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Heartburn in Pregnancy
Heartburn in pregnancy is a common problem. 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.
The most common time to get heartburn is during the first and last
trimester. In the last trimester, the baby is putting more pressure
on your stomach and causes food to reflux. One way to help prevent
heartburn in pregnancy is to eat smaller portions. Eating smaller
meals throughout the day instead of three big meals will help your
stomach digest the food with greater ease, and will help minimize
reflux. Also, taking your time to eat meals and chewing your food
completely will help with heartburn in pregnancy.
Another way to alleviate heartburn in pregnancy is to sleep with
your head and body elevated. Giving your top half some elevation
when you sleep will allow gravity to keep the acid in your stomach.
Using a pillow under your back and head can also help keep you
comfortable and bring a better night's sleep. Also, do not go to bed
immediately following a meal. Give your food time to digest before
you lie down. As a general rule, go to bed two to three hours after
you eat to mitigate heartburn in pregnancy.
Putting pressure on your stomach can cause heartburn in pregnancy.
Having good posture can help ease heartburn in pregnancy. Try
sitting upright in your chair. When you stand, standing up straight
will help with the reflux. Bending at your knees instead of your
waist will help reduce the pressure on your stomach. Another thing
you can do is wear loose clothing. Tight clothing puts unnecessary
strain on your stomach and can give the acid an easier time coming
back up, causing heartburn in pregnancy.
The easiest way to avoid heartburn in pregnancy is to avoid the
foods that cause heartburn. Soda, coffee, juice, and alcohol are
some of the drinks to avoid. Also, sipping water throughout the day
instead of chugging water at meal times will help. Large quantities
of water can actually increase heartburn in pregnancy. Tomato-based
foods, citrus fruits, and chocolates can cause heartburn in
pregnancy as well. Fried foods, fatty foods, mustard, and vinegar
can cause heartburn in pregnancy. By eliminating these foods from
your daily diet, you can alleviate heartburn in pregnancy.
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