Do you feel like you’re in a hot air balloon? Bloating during pregnancy is a common symptom. But when does bloating start in pregnancy? We, mothers, may experience some degree of discomfort and pain as a result. Sadly, it is just one of the pregnancy-related symptoms that some of us have to deal with, but there are some things you can do to help ease the discomfort and feel less full. Bloating and excessive wind can be the most uncomfortable early pregnancy symptoms. Bloating may even make you feel uneasy and limit your ability to dress up your trousers before you even start to show. The increased levels of progesterone and other hormones during early pregnancy typically cause these symptoms.
While progesterone is imperative for keeping a healthy pregnancy, it can also create digestive issues. The smooth muscle tissue in your body, including the tissue in your digestive tract, is relaxed by progesterone. This helps to slow down digestion and ensure that the nutrients you consume have ample time to reach your baby and enter your bloodstream.
Sadly, slower digestion often causes more wind and discomfort in the intestines, especially after a substantial meal. Spicy and hard-to-digest foods are additional contributors.
When Does Bloating Start in Pregnancy?
Bloating during pregnancy can occur at any time, with some expectant mothers experiencing it as early as four weeks into their pregnancy. Other pregnant women experience the bulging sensation a little later in their pregnancy at around 11 weeks. Bloating during pregnancy is likely to be a symptom throughout your pregnancy and into your delivery.
Causes Of Pregnancy Bloating
The increased levels of the hormone progesterone produced during pregnancy can cause you to feel gassy and bloated. Your body’s smooth muscle tissue relaxes as you produce more progesterone to help you and your baby through pregnancy. This can slow down digestion and give the nutrients in your food more time to enter your bloodstream and reach your baby.
Unfortunately, this sluggish digestion makes it easier for more gas to build up in your body, leading to more gas and bloating. As a result, you may experience constipation and burp more frequently than usual.
Eating foods that some pregnant women are allergic to or intolerant to can also cause them to experience a lot of wind. For example, you may experience severe bloating if you are lactose intolerant and consume milk or other dairy products. This is because your body doesn’t make enough of the enzyme lactase, which breaks down lactose in dairy products, on its own.
Many people have trouble digesting some foods. Their digestive system may produce a lot of gas after eating these foods. Some of these foods are:
- Brussels sprouts
- Artichokes
- cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Legumes
- Beans
- Onions
- Wheat
- Oat bran
Why do I have so much pregnancy bloating and gas?
Gas is common during pregnancy. Your body produces progesterone, a hormone that relaxes all of your muscles, including those in your digestive tract, during pregnancy. When you have a big meal, these relaxed muscles can slow down digestion, which can cause gas, bloating, burping, and flatulence.
Around a dozen burps or farts a day are typically used to pass gas. However, you might find that you do that much more frequently when you are pregnant. Even a few weeks before your pregnancy begins to show, you may have to unbutton your trousers throughout the day to relieve bloating.
Beyond the bloating of the first trimester, your expanding uterus begins to clog your abdominal cavity. This can also slow digestion and put pressure on your stomach, making you feel even more bloated when you eat. Even if you’ve never experienced these symptoms before, you may still experience heartburn or constipation during pregnancy.
When Does Bloating Start in Pregnancy And Which Foods Use to Avoid to Help Relieve Pregnancy Bloating and Gas
Cutting back on foods that are more likely to cause gas can be an effective way to reduce some of the bloating and gas that are inevitable during pregnancy. However, to maintain a healthy pregnancy diet, you cannot eliminate everything that could cause gas, such as all carbohydrates.
Start by eliminating foods that are most likely to make you feel bloated and gassy. If you feel better, start eating those foods again one at a time to see if you can figure out what’s causing the problem. You can find out if certain foods seem to make you feel gassier by keeping a food diary.
- Vegetables such as cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, asparagus, whole grains, and beans all contain a sugar called raffinose, which can cause gas in many individuals.
- Fructose is found naturally in leeks, onions, artichokes, dried fruit, ketchup, pears, apples, honey, wheat, and fruit juice. High fructose corn syrup is frequently added to processed foods, many sodas, and fruit drinks.
- Rice lacks certain starches present in wheat or corn, as many of us are deficient in the enzyme required to digest these complex starches. As a result, when they reach the colon, bacteria living there consume them, resulting in gas production.
- Some fiber-rich foods like oat bran, beans, peas, and many fruits can cause gas when naturally broken down in the large intestine. Wheat bran, on the other hand, passes through the digestive system without being broken down, so if you have constipation and want to increase fiber intake without worrying about having more flatulence, it’s a good option.
- Dairy products can cause gas, diarrhea, and stomach pain in lactose-intolerant individuals. If you’re only mildly lactose intolerant, you may not have noticed any symptoms – until you increased your intake of dairy products during pregnancy. If you suspect dairy products are the problem, try calcium-fortified soy milk or lactose-free milk.
- Fried and high-fat foods take longer to digest, which means they are more likely to remain in the colon and produce gas.
When Does Bloating Start in Pregnancy And How to get rid of bloating during Pregnancy?
Even though there is a good chance that you will experience some bloating no matter what you do during your pregnancy, controlling your constipation can help prevent the buildup of unpleasant gas. Some helpful hints are as follows:
Massage your Abdomen
Before your baby bump takes over your intestines, this advice may only be effective early in pregnancy. However, constipation can be relieved with abdominal massage:
- Start by gently rubbing your right hip bone in a circular motion.
- Move from your right rib across your ribcage to your left hip and belly button.
- Repeat the circuit for about ten minutes, taking two to three minutes to complete it each time.
Try to relax
During pregnancy, eating while anxious can also cause bloating and air swallowing. Try not to eat your sandwich while feeling stressed. Before and during your meal, take a few deep breaths to calm yourself, and remember that “lunch break” means taking a break.
Slow down
If you usually finish your lunch in five minutes, you probably swallow a lot of air as well. In the end, the air will settle into your stomach, causing painful gas bubbles and bloating.
During pregnancy, try your best to eat slowly no matter how busy you are. You will not only alleviate your abdominal discomfort, but you will also give yourself a much-needed break.
Opt for Smaller Meals
Gas production increases in proportion to the amount of food consumed in one sitting. Having six small meals throughout the day or three moderate meals with a few snacks in between will not only keep your energy levels stable to better nourish your baby but also prevent your digestive system from getting overloaded, keeping gas pains and indigestion under control during pregnancy.
Drink Plenty of Water
Constipation, a common cause of gas and bloating, can be prevented by drinking enough water to keep things moving through your digestive system.