How to get rid of heartburn during pregnancy
Heartburn quite often accompanies pregnancy, especially in the later stages. This is a very unpleasant feeling, which sometimes prevents you from falling asleep and even causes nausea. You can get rid of heartburn by using alternative methods or medicines.
Why does heartburn occur during pregnancy?
Heartburn is a strong burning sensation in the throat and behind the sternum. This sensation lasts from several minutes to several hours. As a rule, it occurs after eating.
Here are the reasons why pregnant women get heartburn:
- In the first trimester, the reason is the effect of the hormone progesterone. Progesterone is important for maintaining pregnancy, it relaxes smooth muscles, while the muscle sphincter separates the esophagus and stomach. Part of the gastric juice enters the esophagus and causes discomfort.
- Due to hormonal surges, the acidity of the gastric juice rises sharply.
- In the third trimester, the effect of progesterone is weakened, but a significantly enlarged uterus displaces internal organs, and gastric juice, along with part of the contents of the stomach, involuntarily enters the esophagus. This is especially easy if the woman leans forward sharply.
- Changed hormone levels slow down digestion. Food is digested longer if it was too fat and heavy, stagnation occurs, which provokes the occurrence of unpleasant sensations.
Heartburn and pregnancy are related, because when a child is born, all body systems feel the effects of hormone fluctuations. This also applies to the gastrointestinal tract.
At risk are women who prefer fatty, spicy, spicy foods.
How to quickly get rid of heartburn during pregnancy?
First of all, you need to inform your doctor about it. Heartburn is not only provoked by an interesting situation, it also serves as a symptom of serious diseases of internal organs – stomach ulcers, duodenal ulcers. Therefore, the doctor can decide on the need for examination.
Medicines belonging to the antacid group are also prescribed. They neutralize the activity of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, all unpleasant symptoms disappear. The effect of the drug lasts several hours. Antacids do not have a harmful effect on the fetus, however, it is better to entrust the choice of a specific remedy to a doctor.
If you tormented heartburn during pregnancy, and the tablets were not at hand, you can help yourself with folk remedies:
- Drink milk during the day;
- Take once a day 150 grams of chamomile or ginger tea, tea with fennel;
- Raw carrots relieve symptoms well. Two medium-sized carrots need to be grated and eaten slowly.
The people recommend combating heartburn with baking soda. A pinch is dissolved in a small amount of warm water and drunk. This method relieves symptoms well in a very short time, but should be used with great care. When soda reacts with gastric juice, carbon dioxide is formed. It provokes an even greater increase in the acidity of the gastric juice and a vicious circle appears.
Of great importance is the diet. It is necessary to avoid fatty, spicy foods, salinity, a variety of pickles. Heartburn is provoked by food fried in oil, chocolate, and products from wheat flour. Sour fruits and berries are excluded.
It is necessary to include dairy products in the diet – cottage cheese, sour cream, kefir, yogurt. You can eat lean meat and fish, boiled vegetables. White bread is better to eat in a slightly dried form.
It matters and diet. Eat should be in small portions, 5-6 times a day, you can not overeat in any case. Dinner should be light, it is not recommended to eat 3-4 hours before bedtime. You should not go to rest immediately after lunch or dinner. When the body takes a horizontal position, it is much easier for the gastric juice to enter the esophagus.
Also, pregnant women should wear loose clothing that does not constrain the body at the waist. It is important to monitor your posture. If a woman is slouching, her internal organs are compressed even more. After eating, it is useful to chew chewing gum for 5-10 minutes.
Usually, adjusting your diet and daily routine minimizes unpleasant symptoms.