7 Ways to Treat and Prevent Heartburn During Pregnancy
Heartburn During Pregnancy
Heartburn during pregnancy is a common and uncomfortable side effect. Symptoms typically occur during the first trimester and can carry on throughout the pregnancy.
Often heartburn is caused by low levels of progesterone, which relaxes smooth muscles in your intestinal tract, allowing stomach acid to move upwards into your
It’s typical to experience nausea, back discomfort, sore legs, and disrupted sleep throughout pregnancy. Another common complaint among pregnant women is heartburn.
Up to 50% of women will develop heartburn at some point during their pregnancy. You may not be able to avoid it or eliminate it while you’re expecting, but there are things you can do
Disclosure: Some links below may be affiliate links, meaning, at no extra cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.
What exactly is heartburn?
Your heart isn’t the source of your acid reflux. The searing pain associated with heartburn is caused by stomach acid rising into your oesophagus, which is the tube that connects your mouth to your stomach.
It’s also known as “gastroesophageal reflux,” which refers to when stomach acid flows back up into
Heartburn isn’t dangerous, but it can cause a lot of discomfort and disrupt your daily life. In this article, we’ll talk about seven ways to manage heartburn during pregnancy.
What causes heartburn during pregnancy?
Between your stomach and oesophagus is a muscle known as the “lower oesophageal sphincter”. This muscle relaxes while you eat or drink so that the food/liquid may be absorbed into your stomach.
If a muscle does not close after it relaxes, however, heartburn will occur as a consequence.
The most common causes of heartburn during pregnancy are:
1. Your body’s hormones, such as progesterone and relaxin, contribute to relaxing muscles all over your body. The lower oesophageal sphincter is one example.
2. The expanding uterus compresses other organs in your abdomen, including the stomach and its contents.
RELATED POST: Is Pregnancy Massage Safe?
What measures can you take to alleviate heartburn during pregnancy?
1. Eat smaller, more frequent meals
Some women get used to doing this anyhow, mainly as the pregnancy goes on and the baby compresses your abdominal organs.
2. Do not eat or drink before going to bed.
You want to take advantage of gravity to keep things where they belong: in your stomach.
It’s best not to eat anything for about two hours before you plan to go to sleep.
3. Make any necessary modifications to your sleeping surface.
You could spend parts of your pregnancy in a recliner chair. Again, you’re relying on gravity to assist with this.
A second alternative is to raise the head of your bed. You may accomplish this by placing six-inch blocks beneath the head of your bed.
Alternatively, you can invest in a foam wedge that supports your head from below until just above your waist, which will keep you propped up. Wedges like these are available on Amazon, for example.
4. Instead of sleeping on your left side, try sleeping on your right.
This advice is based on the human body’s anatomical structure for some heartburn patients and may be beneficial.
Some heartburn patients find that sleeping on their left side worsens heartburn symptoms, and sleeping on the right alleviates heartburn symptoms.
5. Make sure you’re wearing comfortable maternity clothes.
You don’t want anything too tight around your waist since this might cause excessive pressure and the risk of reflux.
6. Avoid particular foods and drinks.
Spicy food, fried or fatty foods, large meals, caffeine and alcohol, are all heartburn triggers. Limiting the amount of these you have will help reduce heartburn. Other heartburn triggers include stress, anxiety, depression and smoking/tobacco use.
7. Speak to your doctor.
If you follow these suggestions and they still do not alleviate discomfort, see your doctor. Some antacids can be used, but you should first consult your practitioner about which ones are suggested during pregnancy.
Conclusion:
Pregnancy hormone levels, as well as certain foods and beverages, can all cause heartburn. Heartburn is a typical and unpleasant pregnancy side effect. To help soothe heartburn, try eating smaller meals and avoiding greasy or spicy foods. If the above tips don’t work, talk to your doctor about ways to manage your symptoms!
You’ll know what to do once you’ve identified the problem and figured out how it happens. It would help if you used strategies to control or relieve it now that you know what causes it.
Pregnancy can be challenging, but you want to make every attempt to reduce the pain as much as possible.
Q. What helped you with your heartburn during pregnancy, please share in the comments below
