Eating To Prevent Pregnancy Heartburn
Tips to help prevent pregnancy heartburn.
Heartburn does not just affect those who are high stressed or love their spicy foods. Pregnant women suffer from heartburn too. You will find as your pregnancy progresses that antacids tend to become your best friend. Heartburn has nothing to do with your heart.
It is when the acid from your stomach leaks up into the esophagus. Heartburn is very common during pregnancy. In fact one in four women experience pregnancy heartburn usually during the third trimester. The reason is that your baby has grown a tremendous amount and your uterus has moved up and is now putting pressure on your stomach. This crowds the digestive tract and allows acids to travel back up the esophagus. There is an old wives tale that if you have bad heartburn, your baby will have a lot of hair. Of course there is no proof in this but it is a fun thing to believe in.
There are ways you can help prevent pregnancy heartburn. You can start by taking your time while you eat. Not only will you enjoy your food better but your stomach will not have to work as hard to digest your food. You also want to try eating early and eat at least two hours before you go to bed that night so your body has plenty of time to digest your food.
Keep your meals small. Stick with eating six small meals through out the day. Large meals tend to fill up your stomach which is already extra full thanks to your uterus. A full stomach makes it that more likely that some of the food along with stomach acid will make its way back up the esophagus.
Also, make sure you keep your fluids and solids separate. Too much fluid mixed with too much food can distend the stomach which can aggravate heartburn. You also want to eat sitting up. Don't eat while lying down, and if you are having a bed time snack make sure you are propped up by pillows.
Your weight plays a part in how much pregnancy heartburn you may experience. The heavier you are, the more pressure you are placing on your esophageal sphincter. This is another reason why you should not gain too much more than the recommended amount.
Find out what foods cause your heartburn. Once you work out what foods cause heartburn, you can cut them out of your diet. Some foods you might want to avoid are highly seasoned spicy foods, soda, tomatoe sauce, chocolate, and some citrus. Greasy foods are also a big contributor to heartburn. Cutting out greasy, fried food is going to help with your heartburn prevention.
When all else fails, take something for your heartburn. Check with your pharmacist as to what is safe to take during pregnancy. If you are not comfortable taking any over the counter medicines try some natural ways such as eating a handful of almonds. Almonds are a stomach settler and might help with your heartburn. Another natural remedy is a tablespoon of honey mixed with milk and is a favorite for preventing heartburn.
Like with some pregnancy discomforts, heartburn is one that can be avoided as long as you take the steps and eat properly. Even without suffering from a lot of heartburn, your baby still could be born with a full head of hair.
by: Lynley Lee
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