If you've ever been pregnant before, you know that you can get a little, ahem, backed up from time to time over nine months. But according to Hoskins, that's actually perfectly normal. "This is caused by the pregnancy hormone progesterone, causing the smooth muscle of the bowel to become more relaxed, so the contents don't 'move' along the bowel as fast. Taking iron supplements? That can also lead to an internal traffic jam because they can lead to constipation or gas.
To make matters more confusing, it's also important to note that the "feeling" of having gas doesn't necessarily mean you have it at all. "Patients may do more mouth breathing as there is increased effort in taking a deep breath (due to hormonal changes of pregnancy), so there is swallowing of air, which may cause sensation of gas."
Put the discomfort behind you by heading to the produce section of your grocery store. "Constipation can be relieved by eating roughage and drinking lots of liquids, including water and hot teas, and walking."
