Pregnancy is frequently accompanied by bloating and gas. The causes of these digestive problems, which can be anything from mildly uncomfortable to excruciatingly painful, include hormones and food.
Even though the increase in bloating and gas (including farting and belching) might come and go throughout pregnancy, it can be annoying.
The signs and reasons of uncomfortable gas and bloating throughout pregnancy and after childbirth are discussed here, along with advice on how to get relief and when to see a doctor.
What It is to have Painful Gas?
Everyone has gas and urinates. As the natural bacteria in your stomach and intestines break down the food you eat during digestion, your body produces gas. By ingesting it when you eat, drink, laugh, breathe, or talk, you also introduce air into your body.
Bloating, which occurs when your stomach swells and feels full after eating or as a result of a gas buildup, can occasionally be caused by gas. This bloated sensation can be slight or quite uncomfortable. It may also cause a brief enlargement of your abdomen.
Symptoms of Painful Gas
A few symptoms that can be brought on by an accumulation of extra gas are;
- Abdominal discomfort
- Pressure
- Bloating
- Cramping
- Indigestion
- Soreness
Your body uses flatulence (farting) and belching or burping to release this gas and alleviate your discomfort.
Causes of Painful Gas
You might find that you pass gas more frequently and painfully when you’re pregnant because of;
- Changes in hormone levels and the foods you eat can both contribute to an increase in gas and bloating during pregnancy. Progesterone is a hormone that is present in greater amounts in the body during pregnancy.
- One of the main causes of increased gas and bloating during pregnancy is more progesterone.
- Progesterone relaxes the smooth muscles of the gastrointestinal system as one of its effects on the body.
- Food may pass through your digestive tract more slowly when these muscles are relaxed.
- Your intestines fill up with more gas as digestion slows.
- While the gas aids in your body’s optimal utilization of the food you eat, it also causes greater bloating, burping, and passing wind.
- Despite the discomfort, the gradual passage of food through your intestines enables your body to absorb more nutrients for both you and your developing child.
Common Gas-Causing Foods
If your symptoms are making you feel uncomfortable, think about reducing these meals to lessen gas and bloating:
- Apples
- Beans
- Cauliflower
- Cheese
- Ice cream
- Lentils
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Onions
- Prunes
- Raisins
Additionally, eating a lot of gas-producing foods, eating too rapidly, or not chewing your food thoroughly can all cause gas to accumulate.
When you eat quickly, you are likely gulping in too much air, which increases the amount of gas in your stomach. Speaking while chewing also causes additional gas.
Result on Baby
According to Marham in the womb, a foetus does not experience the same pressure or agony from gas that you do. Your unborn child is floating in the amniotic sac’s insulating fluid, secure and at ease.
Your baby may even like the movement and noises that gas generates as it passes through your intestines to be comforting and pleasant.
Treatment and Prevention
The body’s natural process of producing gas. You can’t stop it entirely (nor should you). There are a few things you may do to lessen the issue and ease suffering, though.
Medications to Try
To treat gas, various over-the-counter (OTC) medications are available. While some products are acceptable to use while pregnant, there are several that you should stay away from. There are several OTC medications that can be used during pregnancy to relieve gas, including:
Antacids
Rolaids and Tums are two antacids that are safe to take while pregnant. These companies also provide items with simethicone for gas added. Be aware that some antacids can cause constipation, diarrhoea, or edema before you try them.
Anti-gas medication
Simethicone-containing gastric medications are often regarded as safe to take while pregnant. 7 Some well-known brands are Phazyme, Mylanta Gas Minis, Maalox Anti-Gas, and Gas-X.
Beano
An enzyme called Beano (alpha-galactosidase) is taken before food to aid with digestion and help stop gas before it starts. Although there is no evidence that Beano is dangerous during pregnancy, you should see your doctor before using it.
Lactase
Your body uses the enzyme lactase to digest dairy products. Ask your doctor if a product like Lactaid could help if you get gas and bloating after consuming milk or other dairy products if you are lactose intolerant.
Lifestyle Changes
To stop this uncomfortable gas condition, you must alter your lifestyle.
- Drink lots of water, preferably in a cup or glass.
- Sip it gently.
- Limit gas-producing foods.
- Try peppermint or ginger tea.
- Maintain a balanced diet.
When to Call the Doctor?
Abdominal pain during pregnancy can be terrible, but there are other factors that can contribute. There are numerous more conditions that resemble gas. Some of them are connected to pregnancy, including Braxton Hicks contractions, ectopic pregnancy, and even labor.
Pregnancy may or may not be linked to other disorders. Gallstones in pregnancy, appendicitis, and irritable bowel syndrome are a few of them. Call your top stomach doctor if you’re unsure whether or not your pain and discomfort are being caused by gas.
Getting checked out is preferable to ignoring a potentially serious (even life-threatening) medical problem and learning that the pain is only gas.
