Pregnancy
and Heartburn

Becoming pregnant is one of the main highlights in woman's life. This is usually the time when she is in high spirits and is being extra pampered by the family. However, there are some things that can cause pain and discomfort and one of these is heartburn with pregnancy.

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Heartburn with pregnancy does not occur to all expecting mothers. There are some lucky ones who do not experience this. For those who do suffer from it, heartburn usually occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter or LES relaxes. When the LES relaxes, the juices of the digested food or stomach acids travel back to the throat and esophagus, which would then cause inflammation and irritation of its lining.

On the other hand, heartburn pregnancy does not only happen because of the stomach acids traveling back into the throat and esophagus. Oftentimes, heartburn during pregnancy occurs because of the increased number of hormones produced in the body that helps soften the muscles that keep the LES closed. That is why if the LES relaxes in an unexpected moment, the stomach acids would travel back into the esophagus; thus, heartburn occurs.

Another reason as to why heartburn happens during pregnancy is that an expecting mother's body usually goes through many changes so as to accommodate the growing baby. Since the baby is continuously growing inside the womb, a pressure is put upon the stomach. As a result, the stomach acid may be forced to travel back into the esophagus through the LES.

There is really no clear cut way to avoid heartburn with pregnancy. However, there is a way to minimize the discomfort that an expecting mother may experience. Below are some of the tips that can help reduce the discomfort.

1. Instead of wearing tight-fitting clothes, go for loose-fitting clothes. This is because tightly fit clothes put some pressure on the abdomen and the lower esophageal sphincter.

2. Stay away from food that is too greasy or spicy like tomato sauce, caffeine, peppermint, chocolate, citrus fruits and carbonated drinks. Also, make sure not to eat late at night or before going to bed.

3. After eating, avoid lying down directly. This is because when you lie down, food and stomach acids can easily go back up into the esophagus. That is why make sure to wait at least 3 hours before going to bed or lying down to rest.

4. Do not overfill the stomach. Therefore, eat smaller meals.

5. If the expecting mother smokes or drinks alcohol, she should definitely avoid it during pregnancy as this can greatly help reduce the acid reflux symptoms as well as help protect the fetus from harmful substances.

6. Lastly, when lying down, raise the head of the bed from 4 to 6 inches. This is because with an elevated bed head, acid reflux can be reduced by decreasing the amount of stomach acids that go to the lower esophagus.

7. OK. That wasn't lastly. This is. Before you decide to take any medicine for heartburn while you're pregnant be sure to talk it over with your doctor to make sure it's safe for your baby.

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