Pregnancy is a wonderful journey, but for many women, those glorious nine months can come with a few bumps along the way. Hormonal changes during pregnancy can cause several annoying discomforts including digestion issues. During this time, you’ll be more conscious than ever of what goes into your body, but there are many ways to support your digestive system and promote a healthy gut naturally. See below...
Morning sickness is one of the most complained about symptom of pregnancy. During the first trimester of pregnancy, up to 90% of women experience some form of nausea or vomiting at any time of the day or night. Nausea tends to be triggered when our blood sugars get low. During pregnancy, blood sugars tend to run on the high side in order to ensure a good supply of energy to your growing baby. To ease the discomfort, try to:
Many women deal with heartburn, or acid reflux, in the second and third trimesters when the baby grows and pushes the digestive system upwards. This is a burning sensation in the oesophagus caused by acid from the stomach coming back up after eating.
To manage heartburn during pregnancy, try these tips:
If heartburn does not subside and causes you pain, contact your doctor or midwife about pregnancy-appropriate heartburn medication.
The longer food sits in your digestive tract the more gas is produced, this gas can lead to uncomfortable cramping and bloating for pregnant women. Fortunately, there are some small changes to your diet you can try that may help:
Infrequent bowel movements and hard to pass stools known as constipation affects more than half of all pregnant women at some point. This is caused by hormonal changes during pregnancy. Sometimes the iron in prenatal supplements can make constipation worse or cause it in the first place. Try these tips to ease constipation:
If you notice you are consistently constipated, make sure you talk to your doctor or midwife about possibly changing the amount of iron that your taking.
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