Pregnancy and heartburn all too frequently seem to go hand in hand. One of the reasons for this is the elevated hormone levels in a pregnant woman's body. This leads to softening of the ligaments that are responsible for regulating the passageway that leads from the stomach to the esophagus. Therefore, gastric acid is able to travel up the esophagus and throat more easily. A further reason why women who are pregnant experience heartburn is due to more pressure in the stomach area resulting from the development of the baby. Often this can push the contents of the stomach up to the esophagus.
There are plenty of choices when it comes to relieving the pain of heartburn throughout pregnancy. Following are some strategies that will offer some relief.
* Keep your head elevated at least six to eight inches while 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 making their way up the esophagus.
* Keep away from alcoholic beverages. It is hazardous to your baby and is also a contributor to heartburn.
* Stay away from foods that produce heartburn. This includes chocolate, highly spiced foods, citrus, tomato based foods, along with fatty and fried foods.
* Don't bend from the waist; use your knees instead. This puts less pressure on your stomach.
* Don't slouch when seated. Sit straight in a comfy chair.
* Avoid tight clothing. Constriction around the waist and stomach will lead to heartburn.
* Don't lie down to sleep until it's been three hours since your last meal. This will help you avoid nighttime heartburn.
* Sip a minimum of 8 to 10 glasses of water a day. But be careful that you don't drink while eating if you can possibly help it. This will lead the abdomen to swell too much and push out the stomach acids.
* Do not eat too fast.
* Eat smaller portions of food. Eating small meals spaced throughout the day will alleviate the pressure on the stomach.
* Do not gain an exorbitant amount of weight. All that surplus fat puts extra pressure on the stomach.
* Stop smoking. This isn't only bad for the baby, it is a frequent trigger for heartburn.
* Avoid caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea, and soda. - 32390
There are plenty of choices when it comes to relieving the pain of heartburn throughout pregnancy. Following are some strategies that will offer some relief.
* Keep your head elevated at least six to eight inches while 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 making their way up the esophagus.
* Keep away from alcoholic beverages. It is hazardous to your baby and is also a contributor to heartburn.
* Stay away from foods that produce heartburn. This includes chocolate, highly spiced foods, citrus, tomato based foods, along with fatty and fried foods.
* Don't bend from the waist; use your knees instead. This puts less pressure on your stomach.
* Don't slouch when seated. Sit straight in a comfy chair.
* Avoid tight clothing. Constriction around the waist and stomach will lead to heartburn.
* Don't lie down to sleep until it's been three hours since your last meal. This will help you avoid nighttime heartburn.
* Sip a minimum of 8 to 10 glasses of water a day. But be careful that you don't drink while eating if you can possibly help it. This will lead the abdomen to swell too much and push out the stomach acids.
* Do not eat too fast.
* Eat smaller portions of food. Eating small meals spaced throughout the day will alleviate the pressure on the stomach.
* Do not gain an exorbitant amount of weight. All that surplus fat puts extra pressure on the stomach.
* Stop smoking. This isn't only bad for the baby, it is a frequent trigger for heartburn.
* Avoid caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea, and soda. - 32390
About the Author:
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.
