Slippery Elm Bark And Marshmallow Root
Some mamas find relief from mucilaginous herbs like slippery elm bark and marshmallow root. Due to their gummy consistency, they coat the intestines and soothe digestion. Be sure to use under the guidance of a healthcare practitioner and away from food and supplementsthey can interfere with nutrient absorption.
Avoid Foods That Trigger Heartburn
This is very important and as such needs to be emphasized more. Having the right food in the right manner is as important as not having those foods that you know by now that trigger your heartburn. If you dont know yet, identify such foods that intensify your heartburn. These foods can be such that you never felt uneasy with when you were not pregnant. Keep a watch on your heartburn after eating any food and second time you get heartburn after having a food, banish it from your diet. While such trigger foods differ for each person, there are certain foods that usually lead to heartburn. Here is a list of such foods.
- Acidic foods like citrus fruits including such veggies as tomatoes
- Fried foods and spicy foods
- Chocolates
Ginger To Get Rid Of Heartburn When Pregnant
Many pregnant women find ginger soothing when it comes to curing heartburn. It is, in fact, a folk remedy used in many countries, though in different forms to get rid of heartburn. Ayurveda and Chinese medicine, for example, use ginger a lot not only to treat heartburn for also to fight off nausea and vomiting that too are a concern for a pregnant woman along with heartburn.
Ways to have Ginger for Heartburn
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How Can Heartburn During Pregnancy Be Prevented
You can take steps to reduce heartburn symptoms without hurting your baby.
Dietary changes:
- Eat several small meals throughout the day instead of three large ones.
- Eat slowly.
- Drink between your meals, but not with meals.
- Avoid fried, spicy or fatty foods.
- Avoid citrus fruits and juices.
- Limit caffeine.
- Dont smoke and avoid alcohol. Besides causing heartburn, smoking and drinking during pregnancy can cause health problems for the baby.
Other tips to avoid heartburn during pregnancy:
- Sit up straight when you eat.
- Dont eat late at night.
- Dont lie down right after eating.
- Keep the head of your bed higher than the foot of the bed. Or try placing pillows under your shoulders. Doing so helps prevent stomach acids from rising into your chest.
Causes Of Heartburn During Pregnancy
When does heartburn start in pregnancy?
Many starts to feel it at the beginning of the first trimester.
However, some see heartburn as a symptom of pregnancy.
Acid reflux during pregnancy third trimester is also quite a common phenomenon.
Here are the causes of heartburn in pregnancy listed down below:
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Foods That Wont Cause Heartburn During Pregnancy
While you should avoid spicy, greasy or fatty foods which trigger heartburn and other gastrointestinal issues, there are fluids and food that wont cause heartburn during pregnancy.
Liquid foods, especially, are less likely to cause problems than solids meals since they pass through your stomach much faster.
Smoothies, milkshakes, soups, puddings, yogurt, milk, and protein shakes, are excellent choices that prevent or get rid of heartburn during pregnancy fast. Other foods that calm heartburn include almonds and pop papaya. Even when you decide to take solid foods, chew more slowly and very well until they become almost liquefied.
Best Ways To Get Rid Of Heartburn When Pregnant
While we can always adopt one or more home remedies for heartburn during normal conditions, a pregnant woman has to be much more careful while dealing with her acid reflux problem. However, there are certain ways through which she can get rid of heartburn easily and without any harm to herself and her unborn child. These include some safe home remedies for heartburn too but the best way is to bring some lifestyle changes for those few pregnancy months regarding your food habits, as well as sleeping and moving habits.
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When Should I Talk To My Doctor
If you have heartburn that often wakes you up at night, returns as soon as your antacid wears off, or creates other symptoms , you may have a more serious problem that requires attention.
Your doctor may diagnose you with GERD. This means that your heartburn needs to be controlled to protect you from complications such as damage to the esophagus.
Your doctor may prescribe certain acid-reducing medications to reduce your symptoms. Research indicates that medications called H2 blockers, which help block the production of acid, appear to be safe.
Another type of medication, called proton pump inhibitors, is used for people with heartburn that doesnt respond to other treatments.
If youre concerned about the effects of medications, be sure to talk to your doctor. Doctors can help you control your symptoms while keeping your unborn child safe.
How To Ease Heartburn During Pregnancy
Before you despair, there are a number of simple and gentle lifestyle and dietary changes you can make, to help ease your heartburn symptoms.
Portion sizes and pregnancy heartburn
Eating large portions at mealtimes can play havoc with your digestive system at the best of times, let alone when youre pregnant and have a baby squishing your insides, too. Cockburn suggests that eating little and often is the key.
Ditching the breakfast, lunch and dinner routine and instead eating more regular small, healthy meals throughout the day can often ease symptoms, she says. Its also important to remember to sit up straight while eating, to reduce pressure on the stomach.
Pregnancy heartburn culprit foods
When it comes to heartburn, there are a few classic culprit foods that you may want to consider cutting out of your diet, to help alleviate symptoms.
Classic culprits include citrus fruits, tomatoes, chocolate, fatty and spicy foods, as well as onions and garlic, explains Dr Geetha Venkat, from The Harley Street Clinic. What you drink also needs to be examined. We would suggest you steer clear of tea and coffee -including decaf, as well as fizzy drinks and alcohol.
Keep a pregnancy heartburn food diary
If youve tried cutting out the more obvious culprits above, but are still suffering with heartburn, it may be worth noting down what you are eating and drinking at each meal, to see if you can see any correlation between certain meal ingredients and your symptoms.
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Vinegar To Cure Heartburn
Vinegar has long been used to get rid of heartburn. Although there is no medical proof of vinegar being a remedy for heartburn, people who use it swear by its efficacy. You too can use vinegar- white or apple cider vinegar- to treat your heartburn but only after diluting it with water. It may or may not give you the required relief from acid reflux but you can know that only after experimenting with it at least once.
Get this:
- Add the vinegar to your glass of water and mix well.
- Now have this water.
- You may have it 2-3 times a day if you dont notice any discomfort.
- Take it before meals or before bedtime if you cant sleep due to heartburn at night.
Warning: Never use vinegar undiluted. When done so, vinegars acidity may cause damage not only to your esophagus but also to your tooth enamel. Always dilute the vinegar with water before consuming it and wash your mouth with clean water after having it to protect your tooth enamel. If you are not comfortable after having diluted vinegar, immediately stop having it.
How Can I Prevent Heartburn During Pregnancy
They say prevention is the best medicine, so knowing common heartburn triggers can help you keep the acid at bay.
Of course, pregnancy itself is a major trigger for heartburn. As your growing uterus puts pressure on your stomach, this pushes stomach acid up your throat.
Those lovely hormones are no help either. They tend to relax the valve between your stomach and esophagus, which makes it easier for acid to make its way upward.
While theres nothing you can do to stop this entirely, there are a few things that can help prevent heartburn from flaring up during pregnancy:
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Was It Something I Ate
You expected the swollen ankles, the morning sickness, and the burgeoning breasts. But this burning indigestion? Whered that come from?
As the name implies, heartburn feels like a fiery churning that starts behind your breastbone and travels up your esophagus, a tube connecting your throat to your stomach. These acids can even make it all the way up your throat.
In addition to feeling a burning sensation which can last several minutes to several hours you may also:
- feel bloated
- have a sour taste in your mouth
- have a sore throat
- cough frequently
While the burrito you ate for dinner probably didnt help matters , the burning feeling you have has more to do with hormones than jalapenos.
45 percent of moms-to-be experience heartburn. And if you had heartburn before pregnancy, youre even more likely to have it during.
Heartburn can fire up, so to speak, at any point in pregnancy, but its most common during the second and third trimesters. Experts arent exactly sure what causes the smoldering, but they suspect its a three-pronged problem.
Pregnancy Itself Ups Your Risk Of Heartburn
Normally, there are certain factors like your weight, whether you smoke, and your genes that can increase your likelihood of heartburn. But when you’re pregnant, it’s the pregnancy itself that makes you more susceptible.
“There are two main factors,” says Renee Wellenstein, DO, who is a double board-certified OB-GYN. One that’s hormonal and one that’s physical.
Heartburn is caused by acid reflux, when food and digestive fluids, which contain acids, back up in your esophagus and create that uncomfortable burn. That backup can happen when you’re pregnant because you have higher-than-usual progesterone levels, which can one slow digestion and two relax the muscle, called the esophageal sphincter, that separates your esophagus and stomach.
Combined, these two factors create the perfect storm for heartburn because the slow digestion can lead to more backup in your esophagus and the relaxed muscle makes it easier for acid to creep through.
“The other factor is the growing uterus that physically pushes up on the stomach as it grows,” says Wellenstein.
As a result, heartburn does tend to get worse throughout pregnancy. Fortunately, all those changes to your body that cause heartburn during pregnancy quickly disappear after you give birth. So, at least that’s something you can look forward to leaving behind at the hospital when you bring your newborn home.
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What Causes Heartburn During Pregnancy
During normal digestion, food travels down the esophagus , through a muscular valve called the lower esophageal sphincter , and into the stomach.
The LES is part of the doorway between your esophagus and your stomach. It opens to allow food through and closes to stop stomach acids from coming back up.
When you have heartburn, or acid reflux, the LES relaxes enough to allow stomach acid to rise up into the esophagus. This can cause pain and burning in the chest area.
During pregnancy, hormone changes can allow the muscles in the esophagus, including the LES, to relax more frequently. The result is that more acids may seep back up, particularly when youre lying down or after youve eaten a large meal.
In addition, as your fetus grows during the second and third trimesters and your uterus expands to accommodate that growth, your stomach is under more pressure. This can also result in food and acid being pushed back up into your esophagus.
Heartburn is a common occurrence for most people at one time or another, but it doesnt necessarily mean youre pregnant. However, if you also experience other symptoms, such as a missed period or nausea, these could be signs that you need to take a pregnancy test.
Home Remedies For Heartburn
Tags: Digestive Health & Disorders ,
That unpleasant feeling of your last meal coming back into your throat. That uncomfortable, even painful, burning sensation in your chest. Heartburn has returned.
Heartburn is the feeling you get when the contents of your stomach back up into the esophagus toward the mouth. Its common to experience it from time to time.
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Is There A Remedy For Heartburn During Pregnancy
Im in my second trimester. No matter what I eat, I get heartburn. Is this normal? If so, what can I do to feel better?Cari
Heartburn which, despite its name, has nothing to do with the heart is a common pregnancy complaint.
Many pregnant women experience a burning sensation in the throat and chest when the stomach contents move back up into the esophagus . This may be because hormones cause the valve at the entrance to the stomach to relax so that it doesnt close properly, allowing acidic stomach contents to move upward into the esophagus, a condition known as gastroesophageal reflux , or acid reflux. It can get worse later in the pregnancy when the growing uterus presses upward on the stomach.
To help minimize the discomfort of heartburn:
- Steer clear of certain foods and drinks that can make it worse citrus spicy, fatty foods caffeine and carbonated drinks.
- Eat several small meals throughout the day.
- Take your time when eating.
- Drink fluids between not during meals.
- Avoid eating or drinking for 3 hours before bedtime.
- Resist the urge to lie down after meals.
- Elevate your head when sleeping.
- Talk to your doctor about medications that can safely be taken for heartburn during pregnancy.
Reviewed by: Elana Pearl Ben-Joseph, MDDate reviewed: April 2014
Note: All information on KidsHealth is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.
Melon For Heartburn Relief
Melon has a pH of 6.1 and therefore it can be counted as one of the good foods for heartburn. Some people, however, may not respond well to melon and need to avoid it. So you can have some melon pieces every day or make a smoothie with melon and other ingredients that are also good to cure heartburn. Here is one recipe for a melon smoothie that also uses almond milk, cantaloupe, watermelon, ginger and banana. Almonds are also said to be a great remedy for heartburn as they neutralize stomach acid. While you can always snack on almonds, adding a few of them in this smoothie will not only make it tasty but will increase its efficacy in combating heartburn.
Make Melon Smoothie to Prevent Heartburn
Get this:
- Fresh ginger root- 1 inch piece
Do this:
- Place all the above ingredients in your blender and blend them together.
- Have this every morning if you have a consistent problem of heartburn.
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What Lifestyle Changes Help Heartburn
The best way to avoid heartburn discomfort is to prevent it. These lifestyle changes can make a big difference:
- Avoid trigger foods: Foods that promote heartburn include fried and fatty foods, caffeine, chocolate, spicy foods and carbonated beverages.
- Lose weight: Being overweight increases the likelihood that youll experience heartburn.
- Avoid eating late at night: Try to eat three hours before going to bed. At a minimum, you should wait at least one hour after eating.
- Elevate the bed: Physically lift the head of your bed about six to eight inches so youre sleeping on an incline. If thats not possible, use a wedge pillow for lift.
- Avoid alcohol and tobacco: These substances increase the chances of heartburn attacks.
- Wear looser clothing: Tight clothing can put pressure on your digestive system.
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Heartburn And Indigestion In Pregnancy
Heartburn causes a burning feeling in the chest or throat. Its uncomfortable, but is not usually harmful to pregnant women or their babies.
8 out of 10 pregnant women experience heartburn. You’re most likely to get heartburn in the third trimester of your pregnancy.
The symptoms of heartburn include:
- a burning feeling in your chest or throat
- acid coming up into your mouth
- feeling sick
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How To Relieve Heartburn During Pregnancy
Heartburn often appears during the second trimester, and it can get worse as your belly grows. Learn more about what causes heartburn during pregnancy, with five expert tips for relieving the pain.
Like the name implies, heartburn is a burning sensation in your chest but it has nothing to do with your heart. It happens when the lower esophageal sphincter , a muscle responsible for keeping stomach contents in their place, begins to relax or leak. This allows stomach acids to flow upward into the esophagus, explains Suzanne Trupin, M.D., CEO of Women’s Health Practice of Champaign, Ill.
Unfortunately, “most women will experience some acid reflux , especially in the second half of their pregnancy,” says Shari Brasner, M.D., assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, in New York City. The uncomfortable sensation tends to get worse as your baby grows.
Heartburn usually appears after meals or at bedtime, and it can range from uncomfortable to agonizing. Understanding the causes and prevention strategies can provide relief to expectant moms. Heres what you need to know about heartburn in pregnancy.