While pregnancy may be synonymous with quite a number of discomforts, inside and out, ask any new mom and you’ll soon learn that many of these don’t exactly disappear once the baby is out! In fact, as some moms report, they may even get worse, and stay that way for some time.
One such issue is wind or trapped gas. It is even capable of causing pain, and not to mention, can sometimes even be embarrassing. What can be done about this?
Well, plenty. But first, it’ll be good to know why gas happens during the postpartum period in the first place.
Pelvic floor trauma
During a vaginal delivery, many women get their anal sphincter muscles over-stretched, injured or even torn, which in turn may cause other changes including anal incontinence and loss of control over gas releasing. To address this, you may want to try some pelvic floor exercises with guidance from your doctor. You can also seek the advice of a physical therapist on specific exercises that will strengthen your muscles and improve your control.
Irregular bowel movements
If you have painful trapped gas after giving birth, it may also be due to your lack of bowel movements. It’s actually normal for your bowel movements to be slow for the first few days after delivery, but for many new moms, it can still have its own side effects, especially if it leads to constipation, followed by trapped gas. If a new mom happens to be taking an iron supplement, the chances of getting constipated are even higher! If you feel you need to, consult with your doctor. He may suggest eating different foods or taking stool softeners to ease constipation. Or, you can seek the help of a pharmacist for a reputable laxative that is safe to be taken during your postpartum period.
Dietary intake
In most if not all cases of lingering postpartum gas issues, a new mom’s diet is somehow linked to it. For example, if you’re sensitive to lactose, don’t be surprised to find that dairy products such as milk, yogurt and cheese may bring on the gas! And it’s actually quite interesting, albeit exasperating, to discover that fibre-rich foods such as beans, cabbage, broccoli, apples and prunes can be nutritious, yet exceptionally gassy for new moms. Talk about a true dilemma!
Before you eliminate any part of your healthy diet, talk it over with your doctor, for he may be able to advise you on what to substitute them with. However, other offenders such as sodas, hard candies with sorbitol, beer, chewing gum as well as processed foods, especially those containing fructose and lactose, should ideally be avoided for they have little or no nutritional value, and they do more harm than good!
