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Bloating during pregnancy is one of the most common ailments that plague pregnant women. Bloating in pregnancy is usually the result of changes in the body, but the daily diet and physical activity are also of great importance. What are the causes of flatulence in pregnancy and how to deal with them? What To Do To Prevent Flatulence In Pregnancy?
Flatulence in pregnancy – the most common causes
Bloating in pregnancy is one of the conditions that pregnant women often complain about. The gas in the gut that causes the abdomen to bloat usually occurs for two reasons. First, gases are the result of ingesting air while eating meals. The accumulated air is stored in the intestines, and this is how flatulence is formed. The second reason is the digestion itself, where numerous chemical reactions take place, the by-product of which are volatile substances, in this case gases. Usually, excess gases are easily removed from the body, but the situation is different during pregnancy. Pregnancy is a period of increased production of progesterone, which significantly slows down the digestive process. Additionally, the growing uterus puts pressure on the intestines, preventing the accumulated gases from finding an easy way out. Pregnant women often complain of frequent belching after meals, indigestion, and heartburn as pregnancy progresses.
How to recognize flatulence in pregnancy?
Bloating in pregnancy is a disease that is easy to recognize, but for the sake of clarity and clarification of this ailment, the main symptoms that accompany it can be indicated:
- hard pregnancy belly;
- a stabbing pain in the abdomen that radiates to other parts of the abdomen;
- distended and painful abdomen;
- bad mood;
- nausea;
- prolonged feeling of fullness in the intestines;
- heartburn.
Flatulence in pregnancy – treatment
Bloating in pregnancy is a condition that does not require reaching for pharmaceutical preparations. The most common doctor’s recommendation for flatulence during pregnancy is to follow a proper diet. To reduce the accumulation of gas in the intestines to a minimum, avoid many bloating foods. The diet should exclude peas, beans, cauliflower and cabbage. Fresh bread and yeast dough should be avoided. Pregnant women should eat bran as it is not digested by the digestive system. The menu of pregnant women struggling with flatulence should be enriched with herbal teas, especially those with an admixture of ginger, marjoram, St. John’s wort, lemon balm, chamomile or thyme. We recommend ECO fennel (fruit) for the preparation of organic tea, which helps with digestive problems and is safe for pregnant women. A proper diet usually ends the bloating problem in pregnancy. However, if the flatulence persists, is long-lasting and very troublesome, and is accompanied by vomiting, severe diarrhea, pain or blood in the stools, consult a doctor immediately.
If there are no contraindications, try Pukka Peppermint & Licorice – a tea with mint and licorice that improves intestinal peristalsis, supports the work of the pancreas and liver.
How to prevent gas in pregnancy – prevention
The best way to deal with gas in pregnancy is through the usual preventive measures. Prevention is better than cure, therefore at the very beginning of pregnancy, you should plan a properly balanced diet based on products that do not increase the production of gases in the intestines. In addition to the aforementioned gas-generating products, it is worth eliminating products with a large amount of fructose from your diet, because it has gas-forming properties. There are also important recommendations that do not apply to diet during pregnancy at all. To avoid flatulence, you should avoid tight underwear, clothes or pressure belts. You should engage in regular, moderate physical activity. It is worth practicing breathing or relaxation techniques.
In order to reduce flatulence, you can use Oxymel with mint, lemon balm and St. John’s wort, which is a combination of chokeberry and elderberry vinegar, honey and herbs.