Why does my belly swell after pregnancy?

Abdominal pain may be caused by some disease in the abdomen. Moreover, the endocrine system of pregnant women will be out of balance during pregnancy, which will cause the stomach of pregnant women to move more slowly, which may cause indigestion. At this time, there will be more gas in the stomach, and pregnant women will feel bloating and pain in the abdomen. So why does the abdomen swell after pregnancy?

Causes of bloating in pregnant women

In the early stages of pregnancy, bloating in pregnant women is caused by changes in hormone secretion. At this time, the progesterone content in the pregnant woman's body increases, which weakens gastrointestinal motility and reduces gastric acid secretion, hindering digestive activity. For most pregnant women, bloating is most severe in the first three months of pregnancy, and will gradually subside after this period. So this is a normal phenomenon and has no effect on the baby's health.

In the middle and late stages of pregnancy, the uterus expands, pressing on the intestines, making it difficult for the intestines to move. If the pregnant woman already has gastrointestinal diseases, such as constipation, bloating, and poor motility, the bloating during pregnancy may last until about four or five months of pregnancy.

Some improper dietary structures can also cause bloating in pregnant women, such as frequently eating gas-producing foods such as beans, starches, pasta, broccoli and carbonated drinks.

What to do if pregnant women have bloating

To relieve the symptoms of abdominal bloating in pregnant women, there are roughly two aspects: one is diet, and the other is exercise.

1. Diet: drink plenty of water and eat small meals frequently to avoid bloating. You can eat 6-8 meals a day and don't eat too much food at once. In addition, liquid food is not necessarily easy for the stomach to digest. It is best to choose semi-solid food high in vitamins, such as apples and pears. Drinking more water can promote bowel movements.

2. Exercise: Take regular walks and massage frequently to promote peristalsis. When bowel movements are poor, massage can help. Start from the upper right abdomen, move clockwise to the upper left abdomen, and then massage to the lower left abdomen. Remember not to massage the area where the uterus is located. The uterus is located in the center of the abdomen. Some pregnant women, not understanding the location of their stomach and intestines, will massage the uterus, which will cause uterine contractions. Therefore, if a pregnant woman experiences bleeding or uterine contractions, massage should be stopped immediately.

The impact of flatulence during pregnancy on pregnant women

Progesterone makes bowel movements worse

The most obvious period of bloating in pregnant women usually occurs in the first trimester, which is the first 3 months of pregnancy. After pregnancy, the stomach's ability to excrete acid is poor, and the stomach acid is relatively high. In addition, when pregnancy just begins, that is, during the period from ovulation to pregnancy, the progesterone in the body gradually increases, and progesterone will make the intestinal peristalsis ability worse, and the excretion function will naturally be affected, and then symptoms of bloating and constipation will appear. Therefore, the main cause of bloating in the first trimester is changes in hormone secretion.

After entering the second trimester, the uterus slowly expands and will exceed the navel after 5 months of pregnancy. All the intestines will be squeezed to the top and left and right sides of the stomach. The entire space is occupied by the uterus, so it is easy to compress the large and small intestines, and the peristaltic ability will also deteriorate.