Excessive Burping In Pregnancy

There is nothing worse than getting caught off guard with gas. Be it from your bottom or mouth, the expulsion of wind is seen as disgusting, especially in public. Excess wind is a rather downplayed pregnancy symptom but if you are the bearer of excessive burping in pregnancy you can bet that it has no regard for what company you’re in.

Burping a lot during pregnancy is a common symptom, and nothing major to be worried about.

A person is known to pass gas around 18 times a day. Without being pregnant your body produces around 4 pints of built up wind which naturally passes through as flatulence or belching.

Thanks to Progesterone, this handy hormone has the responsibility to slow your digestion meaning gas is likely to build up more frequently.

Burping and Pregnancy

Living with those nagging pregnancy symptoms is not for the faint hearted. Whether you are in receipt of nausea or in the midst of full blown sickness you may not be feeling the most glamorous. Add in some excessive belching and you may believe that your baby is turning you into a beast.

The good news is a lot of burping during pregnancy is common but why have you become the queen of gross? Is there a way to control your excessive burping in pregnancy?

Why Am I Burping So Much While Pregnant?

Burping a lot during pregnancy isn’t a very well known pregnancy symptom but it can be as common as your stretch marks. Along with your sickness and constipation, many moms have noticed an excess in gas as one of their reported pregnancy symptoms.

Looking into why this happens we turn our attention to hormones. The pregnancy hormones in particular can increase gas build up and slow down your digestion. With a stomach full of gas you are now a pocket of wind. Whether it is flatulence or burping either way the gas has to make its way out.

According to the American Pregnancy Association progesterone is responsible for relaxing your usual digestion, in fact, food and waste will take an extra 30% longer to transition through your bowel. With your system being extra sluggish you can almost guarantee you will be the bearer of excessive belching.

Trimester Troubles

You may notice that you are more likely to burp in certain weeks of your pregnancy. During your first trimester, you may experience excessive burping in early pregnancy. This is typical with the spike in hormones.

We have all been there, you’re a few weeks pregnant yet your stomach looks as if you’re well on your way to your final trimester, and you’re wondering if it’s due to your food habit/ your lifestyle, or some stomach bug? Well, it’s food. This is known as early pregnancy bloat. Gas build up can be excessive in the early days of pregnancy but this is a typical symptom and not cause for concern.

Heading toward your second trimester and you may find that your symptoms have steadied themselves slightly. On the other hand, your appetite is now in full swing as your body is craving new foods and different combinations which can entice the leakage of gas which you cannot control.

The third trimester can become extremely embarrassing. You no longer have control thanks to the pressure your bouncing baby is placing on your gut and organs. Burping and farting alike can happen at any moment so if you are in the unfortunate situation where there are a lot of people just laugh it off.

When Burping Is Not Alone

There are other symptoms that can arise through pregnancy thanks to your sluggish digestion.

Flatulence

Burping in itself is something you can bypass by covering your mouth and apologizing to those who surround you but there are times when flatulence otherwise known as farting can creep up on you.

Butt bombs as my little one likes to call them, are not seen as feminine let alone glamorous. I may be totally wrong here but for a lady to pass wind in public it tends to be out of the ordinary.

Pregnancy is there to remind us we are human and just like our male counterparts we do have the urge to fart. With the increased volume of gas you are now holding, bottom bombs themselves can creep out when you least expect them to.

Heartburn

The horrid sensation of heartburn can be crippling during pregnancy. The relaxation of your ligaments has now made it possible for acid to leak back up to your esophagus.

In some cases, you may find your burps have an acidic chaser just because belching alone simply isn’t enough.

An old midwives tale is that those who suffer from heartburn will birth a baby with a full head of hair. This is a total coincidence of course!

Bloating

The baby bloat is something you have to endure in early pregnancy. Bloating can make you feel extremely uncomfortable so if you can opt to wear loose fitting clothing. Tight waistbands will add to your already pressurized belly causing discomfort and pain.

Easing The Gas Tank

Now it’s time to find ways to cope with your overly full gas tank, to help relieve your symptoms and hopefully prevent those embarrassing moments from occurring.

Here are some long-run natural ways to get rid of excessive burping during pregnancy:

Keep your fluids topped up

Hydration as we know is imperative during pregnancy. It can keep the digestive cogs turning and helps to prevent constipation.

Water is the most beneficial to our bodies but obviously, any fluid intake is good. Be cautious over what you choose to drink, juices can make heartburn worse and are packed with sugars, carbonated drinks can also add fuel to your gas tank.

Let’s get physical

When your baby is newborn you may understand the importance of winding them during feeds. The simple explanation for this is that they cannot move to disperse the wind bubbles in their belly.

The same goes for us, movement whether it’s walking or taking an antenatal gym class can help your body disperse the excess gas and keep your digestion ticking along.

Examine your diet

The gas created in our bodies is caused by what we put into them. You may find that you have become intolerant to a certain food causing terrible IBS style symptoms.

I had an aversion to garlic when pregnant, the smallest amount would make my stomach gurgle literally all night, and believe me garlic burps are rancid.

Ensure to keep a well balanced diet full of the natural goodness you and your baby need to thrive through the next 40 weeks.

It’s good to note that chocolate contains caffeine which in turn can make symptoms of heartburn worse so whilst a sweet treat isn’t illegal your body could make you pay come bedtime.

Freak out with Fiber

We are told that eating fibre rich foods can help keep our toileting habits regular. Constipation in itself is a common pregnancy symptom so filling up on flavorsome fiber foods can help eliminate this undesirable symptom.

Food for thought… fiber rich foods can make gas worse but take it as a signal your digestion is chugging along.

Calmly does it

Anxiety should be on the list of pregnancy symptoms. Honestly, no one can plan how you are going to feel during pregnancy but I can guarantee that stress and worry will crop up at some point.

Feeling anxious alters our natural breathing pattern meaning you may be inhaling more than usual. Taking in more air can only mean one thing, wind.

Whether it’s delegating chores or putting your feet up, staying calm can help with your excessive gas issues. Now I cannot think of a better reason for you to take some time out for yourself!

Sleep soundly

Sleeping doesn’t always come naturally when you’re pregnant. You’re maneuvring your bump around the bed, struggling to get comfy but the best position is laying on your left with your legs tucked up.

This position can be aided with a pregnancy pillow and allows for better digestion without the build up of gas.

Quit the cigarettes

Smoking is bad for your health, but being an expectant mom, doctors urge you to ditch the tobacco as it has links to developmental complications within pregnancy.

Not only this but inhaling from a cigarette allows for excess air to enter your body meaning you are more likely to burp if you are a smoker.

Should I be Worried about the excessive burping?

Constant burping in pregnancy isn’t anything to be worried about. It can be embarrassing of course but extra belching doesn’t show there’s a problem with your pregnancy.

You may need some guidance about what to take to help with heartburn and your doctor can provide you with advice on which antacids are safe during pregnancy.

Wrapping Up

Excessive burping in pregnancy can be an annoyance to you and others around you but it sometimes cannot be helped. Try some of the tips mentioned above and use this time to examine your diet and fluid intake.

Overall it’s a short lived symptom you will have to endure and if it catches you off guard remember to blame it on the bump.

Excessive Burping In Pregnancy – Reasons & Natural Remedies