The formation of gases in the intestines is a normal physiological process. To date, it has already been proven that they stand out up to 50 times in a day. A pregnant woman even more often, there are a number of reasons. In expectant mothers, their development is even more active.
Gases during pregnancy are produced more intensively. Let's try to understand the problem of bloating during pregnancy. It causes serious discomfort, provokes abdominal pain and gas exhaustion. But this can be avoided.
Norm or pathology
Flatulence is called bloating. Normally, it should not bother a person. But the gases during pregnancy often cause discomfort. Strengthening their production leads to the development of unpleasant symptoms. This is a feeling of fullness in the stomach, rumbling. Sometimes a woman can not restrain the passage of gases, which leads to embarrassment.
Causes
First of all, this is nutrition. In the body of the expectant mother, changes occur that affect the digestion process. Therefore, gases during pregnancy are not at all uncommon. On the other hand, the vital activity of bacteria also matters. They produce gases that accumulate in the intestines. They exit the body in the form of belching, and also descend through the intestines.
Let's dwell on the reasons:
- A woman in position in large quantities produces progesterone. This hormone is necessary for the normal development of the child, but at the same time it weakens muscle tissue, which negatively affects the digestive process. This is the reason that gases appear during pregnancy. Often they appear suddenly at the 4-5th week.
- When the uterus begins to increase in size, it presses on the intestines, which causes an accumulation of gases. During pregnancy, this is most often observed at the end of the first or beginning of the second trimester.
- Often suffer from flatulence women who have a history of gastrointestinal tract diseases.
- Improper nutrition also often affects the condition of the intestine and leads to excessive gas formation.
The pregnant woman’s stomach is swollen due to the fact that the body cannot fully digest food, and it enters the large intestine in this state. Fats especially worsen the general state of health, they stop the digestive process.
Sometimes gases are formed due to the fact that the body does not digest a certain type of food. A woman suffers from a lack of milk enzyme - lactase. When a pregnant woman consumes a large amount of dairy products, her flatulence rises. In some situations, the disease occurs due to intestinal microflora, which can be impaired.
From the first days
Quite often, the expectant mother begins to complain to the doctor about the gases during pregnancy in the early stages. This is perceived as a pathology or disease. After all, the fetus is still very small and can not put pressure on the intestines, interfering with the digestive process. This is true, but no one has canceled the hormonal restructuring.
Under the influence of progesterone, food begins to be absorbed worse. Particles of food enter the intestines, where they cause the vigorous activity of microorganisms. The expectant mother can be calm, the gases during pregnancy in the early stages are an inconvenience to almost every woman. Only one thing is good here: this symptom goes away by itself. Usually by the time the fetus begins to move, bloating can already be forgotten.
The first trimester can be called the most difficult. This is toxicosis and a constant desire to sleep. This adds to the emotional stress associated with future motherhood, and the threat of miscarriage. By the beginning of the second trimester, you can already breathe freely. The condition normalizes, toxicosis recedes. Gases during pregnancy are also temporary. But there are ways to alleviate your already difficult condition.
If the problem persists
In most cases, doctors urge their patients to endure until the end of the first trimester. But in some cases, the problem does not end there, just as the gases in the intestines do not pass. During pregnancy, they can persist throughout the entire period of gestation. Therefore, let's talk a little more about what is the reason for the preservation of flatulence at a later date, after which we proceed to the recipes.
If with the beginning of the 13th week, bloating and heaviness still bother you, you must consider the following reasons with your doctor:
- Lack of enzymes. In this case, the food entering the intestines simply cannot be disassembled into nutrients. It rots and wanders in the large intestine, provoking the release of gases. In addition, a woman feels pain and discomfort in the abdomen, the condition of her hair, skin and nails suffers. After all, those substances that the body could not absorb, can be very important for them.
- Various diseases of the digestive tract can provoke gas formation. No wonder doctors say that you need to plan a pregnancy and prepare for it, treat all chronic diseases, and perhaps visit a sanatorium.
- An expanding uterus can constrict a loop of the large intestine. This leads to severe pain and swelling.
- Progesterone at the beginning of the third trimester is still excreted in large quantities. Therefore, if in your case the problem is not resolved, perhaps you just need to wait a little longer.
Third trimester
Gases during pregnancy in the early stages can still be tolerated. But when the baby is actively kicking and stirring, and at the same time the intestines swell, delivering not at all a bright feeling, then the woman has a hard time. Why is this happening?
Most often, in the course of growth and development of the fetus, chronic diseases are also aggravated. If there was a history of gastrointestinal diseases, then this should be discussed with the doctor to prevent deterioration. Most likely, a special diet or drugs that can correct gas formation will be prescribed.
In addition, pathologies that are related to the gallbladder and pancreas are manifested. Most often in such situations, the doctor is limited to prescribing drugs whose action is aimed at eliminating unpleasant sensations. No harm is done to the unborn child.
How to solve the problem
Gases in the abdomen during pregnancy are almost impossible to level without diet correction. Therefore, it is necessary to consult with a gastroenterologist and draw up a therapeutic diet. It should be as diverse and full as possible, but at the same time gentle. All products that irritate the mucous membranes are excluded. And vice versa, you need to use the maximum amount of natural dairy products that contribute to the growth of beneficial microflora. Exclude sweets, coffee, spicy foods. Then digestion will always be normal.
Products that contribute to flatulence
Everyone immediately remembers the cabbage. Yes, and she, too, but this is not the only source of the problem. It is very important to exclude all products that may cause the problem. These include apples and corn, legumes. Whole milk should be discarded. It is best to buy soybean for tea, it is devoid of lactose. Gastroenterologists advise switching to puree soups, which most carefully affect the mucous membranes of the stomach and intestines. All vegetables and fruits should be consumed in boiled, baked or steamed form.
Little tricks
Doctors rarely pay enough attention to expectant mothers and tell how to get rid of gases. During pregnancy, this can be a very urgent problem that needs to be addressed. Of course, you can endure pain and discomfort, but this will turn pregnancy into torture.
- To avoid stagnation of gases in the abdomen, you do not need to drink plenty of fluids during meals. After eating, it should be an hour before you sit down to drink tea.
- Try to swallow less while eating. To do this, eat slowly, in small portions, chewing each bite carefully.
- Natural herbs can be used to prevent gas formation in the intestines. These are fennel and dill, valerian and parsley.
If increased gas formation does not affect your well-being, then you can not do anything specifically with it. This condition requires correction only if it causes excruciating sensations.
Folk remedies
Today in the pharmacy you can find many carminative drugs that can become very good helpers. But they have a significant drawback - this is a high cost. Especially when you consider how long gases can bother during pregnancy. What to do? Use folk remedies. And number one is dill. Decoctions and tinctures from it are given to young children to combat colic.
- Dill water. To do this, take 0.5 liters of boiling water and add a tablespoon of dill seeds. They should stand for at least 3 hours. You need to drink three times a day, 150 ml.
- To prepare the broth, take a teaspoon of seeds in a glass of water. Boil the water and simmer for 15 minutes. Take a decoction in the morning and evening in a glass.
Herbal fees
Not only dill is able to alleviate your condition. Any of the following folk remedies can come to the rescue:
- Parsley root. A decoction is prepared from it. It is necessary to take a teaspoon of seeds in a glass of water, simmer for 15 minutes and drink one sip during the day.
- Dandelion. For the broth, take the crushed dandelion root (2 tablespoons) and a glass of hot water.
- Ginger. After each meal, you can suck a piece of fresh root. This stimulates digestion, eliminates the feeling of overeating and improves the intestinal microflora.
- Chamomile broth. A glass of hot water will need to take a tablespoon of dried chamomile flowers.
Prepare broths in a water bath. After boiling the liquid, it is necessary to reduce the fire and allow the product to slightly obscure. A vessel with a decoction before use is insisted, wrapped in a warm towel, and then filtered.
Instead of a conclusion
It is not so difficult to get rid of gas in the stomach during pregnancy. To do this, you just need to follow a diet and enough to be in the fresh air. If this does not help, then connect medicinal herbs. Do not forget that this also requires a consultation with a doctor.