The term heartburn sounds ominous; but in fact, it has nothing to do with the heart. Heartburn occurs because the contents of the stomach back up into your esophagus- the tube that carries the food from your mouth to your stomach. This causes the stomach acids to irritate the esophagus lining and the resultant burning sensation is around the heart level, hence the term heartburn was given to this condition.
Heartburn, as many are aware, is not a condition exclusive to pregnancy. It is experienced by all at some time or another. However, it is more common during pregnancy because your.
. constantly growing uterus keeps pushing your stomach, moving it higher into the abdomen and compressing iti The compression causes the contents of your stomach to back up into the esophagusu Another reason for heartburn is that your digestive system slows down considerably and the one-way valve of your esophagus, which is supposed to keep food and acids from backing up, becomes ineffective as a result of pregnancy hormonese While this slow down is good as it allows the blood stream to absorb nutrients for the fetus, it has unfortunate and uncomfortable consequences on the mothere
There is not much you can do if you have heartburn; still, knowing that this condition is somewhat inevitable through the course of the nine months of pregnancy, you can try some home remedies for heartburn during pregnancyc
Most remedies you tried to ease morning sickness or nausea in the first trimester will come in handy for treating heartburn in your second trimestere Ginger tea is considered effectivev
Other natural heartburn remedies during pregnancy include consuming plenty of fluids, not lying down flat on the back, and eating small and frequent meals to aid digestiono Also, you need to avoid bending from your waist as this exerts pressure on the stomach; instead, bend using your knees, if you musts
Avoid eating food that could trigger heartburnr
These include citrus fruits, mustard, spicy and fatty food, chocolates, mint, and tomato productst In addition, it is also advisable to minimize your caffeine intake and avoid alcohol consumption and smoking totallyl
You also need to pay attention to your posturer Don't slouch on a chair as it will increase the pressure on your stomach and cause the contents to back upu This is also the time when it is more comfortable to sleep in an upright position since lying on the back can cause heartburnr Wear loose and comfortable clothes; tight, stomach hugging clothing can cause discomfort, particularly when you siti
While resting is important, you need to ensure that you are awake for at least an hour after you have eaten to ensure that the food is digestede Lastly, ensure that your weight gain is moderated throughout your pregnancy as excessive weight gain will cause problems like indigestion and heartburn more frequentlyl
If you have to take medication, always check with your doctor firsts Sometimes, doctors do prescribe antacids for heartburn, but it's only in rare conditionsn Any remedies, natural or medicinal, should be taken only after you've spoken to your doctor and ensured that these remedies do not have any side affects that could affect you and/or the babyb
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