Pregnancy gas is a very common discomfort. Hormonal changes, the slowing of intestinal transit and the pressure of the uterus on the organs can cause feelings of discomfort or pain. Knowing that it is normal to have gas during pregnancy helps you deal with it better, especially if you know how to relieve it. We have consulted Aisa Niang, a dietitian-nutritionist and member of the Spanish Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, who, in this regard, is calm: gas and pregnancy are not a good combination but, no matter how annoying gas is during pregnancy, the fetus is not even aware of it. With the help of the expert we resolve all doubts.
Is it normal to have gas during pregnancy? Do they affect the fetus?
Pregnancy and gas are normal at any time during the process; This is what Aisa Niang defends, who specifies that during pregnancy the body undergoes great hormonal and physical changes progressively: «There is no specific moment when gas appears during pregnancy; as the baby and placenta, amniotic fluid, sac and umbilical cord increase in size, the organs begin to have less space and feel a certain oppression.»
Aisa Niang refers to stomach, small intestine and colon. The latter is responsible for the production of feces and gases. During pregnancy, the microbiota (which produces gases through fermentation of food components) is altered, transit slows down, causing gas during pregnancy. You should know that, no matter how strong they may feel, pregnancy gases do not affect the fetus. “The gases are expelled from the colon to the outside while the baby is developing and protected in the uterus,” he reassures.
Symptoms of gas during pregnancy
Some women notice an increase in belching during pregnancy, in the first weeks. It is something that can be annoying, but not worrying. On the other hand, gas pain during pregnancy can feel like a stinging sensation in the belly, perhaps somewhat greater than usual but whose only reason is the volume occupied by the baby, especially in advanced stages of pregnancy.
Evolution of gases throughout pregnancy
As with other discomforts, it is worth asking whether the combination of pregnancy and gas is different in each trimester or if the specific point where gas hurts during pregnancy varies, depending on the time of pregnancy. The dietician-nutritionist clarifies: «Gas in the first trimester of pregnancy usually accumulates mainly in the colon. As the months go by, although they also accumulate in the colon, the discomfort is perceived more on the sides and upper part of the abdomen, since the uterus, from the fifth or sixth month, grows and moves up the intestines.»
The causes of gas in pregnancy can vary: «The increase in progesterone at the beginning of pregnancy slows intestinal motility, which causes more gas,» describes the expert, who clarifies: «in the last months, however, gas is produced for purely physical reasons, due to the increase in fetal volume and compression of the colon.»
Does diet influence pregnancy gas?
Yes, what most affects gas during pregnancy, but also outside of it, is the dietary fiber that the microbiota uses as food through fermentation, generating gases, as well as some food compounds that slow down intestinal transit, such as fats.
Foods to avoid
To relieve pregnancy gas, Aisa Niang suggests reducing or changing the consumption of certain foods whenever gas significantly affects daily life. Their consumption should not be systematically eliminated, since they are foods of high nutritional value.
That said, foods high in fiber or other compounds that are indigestible and fermentable by the intestinal microbiota:
- Legumes (chickpeas, lentils, beans, peas, broad beans, etc.)
- Cruciferous (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, arugula, kale, radishes, turnips)
- Whole grains (skillet, rice or pasta in whole grain version)
- Some vegetables such as artichokes, lettuce or other green leaves, or raw onion and artichoke.
Other foods that make digestion difficult (and can cause gas during pregnancy) are carbonated drinks and fried foods, since excess fat slows down digestion.
Foods that should be included in the diet
To relieve gas during pregnancy, you can follow a strategy: first, according to the expert consulted, take very ripe fruit and identify the vegetables that suit you best. Additionally, drink fermented milks such as yogurt and kefir that modulate the intestinal microbiota and help intestinal transit.
Tips for meals
If you want to avoid the pregnancy and gas scenario, there are some tricks:
- When cooking more flatulent foods, add spices, such as cumin, fennel, oregano, or thyme.
- Take the legumes peeled or pureed.
- Alternate the whole grain version of the cereals with other refined ones.
- Consume the cooked onion.
- Identify which foods produce more gas and which do not, since each pregnancy proceeds differently.
When is gas during pregnancy a cause for concern?
“If it is not a frequent stabbing pain that affects daily life, we should be more concerned about vomiting or nausea, heartburn or constipation,” says the expert. And, although it is better to avoid it, clarify that you can take drugs to reduce gas production during pregnancy. “As long as under the supervision of the doctor,” he warns.
How to relieve gas during pregnancy
According to Aisa Niang, there are several ways to reduce gas during pregnancy:
- Physical activity: Physical activity is one of the best remedies for pregnancy gas: walking, going up and down stairs or doing housework, in addition to other physical exercise practices adapted to the time of pregnancy, helps a lot to maintain adequate intestinal motility.
- Infusions: As for the Yonfusions for gas during pregnancy, warns the dietician-nutritionist, you have to be careful. There is a lack of information on how they can affect pregnancy.”
- Postures to expel gases: Anything that involves changing posture favors intestinal motility, there are even positions to expel pregnant gas that can be learned from the midwife.
Gas prevention during pregnancy
In conclusion, Aisa Niang emphasizes that the best thing we can do to avoid excess gas during pregnancy is to eat as varied a diet as possible, identifying those foods that produce the most gas and maintaining an active lifestyle.
«Eat slowly, chew well, avoid swallowing air when eating. And, as a last piece of advice: it is a mistake to hold back. You have to try to go to the bathroom several times to expel pregnancy gases throughout the day,» concludes the expert.
The ALDI Council
Pregnancy is a time full of changes that do not necessarily have to be the same for all mothers. Talk confidently to your obstetrics and gynecology specialist for personalized guidance.
Aisa Niang. Member of the Spanish Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She has taken Female Expert and Fertility courses (2022) | Nutrition Expert and Specialization Course in Advanced Clinical Nutrition (2019) at the Institute of Nutrition and Health Sciences (ICNS). She currently works as an online dietician-nutritionist and collaborates with two centers: Active Gynecology and Center de Fisioterapia l’Equilibri (Mallorca). Instagram: @aisaniang.nutricion. Facebook: @aisaniang.nutricion
