By: Arthur Cooper
Submitted: 2010-10-22 11:34:04 | Word Count: 664
Treating anything during pregnancy can present its own set of obstacles. What can be taken that won’t affect the baby? What can I do to be more comfortable and get some rest? Heartburn can be a common and bothersome problem during pregnancy and finding a solution can be daunting. However, there are several options to stave off heartburn during pregnancy.
1. Prop a few pillows under your head when sleeping. This helps keep acids out of the esophagus and in the stomach where they belong.
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2. Don’t eat right before you go to bed. Wait 2 or 3 hours before lying down after eating. Too much food in your stomach combined with lying down encourages acid into the esophagus.
3. Monitor what you eat. Certain foods can trigger heartburn consistently. Common ones can include alcohol, citrus, garlic and onions. Avoid specific foods that set your heartburn off.
4. Relax. Stress is a major producer of stomach acids. Deep breaths, yoga, counting to 10, anything that will help you de-stress can prevent heartburn.
5. Eat smaller meals more frequently. Bombarding your stomach with a large amount of food can cause pressure to build up and acid production into overdrive.
6. Eat slowly and chew thoroughly.
7. Avoid caffeinated drinks. Caffeine relaxes the muscles that control the flow of food to your stomach, which allows acid into the esophagus.
8. Drink a glass of water. It will help dilute acids and flush the stomach out.
9. Drink some milk, but in moderation. Milk can help neutralize acids, but also contains some fats that promote stomach acid production.
10. Try an apple. Some people have found heartburn relief from just one slice.
11. Chew a piece of gum. It causes you to salivate and dilutes acids in the stomach.
12. When lifting, don’t bend at the waist. Gravity is helpful in keeping stomach acids down where they belong. Bending with the knees keeps your alignment the way it should be.
13. Don’t smoke. Aside from a host of serious health problems for you and your baby, it’s shown to increase stomach acid production.
14. Avoid alcohol. Like caffeine, it relaxes the esophageal muscles, which allows acid to flow up instead of staying in the stomach.
15. Don’t wear tight fitting clothing. It can put pressure on the stomach, forcing acid into the esophagus.
16. Over the counter antacids like Tums may help, but always consult your doctor before taking any medications during pregnancy.
For more suggestions for getting rid of heartburn during pregnancy, please see our Reflux Remedy Report.
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Click here to read the rest of Cures For Heartburn. If you enjoyed this article, you also might like our other stories about GERD.
