Many women experience bloating during pregnancy, which can be very uncomfortable and bothersome. The main concern for expectant mothers is whether it will have any impact on the baby. So what causes bloating in pregnant women? Let's take a look.
What causes bloating in pregnant women?
1. Hormonal changes
During the early stages of pregnancy, hormonal changes can cause bloating.
The increase in pregnancy hormones in the body leads to weakened gastrointestinal movement and reduced stomach acid secretion, which hinders digestion.
Most pregnant women experience the worst bloating during the first three months of pregnancy, and it gradually subsides after this period.
So, this is a normal phenomenon and does not have any impact on the baby's health.
2. Enlarged uterus
In the middle and later stages of pregnancy, the enlarged uterus can put pressure on the intestines, making it difficult for them to move properly.
If the pregnant woman already has gastrointestinal issues such as constipation, bloating, or poor intestinal motility, bloating during pregnancy may continue until around the fourth or fifth month of pregnancy.
3. Improper diet
Some improper dietary choices can also contribute to bloating in pregnant women, such as frequent consumption of gas-producing foods like beans, starches, bread, cauliflower, and carbonated drinks.
What can pregnant women do to relieve bloating?
1. Increase fluid intake
Drink warm water before breakfast and consume at least 2,000 cc of fluids per day. You can also add a small amount of honey to the water to prevent constipation, but in moderation.
2. Abdominal massage
When intestinal motility is poor, massaging the abdomen can help stimulate movement.
Please note that the uterus is usually located in the center of the abdomen, and some mothers may mistakenly massage the uterus, which can cause uterine contractions.
Therefore, if there is bleeding or uterine contractions, stop the massage immediately.
Lie down gently at a 45-degree angle after meals and massage the abdomen in a clockwise direction from the upper right abdomen to the upper left abdomen, then massage the lower left abdomen. Avoid massaging the area where the uterus is located.
3. Eat smaller, more frequent meals
The first step to avoiding bloating is to adjust your diet.
Therefore, it is recommended to eat 6-8 small meals throughout the day instead of consuming a large amount of food in one sitting.
Avoid only consuming liquid foods, as they are not easily digested by the gastrointestinal tract. It is best to choose semi-solid foods like cheese.
4. Engage in moderate exercise
Physical activity involving the muscles in the whole body or the waist can promote intestinal motility.
Engaging in moderate exercise such as walking during pregnancy can also help stimulate intestinal motility and relieve bloating.
Therefore, it is recommended for pregnant women to take a 20-minute walk outside 30 minutes to an hour after meals to help with bowel movements and gas expulsion.
Common Traditional Chinese Medicine approaches
1. Accumulation of cold and dampness
Symptoms include abdominal bloating, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or abdominal pain, thirst with reluctance to drink, and fatigue. Warm and dispel cold-dampness with Gastrodia and Atractylodes Decoction or Atractylodes Warm the Middle Decoction.
2. Deficiency of the spleen and stomach with cold
Symptoms include non-foul-smelling flatulence, abdominal distension, preference for warmth and pressure, feeling better after consuming hot foods and drinks, decreased appetite, and fatigue. Warm and tonify the spleen and stomach with Li Zhong Tang plus modifications.
3. Accumulation of damp-heat
Symptoms include abdominal bloating, restlessness in the chest, thirst with reluctance to drink, frequent sweating, loose and foul-smelling stools, foul-smelling flatulence, burning sensation in the anus, and short and red urine. Clear damp-heat with Wang's Lianpoyin plus modifications.
4. Stagnation of food retention
Symptoms include abdominal distension and pain, belching with a rotten or sour taste, aversion to food upon seeing it, diarrhea with undigested food, and foul-smelling flatulence. Resolve food stagnation with Bao He Wan plus modifications.
