Ok, it’s TMI time! So this is very embarrassing for me to publicly talk about this, but I hope to help someone else who also struggles with hemorrhoids during pregnancy. This is my 5th pregnancy and first one where I have had chronic hemorrhoids that won’t go away.
Early in my pregnancy, I had pretty severe digestive issues that lasted for many months, and still flares up every now and then even now that I’m 24 weeks along. I started getting hemorrhoids that didn’t hurt and sometimes bled bright red which indicates internal hemroids as well as external ones (lovely). Now, it’s been 4 months and they are getting large and I didn’t know what to do about them, so I asked my midwife, Richelle Jolley, what I should do and she recommended Dr. Christophers ointment. She said to put it on every time I went to the bathroom. I tried that for a couple months, but it didn’t seem to do anything at all.
I then turned to the drugstore and got Tucks medicated pads. I use these exclusively to wipe with and it helps so much! It doesn’t make them go away (in my case), but eases the pain of irritation. I stopped using the Dr. Christopher’s and started using Preparation H ointment religiously 5 or 6 times per day. I feel some relief when I use it, but the hemroids have not gone away.
Next, I turned to a dear friend who sells a natural hemroid remedy. She hooked me up with some herbs and I am starting those today. I will let you know what happens! Here is some advice that she gave me.
NATURAL SOLUTIONS
One natural remedy for hemorrhoids that’s different than the majority of options out there is Hemroid Harry. It’s an herbal blend of pills that are taken orally. The website gives an explanation on what each ingredient does to attack the root of the problem. So instead of masking the symptoms or putting on a “band-aid”, so-to-speak, the formula is designed to get to the root causes of hemorrhoids. For instance, the main causes for hemorrhoids include poor circulation, inflammation, weak veins and the inability to cleanse waste. With butcher’s broom, ginger and cayenne to increase circulation and cleanse waste; witch hazel and white oak bark to take care of inflammation; and stone root to strengthen the veins – the blend appears to have all the answers. Another plus is that it only uses optimally organic or wild crafted herbs without any additives or fillers.
Do:
Cypress oil – apply topically
Pure aloe vera – apply topically
Sitz bath – (only temporary relief)
Pay attention to posture
Keep up with the kegels. (Increases circulation, strengthens veins)
Use a Squatty Potty stool.
Don’t:
Skip the workout (You need to increase circulation!)
Use a doughnut cushion (These actually increase the pressure on the anal veins; instead, use a regular pillow.)
Eat spicy or deep fried foods (These will only inflame the problem.)
