When a woman becomes pregnant, it is supposed to be the best time of her life. It is a time when she learns to bond with her child, plan for the future and gain her maternal instincts. It is at this time that she truly understands what it means to be a mother. However, there can be some surprises when one is expecting a child. These occur with most women due to the changes taking place in the body yet are not discussed in most maternity books. One of these changes is the occurrence of flatulence and gas during pregnancy.
Flatulence and gas can be embarrassing at any point of time, but during pregnancy it increases to a great degree. Women may experience this problem many times a day without knowing what is causing it or a proper treatment. Most of them do not even think it is related to the pregnancy and put it down to their diet. However, pregnant women have increased flatulence due to a simple reason. The main reason for this is that during pregnancy, women have a much higher level of the hormone progesterone in the body. This hormone works primarily to relax the muscles of the body, making sure that the pregnancy ensues smoothly.
A side effect of this hormone is that it makes the digestive system work slower. Because of this, the food takes a longer time to move through the body. Because of this, bacteria present in the stomach can get to the food for a longer time and so the process of fermentation lasts longer. This means an increase in the amount of gas produced in the digestive area over a period of time. Thus, it leads to recurrent gas, bloating sensations in the stomach and a large amount of flatulence, especially after having a large meal and in the nights. This problem continues into the later stages of the pregnancy, especially the last trimester when the growing uterus puts further pressure on the abdominal region. The urinary bladder gets squashed, as does the stomach.
A pregnant woman will need to urinate much more than normal which also leads to the increase in flatulence. It can also be accompanied by constipation in the last trimester since the stomach takes a very long time to digest the food and move it along. Different foods have a different reaction in people when it comes to flatulence and gas during pregnancy.
One easy way to prevent flatulence and gas during pregnancy is to observe which foods create lesser flatulence and eat them more during this period and stay away from those that create too much of a problem. One should also chew the food thoroughly before swallowing, try not to eat while lying down and avoid talking while eating altogether as this will simply create more gas in the stomach area. Yoga and simple exercise are also good solutions for digesting the food faster in the body and creating space for the stomach. One should always consult their doctor before trying any of these treatments, however.
