Heartburn During Pregnancy

Heartburn pregnancy is one of the most common pregnancy symptoms women experience in the early trimester of the pregnancy. According to medical experts, this heartburn symptom, though, seemingly quite uncomfortable, is considered most common and harmless. Still, if you find this heartburn quite unbearable at times, then get some tips from this article to alleviate its discomforts.

What Causes This Heartburn

The heartburn pregnancy starts stinging from the bottom end of the breastbone to the lower throat. Mainly the drastic hormonal changes that take place in body during pregnancy are to be blamed for this discomforting heartburn symptom. The physical changes in response to the changes in hormonal flow in the body also cause your heart to tingle. There is more than one cause of heartburn in early stage of pregnancy. The placenta or the connecting tissue between mother and the fetus generates progesterone hormone to smoothen the muscle of the uterus. This hormone is secreted also to relax the valve, the organ to separate esophagus from uterus, with gastric acids. The presence of this gastric acid causes pregnant women to experience uncomfortable heartburn.

There is one more function of progesterone hormone that causes heartburn pregnancy. Due to this hormone, the digestion process slows down and the wave of contractions between esophagus and intestine slow down to create a burning sensation in your chest area. The fetus plants itself in your abdominal cavity by shoving the stomach acid towards the esophagus, which is why, pregnant women feel a bit upsetting heartburn. Now that you know what acts as the culprit behind your hurting heartburn sensation, let us find out the ways to reduce the pain.

How To Reduce Intensity Of Heartburn

As slow down of the digestion process leads to expecting mothers to experience heartburn pregnancy, hence they are advised to take care of their diet habits. Reduce consumption of foods that are enriched with spices and are over fried. Cut down on big meals. Divide big meals into several small ones and take them throughout the day. Spend more time eating, make sure you chew your food thoroughly to digest it properly. Stop drinking water during mealtime. Yes, drinking at least eight to ten glasses of water during pregnancy is mandatory to minimize heartburn pregnancy symptom, but at the intervals of meals, not during the meals itself.

There is another way you can try to stabilize your digestion process: that is by chewing gum. Take a chewing gum after eating, as it will spur the salivary glands to defuse the gastric acid that causes heartburn.

Pregnant women are advised not to eat close to their bedtime. Eat two to three hours prior to your bedtime. You may also sleep by elevating your upper body with the support of two pillows. Choose loose clothes to relieve your waist and tummy. Also join a smoking cessation program if you have a habit of smoking. According to doctors, smoking is strictly prohibited for the wellbeing of both baby and mother. Finally take care of your diet by consulting with your physician for advice on diet schedule to keep heartburn pregnancy at bay.