Bloating – Foods to Fight Water Retention

Edema is very normal during pregnancy. About 50 percent of pregnant women experience it sometime during their pregnancy. It tends to become worse during the third trimester, but can happen at any point. It may be that the rise in hormone levels of pregnancy is causing you to retain more fluid.

Edema most often occurs in the feet, ankles, and legs, but any part of the body may develop edema. In various diseases, excess fluid can accumulate in either one or both of these compartments. The swelling can be localized in the face, arms and neck, or may involve the legs, ankles and feet, known as dependent edema. The body’s organs also have interstitial spaces where fluid can accumulate. For example, an accumulation of fluid in the interstitial air spaces (alveoli) in the lungs occurs in heart failure and is called pulmonary edema. In addition, excess fluid sometimes collects in what has been called the third space, which includes cavities in the abdomen (abdominal or peritoneal cavity) or in the chest (lung or pleural cavity). The term anasarca refers to the severe, widespread accumulation of fluid in the various tissues and cavities of the body.

The bloating and swelling of edema in turn cause muscle aches and pains.

Bloat-Reducing Tips

  • Lie down or elevate your feet regularly
  • Avoid tight-fitting clothes, shoes or stockings
  • Exercise
  • Avoid diuretic drugs, especially during the early weeks of pregnancy
  • Include foods with diuretic properties in your diet:
    • Anise
    • Celery
    • Onion
    • Parsley
    • Coffee or tea (include in moderation due to caffeine content)
    • Eggplant
    • Garlic
    • Peppermint

There is some evidence indicating that evening primrose oil, fish oils or linoleic acid (a fatty acid found in safflower oil) may help with edema associated with preeclampsia, but it may not help with the normal edema of pregnancy, and as of yet, no recommendations have been made. It would be safe — and may be helpful — to add a few fish meals per week. Choose organic farm-raised salmon or wild salmon (I p[ersonally only eat wild caught fish as any farmed fish is high in antibiotic designed to keep the fish living in such close quarters from getting sick.) . Also, use safflower oil in your cooking and baking.

It is important that you continue to see your care provider frequently. A rapid weight gain of more than two pounds per week could signify the onset of a serious condition called preeclampsia. Preeclampsia is characterized by edema (fluid retention), protein in the urine and high blood pressure. Usually the condition doesn’t develop until mid to late pregnancy. However, due to the unusually rapid rate at which you have added weight, careful monitoring of your condition should continue.

Vitamin B6 is the most effective supplement to reduce water retention. During pregnancy, this vitamin helps prevent eclampsia and treats early stages of the disease. Another helpful supplement is gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an essential fatty acid found in evening primrose oil which prevents, or at least delays, the development of pre-eclampsia. magnesium is crucial for the prevention of this condition and has been used to treat toxemia. A zinc deficiency is also partly to blame, since high iron levels in the body deplete zinc.
Poor nutrition and high blood pressure are common causes of pre-eclampsia. Herbal remedies can fortify the blood to improve these conditions.

  • Alfalfa cleans the blood, take 1 tbsp. of juice three times daily.
  • Motherwort tea will eliminate swelling. Add 1 cup of boiling water to 1 tsp. of herbs, steep, strain and drink 3 cups daily.
  • Increase potassium by drinking 1 tbsp. of raw beet, mint and dandelion juice three times daily.
  • A green drink made of celery, comfrey, raspberry leaves, alfalfa leaves and cabbage will also provide potassium.
    • Take 1/2 cup of this juice combination twice daily. The methionine in cabbage aids toxemia.

What else you can do:

  • Get plenty of rest and avoid stress.
  • Vitamin B6 or Pyridoxal-5-Phosphate, 50 mg
  • Magnesium, 600 mg
  • Zinc, 5 mg, with 3 mg copper
  • Evening primrose oil, two 500 mg capsules three times daily

And of course a good foot massage, or reflexology always really helps!

At JoyInBirthing.com we strive to bring you information from different sources about the questions many new parents have.   It is our intention to allow you to make informed decision for the health and wellbeing of your family.   We strongly suggest that before you make any decision about anything regarding your pregnancy you consult your health care provider, and/or nurse midwife discuss with him or her your research and your feelings about it.  Get more than one opinion on the subject. Knowledge is power — your body — your child — your decision!