Experiencing a bloated, gassy, or full-of-it feeling during pregnancy? You are not alone!!
Pregnancy is such a wonderful experience – being able to give life to your small little human is simply incredible. Gas can be a bothersome part of the journey, which is quite normal.
You must wonder:
How do I get rid of bloating during pregnancy? When will pregnancy bloating stop?
Here are some home remedies for bloating in pregnancy that can help you relieve gas the natural way!
Table of Contents
What Causes Pregnancy Bloating?
When a pregnancy test comes back positive, you get an all time feeling of stomach fullness more than usual. You can credit the pregnancy hormone progesterone for this!!!
While progesterone is necessary for a healthy pregnancy, it also causes the Oh-so DELIGHTFUL TRIO: Bloating, Burping, and Passing Gas.
Why? Progesterone relaxes smooth muscle tissue throughout the body, including the gastrointestinal tract. This delays digestion, allowing more time for nutrients from your food to enter your bloodstream and reach your baby – which is good news!
The bad news is – when you’re pregnant, your digestion slows down, which might make you feel bloated and produce abdominal cramps.
Furthermore, when your uterus grows larger, it exerts additional pressure on your rectum, which can disrupt muscular control and result in passing a lot of gas.
Read to know if it is normal to have lower abdominal pain in early pregnancy.
How to Get Rid of Bloating in Pregnancy? Some Natural Remedies
While you’ll probably suffer some bloating no matter what you do during your pregnancy, controlling constipation can help you avoid unpleasant gas buildup.
Fortunately, there are several options for dealing with gas by avoiding constipation. The more consistent you are with your lifestyle adjustments, the greater the benefits will be.
Let’s look at those home remedies for bloating in pregnancy to get relief.
1- Hydrate, Hydrate, and Hydrate
Keeping yourself hydrated is critical during your pregnancy journey. When you drink enough water on a daily basis, your digestive system works better. This is a great strategy to maintain your digestive health and prevent gas formation.
Water also aids in the prevention of constipation during pregnancy by facilitating the smooth passage of soft stool through your colon and out of your body.
Moreover, your baby’s health depends on his or her ability to stay hydrated. Drink 8 to 12 glasses of water every day and avoid fizzy beverages, which can cause stomach gas.
Another tip: It is preferable to sip slowly rather than guzzle. When people gulp, they are more likely to swallow air, which can contribute to gas.
2- Go for Smaller Meals
The more food you shove into your stomach in one sitting, the more gas you’ll produce. Therefore, you should adopt the new philosophy of eating fewer but more frequent meals. It becomes simpler for your stomach to break down smaller food due to poor digestion or indigestion during pregnancy, preventing you from feeling full.
Six modest meals a day, or three moderate meals plus two or three snacks, will maintain your nutrition levels to better nourish your baby. It will also keep your digestive system from becoming overburdened, preventing gas symptoms and heartburn.
Other tips to consider:
- Try to chew your food thoroughly and properly, and avoid taking large mouthfuls or eating in a hurry. Since this can cause gas to build.
- Always eat while sitting down.
- Avoid lying down immediately after eating to avoid gas formation.
3- Eat Fibre Rich Diet
One of the other home remedies for bloating in pregnancy and to avoid pregnancy constipation is to eat plenty of fiber rich foods like leafy greens, legumes, whole grains, and fruit.
NOTE: Suddenly increasing your fibre intake can result in gas. Introduce fibre to your diet gradually if you aren’t currently eating it frequently.
4- Watch Out Your Dietary Habits
YES, pregnancy is linked to the most delicious eating cravings, but you must also consider your health. Overindulgence in any activity is harmful.
Avoid eating the following foods because they cause gas:
- Fried foods
- Sugary desserts and sweets
- Carbonated beverages
- Frozen foods
- Starchy materials such as pasta, bread
Rather than depending on these foods, you should keep an eye on leafy green vegetables. Leafy Green vegetables are the best and most enriched sources of antioxidants and various nutrients.
5- Get Physical
Exercise and physical activity should be a part of your everyday routine. If you don’t have time to go to the gym, take a daily walk. Aim for at least 30 minutes of walking or exercise.
Exercise can help you stay physically and emotionally fit while also preventing constipation and speeding up digestion. However, before beginning any fitness programme while pregnant, check with your doctor. You can consult with the gynaecologists near you by making an appointment via Healthwire.pk.
6- Get Yourself Relaxed!!
Anxiety and stress can increase the quantity of air you ingest, causing upper abdominal gas, bloating, and burp. Therefore, try to eliminate as much stress as possible from your life.
Following are some suggestions:
- Assign duties to others or accept that they may not be completed on time and that’s OK.
- Look into a prenatal spa day or find some quiet time during the day to take some deep breaths and relax.
- Go for meditation, music, yoga, and movies.
DO WHATEVER MAKES YOU HAPPY! Believe it or not, your body’s stress chemicals are quite effective in causing a variety of diseases.
Know in detail about natural remedies for anxiety and depression.
7- Avoid Tight Clothing
Who’d have guessed that the clothes you wear while pregnant would help you reduce gas? But yes, tight clothing constricts your stomach, making it more difficult for food and gas to flow through.
If your closet makes you feel like a stuffed sausage, it’s time to let go!
Wearing loose-fitting maternity garments will help you to breathe properly without restricting your stomach. Also it will allow food and gas to pass through your digestive system more readily.
When to Visit A Doctor?
Gas and bloating can cause discomfort in a pregnant woman, but these symptoms seldom damage the baby.
However, if the following symptoms occur, immediately go to your doctor:
- More than 30 minutes of acute stomach pain
- Constipation that lasts more than a week
- More than two days of diarrhoea
- Stools that are black or bloody
- Persistent vomiting and nausea
Wrapping UP!
Bloating in pregnancy is common. While it might be annoying and sometimes painful, it is rarely cause for alarm. According to the experts from gyne hospitals in Lahore, drinking plenty of water, keeping a food diary, and exercising consistently are all beneficial home remedies for bloating in pregnancy by preventing constipation, which is a major source of gas.