Bloating in early pregnancy

Bloating falls under the category of the symptoms that are considered to be perfectly normal in the early stages of the pregnancy. They too are the result of intense hormonal shifts that occur inside the pregnant woman’s body, just as the symptoms of sensitivity of the breasts, nausea and vomiting, the good old food cravings, swollen soft tissues that are a result of building up too much water inside the body, or the so-called edema, mood swings, as well as weariness and exhaustion.

As for the direct causes of bloating, they are numerous, and normally quite harmless. The only reason that bloating might become a cause for concern is if it’s followed by intense stomach aching and cramps. This is where one should definitely seek medical attention to establish the course of action.

Bloating caused by the growth of the uterus

The expansion of the uterus is a very logical result of carrying a baby. When the baby grows, it is necessary for both the abdomen and the uterus to adjust to its size. This expansion of the abdomen may sometimes be a bit uncomfortable and feel like bloating.

Bloating caused by constipation

Constipation is the occurrence of the irregular and quite infrequent bowel movements. It is not at all unusual in the beginning of pregnancy, however it does have some unpleasant side effects, one of them being the feeling of bloating. The base of the answer to what causes constipation in early pregnancy lies in the hormonal fluctuations. The hormone in question is progesterone and what the body does is go completely overboard with its production in order to make the muscles and ligaments softer, so that it can achieve the expansion of the stomach and the uterus. However, what their softening also does is slow down the functioning of some of the systems that depend on those muscles, like the digestive system, and that’s how the issue of constipation arises.

Bloating caused by weight gain

It is very well known that pregnant women have to eat for two. And while they do eat all of the most nutritious and healthiest food, they don’t really pay attention to things like avoiding to eat proteins and carbohydrates together. Also, their physical activity is reduced to a minimum, and not to mention the fact that they have a baby growing inside of them. All of this is bound to result in some weight gain, which is often accompanied by bloating.