Getting the loosies is never a good thing, but in 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

ONE: The pregnancy hormone, relaxing that prepares your body for labor 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 energized. It also stimulates thyroid gland to regulate metabolism. Try this daily if you have a rumbly stomach.

You can also do Balasna since that leads you towards  conscious exploration of your breathing to relieve the tension in your abdominal muscles. This is also known as the child's pose.

TWO: Some women find that their prenatal vitamin causes loose stools

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

THREE: Your growing uterus. It crowds your digestive tract, which 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.

FOUR: Diet: You got pregnant and got serious about having lots of fruits and vegetables. Now, if this was wasn’t your diet pre-pregnancy, 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 diarrhea. 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 diarrhea has passed. Stay away from fried, spicy, and high-fat foods, which can exacerbate diarrhea.

Try to manage with these home remedies:

• Mashed banana, a little bit of salt and tamarind, mix well and eat. 
• Rubbing with fresh ginger juice over the navel area. 
• Drinking fresh carrot juice 4-5 times a day. 
• Application of nutmeg paste (prepared with nutmeg powder and water) on the umbilicus. 

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.

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.

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. 

FIVE: Infections. Some organisms   that can cause infectious diarrhea: 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.

SIX: Diarrhoea can also develop from something that has nothing to do with pregnancy, such as health issues such as Crohn’s disease, celiac disease, or hyperthyroidism

If you have had these issues pre-pregnancy, make sure you tell your doctor about it. If the doctor has 

SEVEN: Travel. Some women are prone to traveler's diarrhoea,because of 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. 

Diarrhoea in Pregnancy: Careful: Watch out for signs of dehydration

• 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 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 - 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.