Why Pregnancy can Cause Severe Heartburn

When a woman is pregnant a variety of changes will occur t her body. The difficulties faced with such issues as acid reflux can prevent the pregnancy from being enjoyed during this exiting time. There is an old wives tale that pregnant women with acid reflux means the child will be born with a full head of hair. However with resultant changes in hormone levels within the body during pregnancy the truth is this is what causes more acid reflux.

A woman can produce more stomach acid due to these hormonal changes. One problem that occurs during pregnancy is that more food is often eaten and this in turn helps produce even more acid. The combination of them can result in some of the acid moving up into the esophagus. Having to deal with acid reflux is a thing nearly 1/4 of pregnant woman fight every day. Concentrating on daily activities and being able to get a good nights sleep is a problem under these circumstances.

Pressure on the stomach gets worse later in the pregnancy. To much pressure allows more acid into the esophagus causing even worse acid reflux. That is why the majority of pregnant women find that they suffer from acid reflux during the last few months of it. Effective treatment for pregnant mothers is limited due to anything consumed can affect the baby. Most types of prescription medications for acid reflux won’t be a good idea.

It is possible to take antacids to treat mild cases of acid reflux during pregnancy. There has been extensive research which shows no harm to the baby. Pregnant women do need to be careful though as they contain large amounts of sodium. As a result legs and ankles can swell from retained fluid.

Every woman wants her baby to be as healthy as possible and that is understandable. Trying to alleviate acid reflux using natural remedies is important during pregnancy. Acid reflux can be brought on by consuming certain fruits but eating fresh fruit is still important. Those that contain large amounts of acid should be avoided. Grapefruit, oranges, and lemons come under this category.

For better digestion eating smaller meals about six times per day is better. Your body will be able to digest these smaller meals easier than large ones. You should stay hydrated throughout the day by consuming plenty of water. The body will digest foods easier if taken with liquids. Eating late at night before bed time can result in acid reflux throughout the night so try to avoid it.

Elevate your head and shoulders when you sleep as well. When you rest during the day or at night in bed this will help stop the acid from entering the esophagus. Specially designed wedge pillows are available but you can change the elevation by stacking more pillows. One good idea is to have the head of the bed elevated using a board or some bricks. Adding a couple of inches to the beds elevation can make a great difference.

Try to lay on your left side too as this will help to get the acid reduced in your stomach. When you lie on your right side or your back it is going to increase. It may not always be comfortable during a pregnancy to lie on your left side but do your very best to get into that routine. It will certainly help you to avoid suffering from acid reflux.

Following such guidelines will help you offset acid reflux during pregnancy. This is a great time for a mom so keep those negative aspects of it away. Resting now is very important because you may not get the chance of sleep after the baby is born. If you continue to suffer from acid reflux on a regular basis during your pregnancy make sure you share this information with your doctor. Severe heartburn can cause damage to the esophagus lining which in turn needs more treatment which can be alleviated by your doctor.