Bloating during pregnancy: causes and treatments

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Bloating during early pregnancy and later on is a common problem for many women. In order not to suffer from guessing what exactly caused such unpleasant symptoms, it is worth understanding in more detail the features of these manifestations. Although you should not worry, doctors recommend not to show negligence to your he alth, especially in such an important life period. It is also worth considering how best to act if, during pregnancy, bloating began to greatly disturb the expectant mother. In addition, it will be useful to learn folk methods of treating this disease.

Symptomatics

If a woman suffers from bloating and gas formation during pregnancy, then, as a rule, this manifests itself in the form of tingling and "bursting" of the abdominal cavity. Also, many of the fair sex complain of colic, increased shortness of breath, severe dizziness and nausea. Among other things, some mistakenly take these symptoms for contractions. Pain sensations are really very similar. It can also increase heart rate and blood pressure, whichalso often mistaken for premature birth.

However, this does not mean that if there was bloating during early pregnancy, then nothing should be done. It's best to see a doctor. These symptoms may indicate that the woman is really in labor and needs immediate medical attention.

Causes of bloating and gas during pregnancy

According to medical practice, there are a huge number of factors that can lead to such unpleasant symptoms. For example, chronic diseases of the digestive system and other pathologies are often attributed to the causes of bloating.

It is also worth highlighting the following factors that can lead to such trouble:

• Incorrect or unbalanced diet. Very often, uncontrolled eating of legumes, cabbage, asparagus and other products that have a laxative effect leads to such unpleasant consequences.
• Problems with the nervous system. If a woman complains of constipation and bloating during pregnancy, then this may be the first sign that she has been under stress for too long. You need to understand that when carrying a child, it is very important not to be nervous and take care of your nervous system. Therefore, the mother should exclude any negative influence, and receive as much positive energy as possible.
• Hormon surges. Bloating during pregnancy can occur against the background of hormonal disorders, since during this period of life a woman's body producestoo much progesterone. An excess of this hormone leads to the fact that the muscles of the internal organs weaken, which is why digestion begins to work much more slowly. In addition, a woman may be diagnosed with an ulcer or other unpleasant ailments.
• Increase in the size of the uterus. This issue should not be ruled out. As a rule, women begin to suffer from such unpleasant symptoms at later stages of bearing a baby. In this case, there is too much pressure on the intestines, especially if the expectant mother is still wearing rather tight clothes, T-shirts and tight jeans.
• Bad ecology. If the environment is heavily polluted and a woman has to breathe not the cleanest air, then this can lead to disturbances in the respiratory system at any other stage of bearing a baby. In this case, you should think about changing your place of residence, at least for a while.

• Work. Many career-minded pregnant women choose not to leave work until the first contractions. However, you need to understand that in this case, the expectant mother will suffer from overwork, stress and many other negative aspects. The situation is especially complicated when the work of a woman is associated with industry.
• Lack of enzymes. In this case, we are talking about chronic pathology. If the body of a young mother does not have the required amount of enzymes, then in this case digestion will be difficult. Because of this, part of the food can be excreted too quickly into the large intestine, whichleads to bloating after eating during pregnancy.

The reason for such problems may be the unwillingness to give up bad habits. If the expectant mother continues to smoke, even in the smallest doses, then this can provoke not only flatulence, but also many other side problems.

In any case, only a qualified specialist can accurately determine what causes bloating during pregnancy. If you do not consult a doctor in a timely manner, this can lead to complications. Let's take a look at some of them.

Possible Complications

It must be clearly understood that any he alth problems during pregnancy can result in negative consequences, for example, bloating during pregnancy in the second trimester or at a later date can provoke preterm labor. Due to a disorder in the correct functioning of the internal organs, a woman may begin to suffer from frequent insomnia, migraines, pain in the heart, weakness and lethargy. Any discomfort that the expectant mother experiences has a negative impact on the baby growing inside her.

The fact is that the gases begin to strongly burst the intestines, due to which strong pressure is exerted on the walls of the uterus, this leads to a decrease in tone. In turn, the woman changes her diet and the frequency of eating, and the fetus ceases to receive the necessary trace elements and vitamin complexes that it needs for the full development of all internal organs.

Therefore, pain during bloating during early pregnancycarrying a baby can be a clear sign that the expectant mother may suffer from a miscarriage. If such problems arose at a later date, then this can provoke premature contractions and childbirth.

You should be extremely attentive to your he alth. If bloating becomes a constant problem during pregnancy, you should definitely consult a doctor to rule out possible complications.

How to avoid

In order not to encounter this problem, you need to follow a few tips. First of all, it concerns food. Food must not only be chewed thoroughly, but also ensure that the portions are not too large, so as not to put additional stress on the stomach and digestive system.

If we talk about clothes, then you should forget about everything tight. In the wardrobe of a pregnant woman, there must be loose trousers and sweaters that will not put much pressure on the stomach. It is also worth giving preference to natural, breathable fabrics.

Bloating can be triggered by drinking large amounts of carbonated drinks, coffee and beer. Therefore, such a drink should definitely be abandoned, especially alcohol. You should also exclude cabbage, legumes, pears, nuts and other laxative foods from the diet.

It is also not recommended to buy chewing gum. They provoke the secretion of gastric juice, due to which the digestive system begins to work in the wrong mode.

Bloating during pregnancy: whatdo to get rid of

If in the early stages of bearing a baby, a woman begins to be disturbed not only by severe swelling, but also by pain, then in this case you should not wait and it is better to consult a doctor who will conduct a detailed examination.

As a rule, specialists prescribe special diets and mild medications. If we talk about self-help, then in this case it is recommended to try to start stroking the abdominal region clockwise at the moments of swelling. It is recommended to do the procedure for about 15 minutes daily.

In some situations, a visit to the pool helps with discomfort. However, you should avoid establishments where aggressive preparations containing a large amount of chlorine are used to purify water.

However, it is better to recognize the causes of bloating in a timely manner and treatment in this case may not be required, it will be enough to use gentle drugs that cannot harm either the mother's body or the growing fetus itself.

Treatment

Before prescribing therapeutic measures to combat an unpleasant illness, a specialist conducts a complete diagnosis in order to identify if the woman has any pathologies or other serious disorders in the functioning of internal organs. In addition, experts do not exclude the development of gastritis, stomach ulcers, pancreatitis, dysbacteriosis, hepatitis and other diseases in which bloating is also observed. Therefore, it is very important to describe the symptoms of the disease to the gynecologist in detail and mention even the smallest details.

After diagnosis and examination, if the problems were caused by minor changes in the functioning of internal systems, the doctor makes a special diet for the future mother, which is developed individually. Speaking about what is possible with bloating during pregnancy, most often experts recommend giving up sweet, starchy, smoked and spicy foods. To establish normal digestion, you need to eat more dried fruits and salads with the addition of vegetable oil. Ryazhenka and other fermented milk products will also be useful.

If bloating during pregnancy began to manifest itself due to an excess of progesterone levels, then light gymnastics can help in this situation. A set of exercises is selected individually, taking into account all the characteristics of the body of the expectant mother.

If the doctor diagnosed a chronic disease, then in this case he will try to choose the safest medical course of treatment. In no case should you self-medicate without first consulting with a specialist. These manipulations can harm the he alth of an unborn child.

Traditional medicine

If the doctor has nothing against the use of medicinal herbs, then you can prepare special infusions that will solve this unpleasant problem. If we talk about how to get rid of bloating during pregnancy, then cumin helps best with the symptoms. To prepare a medicinal decoction, pour two tablespoons of herbs with 2 cups of hot water, close the dishesand insist about two hours. After this, the decoction should be squeezed out and given to a pregnant woman 1/3 cup every 30 minutes.

Another useful product is wild carrots. One spoonful of crushed seeds of the culture should be poured with 1.5 cups of boiled water and the liquid should be heated in a water bath. After that, the resulting broth should be drunk in small sips for 1 hour.

Dill seeds also have useful properties. In order to get rid of discomfort, it is enough to pour two teaspoons of grass with 2 cups of boiled water. The finished mixture should stand for at least 30 minutes, after which it can be taken in the amount of ½ cup every hour.

If serious causes of bloating have not been diagnosed after a doctor's examination and treatment does not require medication, then the specialist may recommend simply changing your lifestyle.

Physical activity

Not only during the bearing of a baby, but at any other period of life, women, like men, are advised to move as much as possible. Therefore, you need to develop the habit of being in the fresh air every day for at least one hour. In addition, stuffy rooms, public transport and cars should be avoided. It is better to move on foot and it is advisable to choose for this place where many trees grow.

Also, in courses for pregnant women, you can learn special exercises that will not only help prepare for the upcoming birth, but also relieve flatulence and other discomfort.

It is very important for a pregnant woman to control her breathing. Thanks to special breathing exercises, you can increase the tone of the body and improve the digestive system in the best way. You can also sign up for yoga or even belly dancing. These exercises help to strengthen the abdominal muscles. In addition, yoga and dancing will help improve mood and reduce stress. However, you can proceed to such activities only if the attending physician has nothing against such leisure.

Prevention

If we are talking about events of this type, then in this case a whole range of measures is implied. It includes proper nutrition or diet, exercise, comfortable clothing, avoiding bad habits, and more.

Since anything can be the cause of flatulence, you should take good care of your he alth. Accordingly, in no case should you smoke or drink alcohol.

In closing

Don't treat bloat as a minor issue. If such symptoms are observed in the early stages of pregnancy, then this may be the first signal that a woman may have a miscarriage. Therefore, in case of any ailment, it is better to consult a doctor. He will conduct safe diagnostic procedures and determine the source of discomfort. However, there is no need to worry ahead of time either. Bloating is quite normal at this stage of life.