Heartburn does not just affect those who are high stressed or love their spicy foods. Pregnant women suffer from heartburn too. You may find as your pregnancy progresses you experience more and more heartburn. However, there are changes you can make in your pregnancy diet to decrease the amount of heartburn you have.
Heartburn happens when the acid from your stomach leaks up into the esophagus. Heartburn is very common during pregnancy. In fact, one in four women experience heartburn during their pregnancy usually during the third trimester. During the third trimester your baby has grown a tremendous amount and your uterus has moved up and is now putting pressure on your stomach. This crowds the digestive tract and allows acids to travel back up the esophagus.
There are ways you can help prevent heartburn during pregnancy. You can start by taking your time while you eat, eat mindfully and chew thoroughly. Not only will you enjoy your food more but your stomach will not have to work as hard to digest your food. You also want to try eating early and eat at least two hours before you go to bed at night so your body has plenty of time to digest your food.
Keep your meals small. Stick with eating six small meals through out the day. Large meals fill your stomach, which adds more pressure and will increase the likelihood of heartburn. A full stomach makes it that more likely that some of the food along with stomach acid will make its way back up the esophagus.
Also, make sure you keep your fluids and solids separate. Too much fluid mixed with too much food can distend the stomach which can aggravate heartburn. You also want to eat sitting up. Don't eat while lying down, and if you are having a bed time snack make sure you are propped up by pillows.
Your weight plays a part in how much heartburn you may experience. The heavier you are, the more pressure you are placing on your esophageal sphincter. This is another reason why you should to stay within the recommended weight gain guidelines. Eating a healthy pregnancy diet can help you stay within this framework.
Be mindful of what you are eating, and you will be able to figure out what foods are causing your heartburn. Once you figure out what foods cause heartburn, you can cut them out of your pregnancy diet. Some foods you might want to steer clear of are highly seasoned spicy foods, soda, tomatoes sauce, chocolate, and some citrus. Greasy foods are also a big contributor to heartburn. Cutting out greasy, fried food is going to help with your heartburn prevention.
When all else fails, take something for your heartburn. Tums and Rolaids are perfectly safe to take during pregnancy. If you are not comfortable taking any over the counter medicines try some natural ways such as eating a handful of almonds. Almonds are a stomach settler and might help with your heartburn. Another natural remedy is a tablespoon of honey mixed with milk is a favorite for preventing heartburn. You can also try eating pickles.
Like with some pregnancy discomforts, heartburn is one that can be avoided as long as you take the steps and eat properly. Make sure to keep your pregnancy diet healthy and well rounded, filled with fresh fruits and vegetables and you will find you have less heartburn than you expected.
Many expectant mothers often overlook the role diet can play in their baby's overall health and nutrition. The popular adage "eating for two" isn't quite what is necessary, in fact, there is such a thing as gaining too much weight when it comes to pregnancy, (most physicians agree that 25-40lbs is optimum). An expectant mother should read up on prenatal health and diet and speak to her doctor about the foods she should eat, and those she should avoid to give her baby the best start in life.
A baby's time in the uterus is the most important time it can have in regards to development; it will serve for the foundation for the rest of its life. Mothers oftentimes take this very seriously and change their diets drastically to benefit their unborn baby. This should, however, not be undertaken alone. A doctor should always be consulted when changing any diet while pregnant. There are many books also available that offer mothers information and guidelines for eating healthy for baby. Some guidelines to follow are:
1) The food pyramid. While small things may shift and change over time, it is still the best guideline for the different types of food to get throughout the day.
2) Know your colors. Varying the color of your vegetables, though it may be a simple guideline, works. The colors oftentimes represent the different types of nutrients in those vegetables, so eating a colorful palette will ensure a variety of nutrients are being attained. Dark green vegetables are rich in iron and should always be on the dinner plate.
3) Small meals. Eating smaller portions more often throughout the day has proven to be much better than larger meals spread out. Overeating is a mistake often made by mothers and should be avoided.
4) No diets! In decades past doctors didn't know this was a big no-no, some even prescribed diet pills to expectant mothers! Not only will eating healthfully be best for your baby, but it is also the most healthful way for mommy to stay in shape when she's pregnant.
5) Vitamins are supplements only. All too often people think that a good vitamin can replace healthy eating. This isn't at all the case; many nutrients can be attained only through certain foods, so it's important to take prenatal vitamins regularly, and eat a healthy, balanced diet.
6) Watch the sweet stuff. If at all possible, desserts and sweets should be avoided, but in the rare instance of a bad day, sweets are permitted, but only at a minimum.
7) Water, water, water! Water helps to prevent early labor so drink up! The best way to get the amount of water needed for a healthy pregnancy is to invest in a large water bottle. Keeping it with you and sipping on it throughout the day will make it much easier to keep track of your progress.
While it may be difficult to follow a healthy eating regime, always remember that another person's health is at stake. Some specifics to follow are:
-2 servings of fruit -6 servings of water, juice, or milk -Avoid foods with fat -3 servings of vegetables -6 servings of whole grains -No sweets except as a rare treat -3 servings of proteins
Keep in mind that these are only general recommendations and no one can replace the suggestions of your doctor as every pregnancy is different and will require different things.
Both Jackie Lee & Abhishek Agarwal are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Jackie Lee has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home, Pregnancy Problems and Arts. Creating a is key to a healthy pregnancy. Learn the. Jackie Lee's top article generates over 40500 views. to your Favourites.
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