Avoiding Heartburn During Pregnancy
During pregnancy, common everyday ailments tend to feel worse, especially during the first and third trimesters. Heartburn is no different. Heartburn is a common ailment, and during pregnancy it tends to surface even more. Most women experience heartburn in pregnancy at some point during their nine-month journey. However, some can be affected worse than others. Fret not -- there are things you can do to limit the severity of heartburn in pregnancy.
During the third trimester the baby grows big enough to put pressure on your stomach. This causes the acid in the stomach to reflux. This can be easily avoided, however. Avoiding binging and large meals will keep acid reflux at bay. Keep the meal portions small. Instead of eating three large meals, try to eat five or six smaller meals spread throughout the day.
Your sleeping position can also cause acid to reflux. Sleep with your head and torso elevate so the food remains down in your stomach. You can keep comfortable by putting a pillow under your head and back. Also, don't go to bed within two hours of eating. Wait at least two hours before lying down so you've had some time to digest the food, as a general rule, go to bed two to three hours after you eat to mitigate heartburn in pregnancy.
Watching your posture can help keep heartburn from occurring. Putting pressure on your stomach can cause heartburn in pregnancy. When you sit, do so in an upright position to keep the pressure off your stomach. When you stand or walk, keep your posture erect for the same reason. A less common way to alleviate heartburn is to wear loose clothing. This will also ease the pressure in your stomach, tight clothing puts unnecessary strain on your stomach and can give the acid an easier time coming back up, causing heartburn in pregnancy.
Perhaps the best way to avoid heartburn all together is to stay away from foods that are known to cause heartburn. For obvious reasons, alcohol should be avoided at all costs during pregnancy. Also on the restricted list are chocolate, citrus fruits, tomato-based food, soft drinks, coffee, and acidic juices.
Sipping water throughout your daily activities as opposed to chugging it occasionally can also help. Avoid fried food, food rich in fat, and vinegar as well. Large quantities of water can actually increase heartburn in pregnancy, by eliminating these foods from your daily diet, you can alleviate heartburn in pregnancy.
Find out more about pregnancy at Pregnancy Information
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