Managing Pregnancy Heartburn

Pregnancy and heartburn all too often seem to be inseparable. Among the explanations for this is the raised hormone levels in a pregnant woman’s body. This causes softening of the ligaments that are in charge of regulating the passageway that leads from the stomach to the esophagus. Accordingly, gastric acid is able to progress up the esophagus and throat with less difficulty. One more reason why pregnant women are afflicted with heartburn is because of increased pressure in the stomach area caused by the development of the baby. Frequently that can trigger the stomach acids to climb up to the esophagus.

There are lots of alternatives when it comes to alleviating the discomfort of heartburn during pregnancy. The following guidelines should give you some relief.

* Keep your head elevated at least six to eight inches when sleeping. A special acid reflux wedge pillow might be helpful to help you maintain this position. This will assist gravity to prevent the acids in your stomach from traveling up the esophagus.

* Steer clear of alcohol. It’s harmful to your child and is also a contributor to heartburn.

* Stay clear of foods that trigger heartburn. Included in this list are spicy foods, tomato products, chocolate, fried and fatty foods, and citrus.

* Don’t bend from the waist; use your knees instead. This keeps pressure off the stomach.

* Pay attention to your posture while seated. Sit straight up in a comfy chair.

* Wear loose fitting clothing. Tightness around the waist and stomach will trigger heartburn.

* Don’t go to sleep for at least three hours after a meal. This will help you avoid nighttime heartburn.

* Drink lots of water, at least 8 to 10 glasses each day. But don’t drink too much while you are eating. This leads to overexpansion of the abdomen, thus forcing out the gastric acids in your tummy.

* Eat your food in a leisurely manner.

* Eat smaller portions of food. Eating small meals spaced throughout the day will ease the pressure on the abdomen.

* Don’t gain an exorbitant amount of weight. All that surplus fat puts extra pressure on the stomach.

* Quit smoking. This isn’t only bad for the baby, it is a frequent trigger for heartburn.

* Don’t drink beverages that are high in caffeine such as tea, coffee and cola.

Heartburn may not be a life threatening condition, but it can certainly cause you a lot of distress. If you want to learn more about the causes of heartburn and what you can do to stop it in its tracks, visit the Heartburn Relief site.

categories: pregnancy heartburn,heartburn,acid reflux,health