actually Want

Prune works differently from most fruits. It contains a natural compound called sorbitol, which draws water into the bowel, softens stool, and encourages movement; gently, without cramping or urgency. This is why it's often the first-line fruit recommendation for pregnancy constipation, especially when everything else seems to be failing you.

But prune does something else that most people don't know about.

It's naturally rich in boron; a trace mineral that helps your body use calcium and Vitamin D more efficiently. In the third trimester, when your baby's bones are developing at full speed, that's quietly doing a lot of good work beyond just keeping you regular.

The easiest way to make it a daily habit? A concentrated prune extract sachet stirred into your morning oats, yogurt, or warm drink. Seconds to prepare. Gentle enough for daily use throughout late pregnancy. And you won't have to think twice about it.

Curious about Prunus Domestica? Find it at your nearest Alpro Pharmacy or read more here.