There are many women who suddenly develop uncomfortable heartburn symptoms while they're pregnant. One of the causes of this is the raised hormonal levels that are due to pregnancy. This causes softening of the ligaments that are responsible for regulating the passageway that leads from the stomach to the esophagus. Therefore, stomach acids are largely unhindered in travelling up to the throat and esophagus.
Another contributor to heartburn during pregnancy is the added pressure that the developing baby places on the stomach area. Often that can cause the stomach acids to climb up to the esophagus.
There are lots of options when it comes to easing the distress of heartburn during pregnancy. The following tips should give you some guidance in your search for heartburn relief.
Stay away from foods that are known to cause heartburn. Included in this list are spicy foods, tomato products, chocolate, fried and fatty foods, and citrus.
Don't drink beverages that are high in caffeine like tea, coffee and cola.
Keep away from alcohol. It's harmful to your baby and is also a contributor to heartburn.
Eat smaller meals. Having several mini meals throughout the day will keep the pressure off your stomach.
Eat slowly.
Don't go to sleep for at least three hours following a meal. This will help you avoid nighttime heartburn.
Drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water a day. But be careful that you don't drink while eating if you can possibly avoid it. This leads to excess stomach expansion which helps to push out the gastric acids in your stomach.
While sleeping keep your head elevated approximately six to eight inches. You might find a wedge shaped pillow to be helpful. This gives gravity some help in keeping your stomach acids from climbing the esophagus.
Avoid restrictive clothing. Restricting the abdominal area will often lead to heartburn.
Bend at the knees, not at the waist. This keeps pressure off the stomach.
Watch your posture. Sit erect in a comfortable chair.
Keep weight gain to healthy levels. Too much extra weight puts more stress on your stomach.
Stop smoking. Not only is it unhealthy for your baby, it contributes to heartburn symptoms.
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