Gas pain and bloating are common pregnancy symptoms. Hormonal changes that affect the digestive tract also cause the body to produce more gas, which can result in bloating.
It may not always be possible to prevent gas during pregnancy, but it can be managed.
Gas pain and bloating during pregnancy can often be relieved with home remedies:
- Lay on your side
- Lie down on your back with one leg raised
- Breathe deeply and slowly
- Wear clothing that is loose around the belly
- Don’t chew gum
- Practice stress relief techniques
- Meditation
- Yoga
- Journaling
To prevent excess gas during pregnancy:
- Eat and drink slowly
- Chew food thoroughly
- Eat smaller, more frequent meals
- Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated
- Keep a food journal to see which foods seem to cause gas
- Limit or avoid carbonated beverages
- Avoid fried foods
- Don’t use artificial sweeteners
- Don’t use a straw when drinking
- Eat smaller meals more frequently throughout the day
- Avoid tight clothing around the waist
- Increase low-impact exercises such as swimming or walking
- Take anti-gas medication approved by your doctor
What Are Symptoms of Gas During pregnancy?
Symptoms of gas during pregnancy include:
- Abdominal pain
- Bloating
- Cramping
- Indigestion
- Feeling of pressure
Tell your doctor if you have gas pain during pregnancy and:
- Pain increases and doesn’t stop
- It is accompanied by severe nausea and vomiting
- Persistent constipation
- Blood in the stool
- You feel you are having contractions
What Causes Gas During Pregnancy?
Pregnant people often have more gas and bloating than usual for several reasons:
- Progesterone
- In the first trimester, progesterone levels are increased, which causes the body’s muscles, including intestinal muscles, to relax
- Relaxed intestinal muscles slow down digestion, which can produce excess gas and gas pain
- With slowed digestion, food stays in the gastrointestinal tract for longer which results in the creation of more gas
- The relaxed muscles also result in a reduced ability to control the release of gas
- Pressure on the colon from the growing baby
- Food
- Some foods are more likely to cause flatulence
- Beans
- Lentils
- Broccoli
- Asparagus
- Cabbage
- Artichokes
- Fibrous vegetables
- The gut bacteria work to break these fibrous foods down, creating more gas
- Some foods are more likely to cause flatulence
- Supplements
- Prenatal supplements
- Iron supplements
- Lack of physical activity
- Body movement aids in digestion, and many people are unable to move as much as they used to before becoming pregnant
- This can result in the buildup of gas, causing gas pain and bloating
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Reviewed on 4/8/2022
References
Image Source: iStock Images
https://flo.health/pregnancy/pregnancy-health/pains-and-discomforts/gas-during-pregnancy