To stop stomach cramps and diarrhea, focus on hydration (water, broths, sports drinks), resting your stomach with bland foods (BRAT diet: Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast), avoiding irritants (caffeine, alcohol, spicy/fatty foods), getting rest, and potentially using over-the-counter meds like loperamide or bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol) if appropriate, while a warm compress can ease cramps, but see a doctor if pain is severe or symptoms persist.
To manage stomach cramps associated with diarrhoea, you can use Imodium Dual Action, which contains loperamide to treat diarrhoea and simeticone to help relieve stomach cramps. You can use a heating pad to alleviate the belly pain. Peppermint tea or chamomile may help with any gas you have.
Instead, try these tried-and-true remedies.
Diarrhea. The only pregnancy-safe medication for diarrhea during pregnancy is loperamide (Imodium®). But note that it shouldn't be taken after the first trimester and shouldn't be taken for more than 24 hours.
If you have diarrhea in pregnancy, be sure to drink plenty of fluids and talk with your healthcare provider before taking any antidiarrhea medications. Call your provider if you have accompanying symptoms, if your diarrhea lasts longer than a couple of days, or if you think you might have food poisoning.
Doctors recommend Tylenol as the safest pain reliever you can take during pregnancy, even in the first trimester. You can take four 500-milligram tablets per day, once every four hours.
Pain relief such as paracetamol is helpful if stomach pains are present. Rehydration is the main treatment of diarrhoea. Dioralyte is the perfect product to rehydrate from diarrhoea or vomiting. If you have pain, then pain relief can be taken.
Clear, non-caffeinated sodas such as 7-Up, Sprite or ginger ale. Diluted juices such as apple, grape, cherry or cranberry (avoid citrus juices) Clear soup broth or bouillon. Popsicles.
The best side depends on your symptoms: try sleeping on your right side for diarrhea relief or the left side with knees up for gas pain. Try elevating the head of your bed to help with acid reflux, and consult a doctor immediately if your discomfort is persistent or wakes you up at night.
Stomach pain that comes in waves with diarrhea might be due to an infection in your gut or to diverticular disease, where parts of your colon become inflamed.
Depending on the cause, viral gastroenteritis symptoms may appear within 1-3 days after you're infected and can range from mild to severe. Symptoms usually last just a day or two, but occasionally they may last up to 14 days.
To stop diarrhea fast, focus on rehydrating with water, broths, and electrolyte-balanced drinks (like oral rehydration solutions or diluted sports drinks) while avoiding caffeine, alcohol, and dairy, and gradually introducing bland foods like bananas, rice, and toast (BRAT diet) to help firm stools.
Drink plenty of clear fluids such as water. Reduce your intake of coffee, tea and alcohol as these can make the pain worse. When you are allowed to eat again, start with clear liquids, then progress to bland foods such as crackers, rice, bananas or toast. Your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods.
Foods and Drinks To Avoid That Can Cause Diarrhea
If you have an upset stomach, try to lie with your upper body upright or prop up your head, neck and chest with pillows.
The BRAT diet (Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, and Toast) is a gentle and effective diet for relieving diarrhea.
8 Natural Remedies for Stomach Ache
Early signs of gastro (gastroenteritis) often start suddenly with digestive issues like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramps/pain, quickly followed by body-wide symptoms such as tiredness, headaches, muscle aches, and a mild fever, with vomiting often starting before diarrhea. It's an infection of the gut, commonly viral, leading to these gastrointestinal and systemic symptoms, and requires staying hydrated.
Avoid fruits and vegetables that can cause gas, such as broccoli, peppers, beans, peas, berries, prunes, chickpeas, green leafy vegetables, and corn. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and carbonated drinks. Limit or cut out milk and other dairy products if they are making your diarrhea worse or causing gas and bloating.
You should not ignore sudden, severe, or worsening stomach pain, especially if accompanied by fever, persistent vomiting (especially blood), bloody/black stools, inability to pass gas or stool, shortness of breath, dizziness, chest/neck/shoulder pain, or if you're pregnant and experiencing pain/bleeding, as these can signal serious issues like appendicitis, bowel obstruction, ectopic pregnancy, or aneurysms, requiring immediate emergency care. Don't ignore pain that lasts over a few days, doesn't improve, or is accompanied by jaundice or significant swelling.
A paracetamol pain reliever is safe for pregnant women when used in the correct therapeutic dose. In adults, you can take 1 to 2 tablets (500 - 1000mg paracetamol) every 4 to 6 hours depending on the severity of the pain and should not exceed 8 tablets/day.
First-time moms usually start showing sometime between 12 and 18 weeks. In a BabyCenter poll, most women expecting their first child said they started to show between 12 and 18 weeks, very closely followed by those who said that their bump emerged between 18 and 24 weeks.
Summary of Tips for Pregnancy
Consume foods and beverages rich in folate, iron, calcium, and protein. Talk with your health care professional about prenatal supplements (vitamins you may take while pregnant). Eat breakfast every day. Eat foods high in fiber, and drink fluids (particularly water) to avoid constipation.