How to Minimize Bloating during Pregnancy?
By: Sandra ThomasTotal Views: 863, Word Count: 538,
Bloating is quite a common condition that is seen in pregnancy. Many women suffer with bloating during their pregnancy especially in the first and third trimester. Although, you cannot eliminate this problem completely, but you can try some methods that will help reduce bloating and excessive gas during pregnancy.
Here are some tips that will help reduce bloating during pregnancy:
- Start your day with a glass of hot water and lemon or a cup of peppermint tea. Having this before your breakfast will help boost your digestive system. It helps your intestine to move the day before food before you consume anything else. Drink as much as fluids you can throughout the day, it helps reduce bloating.
- Eat a good and healthy breakfast. Try to include some wheat bran in your breakfast as this will stimulate the intestines and will help to get things moving without causing gas. Wheat bran does not break down in the stomach so it doesn’t cause wind or gas.
- Eat small and frequent meals throughout the day, rather than eating three huge meals. This will help your stomach to digest the food in a better way as a result the food will pass through faster causing less or no gas.
- Avoid drinking any fizzy drinks or aerated drinks during your pregnancy. These drinks contain a lot of sugar and a lot of air and you will feel gassy after drinking it.
- Make sure you sit up while you eat. Do not eat whilst lying down. Sitting up and eating will help the food pass though your stomach easily and will reduce heartburn and indigestion. It will also reduce bloating.
- Make sure you remain active during your pregnancy. Do some gentle exercise daily, such as yoga, swimming or walking. Exercising will help digestion and avoid bloating.
- Avoid chewing gum as this will only make you swallow more air and as a result cause bloating. Chewing gum contains sorbitol which is a sweetener that is difficult to breakdown and thus can cause excessive bloating.
- Maintain a food diary of the foods that cause you bloating and gas. Try to reduce the intake of such foods. Do not eliminate any food items completely from your diet, because you need to have a well balanced meal during your pregnancy.
- Keep doing your pelvic floor exercises as this will give you better control over where and when you pass out flatulence.
- Wear comfortable clothing during pregnancy. It is better to wear loose clothing, because tight clothes will only make bloating even more bad.
- Make sure you eat a well balanced meal that contains lots of vegetables, fruits, some protein in the form of meat or other protein rich food. Whole grains will keep your digestive system in good health and will thereby reduce bloating and wind.
Bloating can cause a lot of discomfort during pregnancy, but by following the above mentioned tricks you can reduce bloating and the distress caused by it.
About the Author
Sandra Thomas is a practicing gynecologist based in Denmark. She has been contributing to the field of Women Health and Maternity issues since ten years.
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