is a common complaint. The hormone progesterone is released as soon a woman becomes pregnant and can cause many early pregnancy symptoms which include pregnancy heartburn. Progesterone causes relaxation of the cardiac sphincter of the stomach which is the muscle between the stomach and the esophagus (food pipe). Relaxation of this muscle allows for some gastric acid and food to flow backwards and re-enter the esophagus (food pipe). Gastric acid irritates the lining of the esophagus causing a burning sensation in the center of the chest called pregnancy heartburn.
As your baby grows bigger and takes up more room in the abdominal area, the stomach itself is displaced and squashed. The growing uterus can permanently press on the cardiac sphincter of the stomach and allow gastric juices and food to constantly leak back into the esophagus (wind pipe) which may cause severe heartburn during pregnancy.
Pregnancy Heartburn remedies that can help alleviate some of your heartburn during pregnancy:
Pregnancy heartburn relief can be achieved by eating yogurt or drinking a glass of milk.
Try a tablespoon of honey in a glass of warm milk can help with pregnancy heartburn.
Eat smaller more frequent meals throughout the day rather than three large meals.
Avoid spicy, greasy, fatty foods, peppers and tomatoes produce extra gastric acid causing pregnancy heartburn.
Avoid foods that relax the cardiac sphincter of the stomach such as alcohol, peppermint, garlic, and chocolate as they can add to pregnancy heartburn.
Sleeping with extra pillows under your head to keep your stomach lower than your esophagus (food pipe) works very well to give you a better start to the day and a better nights sleep and minimize night time pregnancy heartburn.
Avoid eating for at least two hours before going to bed is also a great suggestion to minimize pain associated with night time heartburn during pregnancy.
Do not lie down after eating to prevent the food from the stomach flowing back into your esophagus causing pregnancy heartburn.
Mild over-the-counter antacids such as Mylanta or Tums may prove helpful in relieving heartburn during pregnancy.
If your symptoms are severe or accompanied by headache or swelling (especially if you are later on in pregnancy) consult with your health care provider immediately as you may have pre-eclampsia of pregnancy.
One of the most effective ways to deal with pregnancy heartburn is to try to prevent heartburn developing in the first place. The healthier you are prior pregnancy and the healthier you eat during pregnancy can have a direct correlation to the amount of pregnancy symptoms you have. Supplement with a high quality vitamins, mineral and antioxidants prior and during pregnancy will correct many misalignments within the body, and encourage the stomach to produce the right amount of gastric acid that you body needs for digestion.
Pregnancy can be an extraordinary experience for a woman. It is far more than growing a baby and dealing with issues like heartburn. Pregnancy has a huge emotional, mental, spiritual, and energetic side to it. The more you understand these aspects, the easier and less symptomatic your pregnancy will be. Learning how to connect with the emotions of your unborn child will allow you to enhance your pregnancy experience and surrender to its normal physiological process of pregnancy heartburn
The question that arises is why do some women experience heartburn while they are pregnant and other women don't?
Heartburn occurs when the digested food juices reflux back into your esophagus and throat. There is a valve that usually keeps the stomach acids in the stomach where the intestinal lining protects your body from the effects of the acid. This valve is called the lower esophageal sphincter, or LES. When the LES relaxes, the stomach acids reflux into the esophagus. This causes the lining of the esophagus, which is thin and unable to deal with the acid, to get irritated and inflamed.
With a pregnant mother heartburn does not occur only because of the digested food juices refluxing back into the esophagus and throat. The increased amounts of hormones in the body can soften the muscles that normally keep the LES closed. Thus if the LES relaxes at an inappropriate moment, then food and gastric acid reflux back into the esophagus.
There is also another reason that might contribute to pregnancy heartburn. During pregnancy a woman's body goes through many changes to accommodate the growing baby. As the baby continues to grow within the womb, there is pressure put upon the stomach. This pressure in turn may force the stomach acid to reflux through the LES into the esophagus. Thus causing pregnancy heartburn.
As there is no clear way to completely eliminate heartburn even during pregnancy, the most sensible approach to take is to minimize the discomfort that you may experience because of pregnancy heartburn. With a few simple precautions you can hold the heartburn at bay. Avoiding certain foods that are known to trigger heartburn can greatly reduce the chances of heartburn.
Avoid drinks containing coffee, tea, colas and alcohol as these can relax the LES and allow acid to reflux back into the esophagus. Also don't eat large meals. Instead eat several small meals throughout the day. Take your time eating, rushing through meals helps put unwanted pressure upon the LES. You also need to drink plenty of water in small amounts throughout the day.
When you go to sleep at night, keep your head elevated higher than your body. This position will keep your stomach contents in your stomach where they belong and not in the esophagus where they will cause pregnancy heartburn. During the day you should sit upright in a comfortable chair rather than slouching.
Gain a sensible amount of weight and stay within the weight guidelines your doctor suggests. Being pregnant does not mean suffering unduly because of heartburn, rather you can think of it as a change in your lifestyle. A change for a miracle of life, not for pregnancy heartburn.
Both Hannah Bajor, C.n.m.,m.s.n. & Krishan Bakhru 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.