Inside: How to Deal With Heartburn During Pregnancy. Collaborative post.
Pregnancy is an exciting time, but it does come with some discomfort. One thing that can crop up, often in the second and third trimesters, is heartburn. Heartburn is unpleasant at the best of times, but it can be especially irritating when you’re trying to grow a baby and stay as healthy as possible.
Heartburn is caused when acid manages to get through the valve between the stomach and the esophagus, which irritates it and causes a burning sensation. When you’re pregnant, increased progesterone causes this valve to relax.
As pregnancy progresses, your growing child takes up more space and puts more pressure on the intestines and stomach, potentially pushing acid into the oesophagus.
But don’t worry, there are some ways to relieve your symptoms and hopefully even prevent them.
Avoiding Heartburn
The American Pregnancy Association has plenty of suggestions for helping pregnant women to avoid heartburn from bothering them. These suggestions can help other people to keep heartburn at bay as well.
Heartburn is usually caused by the food you eat and, sometimes, what you drink. Ideally, you’ll have already cut out smoking and alcohol and reduced your consumption of coffee. These are all triggers for heartburn. If you still drink some coffee, it might be worth cutting it out entirely as the acidic drink can make heartburn worse.
When you eat, avoid certain foods that can be triggers for heartburn. Spicy, acidic, and fatty foods are especially bad for heartburn and can irritate your stomach. In any case, healthier and more nutritious choices are always best for your health and that of your child.
You should also eat little and often, having frequent small meals rather than a few large ones. Too much food can overwhelm your stomach, so eat slowly as well. It’s also recommended to eat at least an hour or two before bedtime and to sleep propped up at night so your head is higher up than your stomach.
Lying down after eating can make heartburn worse.
Treating Heartburn
If you do suffer from heartburn even when avoiding triggers and following preventative measures, there are some ways to relieve the symptoms. Chewing sugar-free gum increases saliva production, which helps to get rid of excess acid. If you chew it about half an hour after a meal, it can reduce the symptoms of heartburn and acid reflux.
Some foods are also known to relieve heartburn. Yogurt contains probiotics and has a soothing texture, so many people find it pleasant. Some people also like to drink warm milk combined with a tablespoon of honey to neutralize the acid that causes heartburn. Ginger is another handy food that can help an upset stomach.In some cases, you may need to take medication.
You should always consult a doctor before taking any, even if you took it before you were pregnant. Some medications aren’t safe to use for pregnant women. Other medications, such as Zantac, that you may have been prescribed in the past, have been known to cause cancers.
See this website for more information if you’ve taken it before.