Awful postpartum wind, weeks later

[Itswindy]

Has anyone had this? I'm 9 weeks PP and it doesn't seem to be getting any better at all. I'm OK for a couple of hours when I wake up then once I've eaten the bloatedness and flatulence starts.

Luckily I'm mostly home alone all day, I can only manage a few hours out before I get bad pain from holding it in and need to release it.

I'm starting to feel really down about it. I have to start holding it in an hour before DH gets home as the smell lingers so much. I feel disgusting. I also look 5 months pregnant from how bloated I am.

I'm fed up of feeling uncomfortable all the time.

I was rushed out of my 6 week check and didn't get to ask the GP and they give so few appointments now I doubt I'll get one if I say my issue is just wind. But it really is an issue to me!

I'm not sure how to help myself as I eat healthily, keep active and it doesn't seem linked to any specific foods.

Any tips?

No tips it's all linked to having a weakened pelvic floor and should improve as you do your pelvic floor exercises. I'm nearly 6 months pp and can hold my wind reasonably well in company and if not doing anything strenuous but I've noticed on a night when I'm transferring DS from his crib into bed and back again for feeding I regularly sound like the brass section of an orchestra.

Thank you @ArtfulScreamer I think the issue with the pelvic floor is mostly keeping the wind in? I don't seem to have an issue keeping it in, it's more how much wind I have that bothers me. Its like everything I eat irritates my bowels and fills them with air.

Before I might have gotten bad wind after a particularly heavy meal or something but now it's absolutely all the time. Just so bloated.

Sorry to hear you are suffering!

Can you try peppermint oil capsules, just to calm everything down there a bit and see if that helps? I know me saying this won’t make any difference but don’t harm yourself just so your husband doesn’t smell a fart… I think he probably knows your human.

Poor you. I would agree it's possibly a weakened pelvic floor. Do you have problems opening your bowels too?

But... we are just random people on the internet. It could, of course, be something that needs investigation and treatment.

If I were you I'd press for a doctor's appointment.

If you think the receptionist might not give you one just for wind, say you're having issues with digestion.

Good luck

I was like this after my second. I took some probiotic drinks (I think activia) and it resolved in a couple of day so I assume my gut bacteria was out of kilter. I was too embarrassed to say it to the doctor but if it's persistent it should probably get checked.

Did you have a cs? My innards were definitely not right for a year after my cs.

Prebiotic capsules from Holland and Barrett are good just dont drink anything hot after for awhile

I had this after my second. I was enormous for months but felt it was bloating rather than fat mainly. I can't say for sure what finally sorted it, but it coincided with getting my activity and exercise levels back up to something resembling a normal person's. So yoga a couple of times a week and walking every day. My stomach shrunk and my waist came back but I really don't think it was fat. I would try exercise, exercises on your abs and a decent diet conductive to healthy bowels. And I'm impressed you're so nice to your partner to worry about thr smells!!!!! I wouldn't be!

@Haggisfish3

Did you have a cs? My innards were definitely not right for a year after my cs.

I had a c section and had terribly painful trapped wind after. I truly think the gas was stuck in me from that for months..... but never read anything to confirm if that's possible. Its just how I felt.

Luckily I'm mostly home alone all day, I can only manage a few hours out before I get bad pain from holding it in and need to release it

🎶🎶 Let it go, let it GOoooo!!🎵🎵

Drinking mint or mint & fennel herb tea might ease things for you. Hope you start to feel better soon.

Thank you so much for your kind replies I don't dare mention this to anyone in real life so it's really nice to be able to on here.

I did indeed have a csection. I think you may be onto something @Franca123 as after my first csection I had horrendous painful wind for a week after, but didn't this time. Maybe instead of it all coming out the first few days like it should it's been trapped for weeks and coming out now.

When I told my nan that this baby barely cries compared to my first she said 'oh yes that's normal first babies usually have colic, with second babies it's mum who has colic.'

Seems that in the old days they expected mum to be gassy after a second child, I wonder why but seems weirdly accurate in my case!

I will try probiotics, thanks for the suggestion. I have been drinking fennel tea too which helps a little. Peppermint oil capsules sound great but after a quick Google they sadly don't seem to be recommended when breastfeeding.

I think you would be ok to take peppermint oil actually - the BFN are the experts on this and they seem to be saying it's ok Link

Oh and your messages about DH made me laugh. I do fart when he's home or I would explode but try to limit it to certain parts of the house. Honestly the smell lingers so much otherwise the whole house would smell and it wouldn't be pleasant for anyone. Even my toddler is often asking what the smell is... don't want him to start telling nursery that mummy does smelly farts!!

Oh perfect thank you @ProperTeaisTheft

@Itswindy I have the exact same issue now. 10 weeks pp. And yes it is the quantity of the gas that is the issue for me too, rather than not being able to hold it in. How long did yours persist for?

I think if they smell bad then your gut bacteria is probably out of balance and you might benefit from probiotics.
It might also be worth noting if it's worse after certain types of foods - bread, sugar etc and cut down on those for a bit.

If the gas smells as bad as you say it’s to do with your gut. Have you read about FODMAP? I switched to using xylitol as a sweetener for my porridge PP and oh my god! I stank! Some foods can ferment in your gut.

If you think it might be pelvic floor related and you can afford to you could also book a Mummy MOT with a private physio - cringey name but it's a really thorough assessment including pelvic floor, stomach muscles, posture etc. I found it incredibly helpful and also quite reassuring. I discovered I'd been doing my pelvic floors all wrong, no wonder nothing was improving

@KylaKins it definitely got better, probably in the month following this post, so between 3 and 4 months post partum. I didn't do anything different, it just stopped and went back to normal, thank god!

Definitely wasn't a pelvic floor issue for me as I could keep them in, more of a gut issue. I don't know if it was some temporary food intolerance, I thought some food made it slightly worse (oats and oat milk) or maybe just a PP hormonal thing, but it's all fine now.
Hope it improves for you soon, I know it's so uncomfortable and horrible!

Oh my god I gave up dairy and have substituted milk for oat milk!! Will try a diff substitute instead. Thanks for your reply and I am happy to hear it gets better. Its nearly comical how windy I am. Except its not very funny at all