Heartburn During Pregnancy
Acid Reflux

Pregnancy is a blessing and a miracle, but there will be times when you feel neither blessed nor miraculous. During pregnancy you are most likely to be struck by either intense heartburn, nausea or both.

What is heartburn?

If you have not suffered from heartburn before, this pregnancy will be your first time, so be prepared to take some antacids, but of course, always prescribed by your doctor.

Heartburn normally starts in the second trimester of pregnancy. In some pregnant moms heartburn may start even in the first trimester as their first symptoms of pregnancy.

What causes heartburn during pregnancy?

Progesterone helps relax the smooth muscles of the uterus so they can expand and make room for your baby. Similarly, progesterone also causes your esophageal muscles to relax, which allows gastric acids to seep up into the back of your throat, and there is where the heartburn in pregnancy begins.

Another cause of heartburn in late pregnancy is because your stomach is compressed due to the growth of the uterus. There is less space in your stomach which causes the stomach contents back up into the esophagus.

Apparently my progesterone level was very high and it began to relax my muscles, causing a terrible heartburn until the end of my pregnancy.

The last month of pregnancy was the most devastating to me. Fortunately my doctor was always taking care of my health and giving me medicine to reduce this discomfort.

If heartburn was an issue for you during your 9 months click here to share with us your own experience, what did you do to avoid heartburn while pregnant? Share with visitors to this page!

What can I do to prevent or reduce heartburn during pregnancy?

Here you have some tips that will help reduce this discomfort:

• Avoid drinking large amounts of liquid with meals, instead, spread fluid intake throughout the day.
• Remain sitting upright for at least 30 minutes after a meal and sleep with and extra pillow at night to keep the head elevated. Do not go to bed with a full stomach.
• Don’t bend at the waist; always bend at the knees, maintaining a more upright abdominal posture.
• Try lying on your right side and using relaxation techniques to calm your stomach and promote digestion.
• Take antacids containing low sodium just before meals; Medication will definitely reduce heartburn during pregnancy. Check with your doctor for brand preferences.
• Avoid foods that can further relax the esophagus such as alcohol, peppermint, garlic, and chocolate.
• Avoid foods that irritate the stomach such as peppers, tomatoes and tomato products, carbonated beverages, and spicy foods.

Do not treat yourself or take the typical antacid that you used to take before pregnancy. Your doctor is the only one that has to recommend you the most appropriate antacid to take care of your health and your baby.

My recommended diet plan to reduce heartburn during pregnancy is:

There are foods that can aggravate the symptoms of heartburn during pregnancy, so you should completely avoid these foods and drinks that result in acid reflux.

What you must avoid completely is:

Avoid high fat content or spicy foods, junk foods and foods with lots of refined sugars. Avoid citrus fruits such as oranges and grapefruit. Avoid fatty meat, such as, sausage and bacon and refrain from using all animal or vegetable oils while cooking.

A strict no for any acid reflux diet, is the intake of beverages like alcohol, coffee, carbonated beverages, tea and mint tea. Unfortunately chocolate seems to have made its way into the acid reflux - foods to avoid list.

See also the following early pregnancy symptoms:

Missed Period | Irregular Menstruation | fatigue-during-pregnancy | Frequent Urination | Breast Tenderness | Morning Sickness | Cramping | Constipation

So do you have a...

Have A Story About Heartburn During Pregnancy?
Write About It Here!

Would you like to tell us how you dealt with the heartburn in your pregnancy, ask a question or simply make a comment? Share it with us!

What Other Visitors Have Said

Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...