Wind During Pregnancy and How To Relieve from it.

No matter how you look at it, gas during pregnancy is unpleasant. And, let's be honest, we're talking about bloating, farting, and burping.

And it always seems to happen at the worst possible time.

Gas can be awkward, inconvenient, and sometimes painful during pregnancy.

The hormonal changes that occur in early pregnancy cause you to produce more gas than usual when you're pregnant.

How early do you get gas during pregnancy?

Bloating and gas can have a variety of causes in everyday life. Morning sickness, gas, and bloating are all symptoms of growth hormone levels during pregnancy.

The hormone progesterone is to blame for the additional bloating and gas production. Progesterone ensures that the fertilised egg attaches to the uterine wall and is sustained by the thick lining during early pregnancy.

Progesterone, on the other hand, relaxes the smooth muscle tissue throughout your body. Unfortunately, not even your gastrointestinal tract is spared. When your gut muscle moves slowly, your digestion slows down as well. Food isn't entirely digested, resulting in a build-up of gas that must be released in burps or farts.

Progesterone also causes reflux and increases burping by relaxing the sphincter between the stomach and the oesophagus. Furthermore, increased oestrogen levels might lead to gas and water retention.

Both hormone levels begin to rise shortly after conception and continue to rise until your baby is born. This means that bloating and gas can start as early as the first trimester.

Your uterus is taking up more space in your abdominal cavity as it grows. This causes your stomach to stretch out, making you feel even more bloated after you eat.

Painful gas during pregnancy

Bloating is unpleasant enough during pregnancy, but when it's combined with painful gas, it's even worse.

Although progesterone is primarily responsible for bloating and gas during pregnancy, oestrogen can cause the body to retain gas and water. This retention can lead to abdominal distension, which exacerbates the discomfort and suffering.

The intestines have less place to work with as your uterus develops, so they move more slowly. This may result in more painful gas.

You may be asking what else might go wrong.

We haven't discussed constipation yet, which is another direct result of a slow-moving digestive system.

Don't be concerned. Although we understand that bloating, burping, and farting are all common side effects of pregnancy, we're here to help you manage these unpleasant symptoms.

How can I help relieve gas during pregnancy?

If you're experiencing pregnant gas and need assistance, don't hesitate to contact your doctor or midwife.

Here's a list of suggestions to assist you to cope with the amount of gas you're consuming and the pain you're feeling.

1. Eat regularly

Our bodies are quite good at communicating with us, especially when it comes to our basic physical requirements. When your body tells you it's hungry and needs to eat, pay attention.

Remember that eating fewer and larger meals means you're putting too much food into your digestive tract at once, which takes longer to digest. Throughout the day, try to consume many small meals.

2. Chew slowly

Our mouths are where digestion begins. Saliva is rich in enzymes that interact with the meal and prepare it for the next phase of digestion after swallowing.

We enhance the chances of more gas being produced in the next stages of digestion if we don't chew properly. Take small bites of food and chew them carefully before swallowing. Avoid talking or gulping food while eating.

3. Drink plenty of water between meals

Keep yourself hydrated, but drink as little as possible while you're eating.

Instead, drink plenty of water in between meals to ensure that all solid nutrients are adequately mixed with your digestive enzymes.

Instead of using a bottle or a straw, drink from a glass (without gulping).

Read more: How to Stay Cool During Pregnancy in the Summer

4. Avoid fizzy or carbonated drinks

Isn't it obvious that this issue doesn't require much explanation? It's not a good idea to drink gas if you're trying to prevent it. Bloating can also be exacerbated by carbonated beverages.

5. Positions to relieve gas while pregnant

The pressure on your intestines increases as your baby and uterus grow throughout pregnancy. Aside from avoiding particular foods, any position that releases pressure on your abdomen will aid digestion and prevent gas from accumulating.

Upright positions are optimal. If you're sitting, make sure your pelvis is higher than your knees so your stomach doesn't press against your intestines.

Make sure you're lying on your side if you're going to sleep. The big intestine has an inverted 'U' shape. It starts on our right side and moves upwards to the rectum on our left.

If you're pregnant and have gas, resting on your left side can help reduce the discomfort. In this position, you can also pass gas more readily.

6. Sit upright

The way you eat has a big impact on how well you eat. Gravity aids digestion greatly, as your body will quickly inform you.

You've probably observed that lying down makes eating and drinking more uncomfortable, if not impossible.

This is because we were created to eat and drink while standing up to ease digestion and avoid choking. This position prevents gas from accumulating in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.

7. Avoid wearing tight clothing

Your tummy doesn't need any extra pressure during pregnancy, especially if it can be prevented.

Pants or skirts with a loose or elastic waist are great. Most maternity clothing has lots of 'give' in the waist to accommodate your growing belly.

8. Avoid chewing gum

Gum and hard lollipops can cause you to swallow gas that you don't need. Chewing gum can help you feel better after a meal, but it can also cause gas to build up, making the problem worse.

9. Avoid artificially sweetened products

You may believe that avoiding sweets is the proper thing to do. However, many artificial sweeteners produce bloating and gas.

Sorbitol, for example, is difficult to digest, and fructose, a natural sugar added to processed meals, is also tough to digest.

Your finest options for sweetening your life are natural sweeteners like honey or agave nectar.

10. Exercise

Exercising is one of the most effective strategies to maintain a healthy lifestyle, and exercising while pregnant has numerous advantages.

Try going for a brisk walk around the block after eating a few times a day to help your digestive system work more efficiently.

11. Peppermint tea

One of the most well-known home treatments for bloating and gas is peppermint tea. The good news is that peppermint tea has been shown in trials to be safe for both the mother and the infant.

However, excessive drinking is not advised because it may promote menstruation.

12. Relax

Stress and strain can contribute to pregnant gas by tightening and tensing muscles, which slows everything down even more.

If you have a propensity to be worried or tense, try some relaxation techniques or take up yoga, which also teaches you labour breathing techniques.

13. Avoid constipation

Consult a naturopath for high-quality prebiotics and probiotics if you're experiencing pregnancy constipation on top of everything else. To avoid gas and bloating, they'll make sure your gut is as healthy as possible.

In addition to bloating and gas, a healthy gut flora will help avoid constipation, which you don't want throughout pregnancy.

Increase your fibre intake by eating plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit and drinking plenty of water to help prevent constipation. If you need extra aid throughout your pregnancy, you can take fibre supplements, but the first talk to your doctor.

You may need to take iron supplements if you develop anaemia while pregnant. These are infamous for producing constipation, so use caution when choosing an iron supplement.

Practitioner-only products or liquid formulations from naturopaths are typically better accepted.

If constipation is an issue for you, Constipation During Pregnancy

Foods to avoid if you have pregnancy gas and bloating

Some foods in our diet have been linked to the development of gas. See if you can figure out which one is causing you to produce excess gas bubbles so you can begin the removal process. You could want to keep a meal journal to track down the problem (s).

Fructose, a sugar contained in some of these foods, should be avoided at all costs:

• Apples
• Beans and other legumes
• Asparagus
• Brussels sprouts
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Cabbage
• Onions
• Milk or cheese
• Peaches
• Prunes
• Pears

Fatty meals, such as fried foods, might cause digestion to slow down, so try to avoid them as much as possible.

Lactose intolerance in pregnant women who consume dairy products can cause abdominal pain, bloating, cramps, and gas.

However, completely omitting dairy products can result in vitamin and mineral shortages. Your obstetrician-gynaecologist can send you to a nutritionist so that you can eat well during your pregnancy.

Does gas affect the baby during pregnancy?

Pregnant mothers are typically more concerned about their baby than they are about themselves. When they find out they're pregnant, they usually become caring mothers.

Although gas pain and bloating can be extremely inconvenient and sometimes painful during pregnancy, they will not harm your baby.

When to see the doctor

If you're not sure whether your pain and discomfort are caused by gas, consult your doctor. Other health issues that may be mistaken for gas include:

• Miscarriage
• Ectopic pregnancy
• Urinary tract infection (UTI)
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)