Avoiding Heartburn During Pregnancy
There are many women who suddenly develop uncomfortable heartburn symptoms while they’re pregnant. One of the reasons for this is the elevated hormone levels in a pregnant woman’s body. This causes softening of the ligaments that are responsible for regulating the passageway that leads from the stomach to the esophagus. This means gastric acid is more easily able to make its way up the esophagus and throat.
Another contributor to heartburn during pregnancy is the added pressure that the developing baby places on the stomach area. Often that can cause the stomach acids to climb up to the esophagus.
There are lots of options when it comes to easing the distress of heartburn during pregnancy. Here are some tips that should provide some heartburn relief.
* Avoid foods that trigger heartburn. Included in this list are spicy foods, tomato products, chocolate, fried and fatty foods, and citrus.
* Stay away from caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea, and soda.
* Avoid alcohol, which you should anyway for the health of your baby.
* Consume smaller portions of food. Having several mini meals throughout the day will keep the pressure off your stomach.
* Don’t eat too fast.
* Don’t lie down to sleep until it’s been three hours since your last meal. This will help you avoid nighttime heartburn.
* Drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water a day. But be careful that you don’t drink while eating if you can possibly avoid it. This will cause the stomach to expand more and push out the stomach acids.
* Keep your head elevated at least six to eight inches when sleeping. You might find a wedge shaped pillow to be helpful. This gives gravity some help in keeping your stomach acids from climbing the esophagus.
* Avoid restrictive clothing. Tightness around the waist and stomach will trigger heartburn.
* Bend at the knees, not at the waist. This puts less pressure on your stomach.
* Watch your posture. Sit erect in a comfortable chair.
* Don’t gain an excessive amount of weight. All that surplus fat puts added pressure on the stomach.
* Quit smoking. Not only is it unhealthy for your baby, it contributes to heartburn symptoms.
