Wind and bloating in pregnancy

Summary: Upset stomach problems are not a cause of worry during pregnancy. With little changes in your diet you can easily deal with this problem.

Pregnancy brings with it some complications that need super attention. Wind and bloating problems are some common not only during pregnancy but also commonly. Normally a person passes out wind 15 times a day which is surprising. During pregnancy the increase in the bloating and wind is simply because of hormonal change.

During pregnancy your body produces more of progesterone which helps in relaxing smooth muscle tissues throughout your body. This is true for muscles of your digestive system as well. This results in more bloating, discomfort and wind passing than usual. It is common to suffer from problems like heartburn and constipation during pregnancy even when you had none of these before. Here we are going to provide you a fact file on wind and bloating condition during pregnancy and how to deal with it.

The Diet Watch

It is true that some food cause more bloating than others. Therefore it is necessary that you keep a close check on your diet during pregnancy. Food items that are not digested properly and reach your large intestine and broken down there result in more winds. Some of the food items that are known for causing excessive wind passing include artichokes, asparagus, beans, broccoli, cabbage, leeks, brussels sprouts, beetroot and onions. Well there are some fruits as well which contain unabsorbable carbohydrates resulting into more bloats like apple, apricots, mango, cherries, watermelon and peaches. If you have excessive bloating try to avoid these food items.

Apart from these artificial food sweeteners like sorbitol also cause indigestion. As of fatty foods, they don’t cause bloating and winds as such but slow down the digestion process which indirectly causes the problem. High fiber diet can also be a problem for some people.

It is important that you keep a watch on your diet or else the problem may remain unsolved even after taking medication.

The Solution

Avoid eating food that you know causes wind or bloating soon after consumption. The foods listed above are necessary for healthy diet but as they cause problem you should try to substitute them with some healthy alternatives. It is important that you maintain healthy and balanced diet during pregnancy for healthy baby.

Some alternatives to consider that contain easy to digest carbohydrates are:

• bananas
• blueberries
• strawberries
• tomatoes
• grapes
• grapefruit
• raspberries
• chives
• green beans
• carrots
• celery
• sweetcorn
• parsnips

Even some people can have troubles with these foods as well. They can try some alternatives on their own.

Apart from this, you should try to:

• Eat several small meals throughout the day instead of few large meals
• Avoid frizzy and carbonated drinks
• Eat small chunks and chew properly
• Maintain the correct posture while eating
• Do exercises that help digestion and makes stomach muscles strong
• Avoid smoking

If in any case your bloating condition is hurting you or causing severe abdominal pain then you should consult your doctor. Make sure you do not take any medicine without consulting your doctor to relieve the pain during pregnancy.

Resource Box: Tampa Abortion Clinic. Dr. James S. Pendergraft opened the Orlando Women's Center in March 1996 to provide a full range of health care for women, including abortions, physical examinations, family planning and counseling. Abortion Clinic.

Dr. James S. Pendergraft opened the Orlando Women's Center in March 1996 to provide a full range of health care for women. http://www.womenscenter.com/