Excuse Me! 5 Ways to Relieve Bloating and Gas During Pregnancy

This may leave you feeling as though every single food causes gas. While that's certainly not true, many people experience gas with specific foods on an individual basis.

Keep a Food Journal

If you feel as though you're experiencing gas on a more than normal basis, keep track of the foods you eat and the volume of gas experienced within six hours of each meal, suggests Dr. Raymond. If you become gassy at dinner time, check to see what you ate for lunch. Did you drink an artificially sweetened soda? Or, did you eat another food that has crosschecked on your food journal to be a consistent culprit?

"It takes about a full six hours for portions of a meal to be released as gas," reminds Dr. Raymond, "so if you have a particularly gassy sensation, it might not be that snack you just ate, but rather the meal you had awhile ago."

Get Moving

Sometimes, having gas is just a reality we must accept. A great way to deal with gas and get a bit of exercise is to walk after a meal. Take a walk around the neighborhood, wash the dishes, or walk the dog. Sitting still makes it so the gas just remains in the bowels, causing bloating and pain, says Dr. Raymond. "Once you have [gas], you might as well mobilize it."

Elevate Your Legs

If you find yourself burdened with an uncomfortable bout of gas, sit somewhere that you can elevate your feet, suggests Keller. Doing so will take the pressure of baby off of your abdomen and let your body digest more freely. While you're at it, avoid wearing tight-fitting clothes. Even though your maternity jeans may accommodate for your growing belly, they may still dig into your abdomen, restricting digestion and causing pain.

Smaller Meals

Do you eat three well-balanced meals a day? If so, that may be a major contributor to your gassy state while pregnant. Since there are a lot of factors already slowing your digestive system, you'll want to be nice to it! Break those three meals up into several smaller ones, allowing your body adequate time to digest, and freeing you of the bloating and gas so many pregnant women find unbearable.

Feeling lighter yet? Don't be surprised if implementing just a few of these gas-busting strategies makes you feel much better. It's really all about listening to your body and adjusting accordingly. Just because you're pregnant doesn't mean you have to muddle through an intolerably gassy nine months. Instead, change the little things in your life that bring on the most bloating bouts and you'll be well on your way to a gas-free pregnancy.