Bloating during pregnancy

By trimester

Weeks 1–13

1st trimester

Bloating often starts early. Smaller, more frequent meals, chewing slowly, and cutting back on gas-producing foods like beans or cruciferous vegetables are usually the first things to try.

Weeks 14–27

2nd trimester

As your uterus grows, it adds physical pressure on top of the hormonal cause. A short walk after meals genuinely helps a lot of people.

Weeks 28–birth

3rd trimester

Bloating usually peaks now. Smaller meals, staying upright after eating, and resting on your left side all help. Call your provider for ongoing upper-right belly discomfort or any new, severe pain.

What does the evidence show for bloating?

• Bloating is one of the common digestive changes in pregnancy, caused first by hormone effects on digestion and later by the physical pressure of your growing uterus. 1
• Slow digestion contributes to both constipation and bloating in pregnancy, which is why the two often respond to the same approach. 2
• Probiotic supplements have modest evidence for easing digestive symptoms in adults generally, and your provider may consider them as an option during pregnancy too. 3
• Simethicone, an anti-gas medication available over the counter, isn't absorbed into your bloodstream and is broadly considered compatible with pregnancy, though any addition to your routine should be reviewed with your provider. 4
• Preeclampsia can cause headache, blurred vision, and right upper quadrant abdominal pain, while HELLP syndrome can cause abdominal pain, nausea or vomiting, headache, or extreme fatigue, sometimes without high blood pressure or protein in the urine. 5

When should I call my provider about bloating?

What feels like bloating that is actually concentrated in the upper right or center of your belly, especially together with a headache, vision changes, or new swelling in your face and hands, can be an early sign of preeclampsia or HELLP syndrome rather than ordinary gas. Those combinations warrant same-day evaluation. Bloating that comes with fever, repeated vomiting, or pain that keeps getting worse instead of easing is also worth an urgent call rather than another day of home remedies. When in doubt, call your obstetric team the same day. Early input almost always beats waiting, and the on-call line exists exactly for this.