by Burt Amadio

How important is heartburn relief during pregnancy? Well, it is very important to all women who are going through this painful condition right now! The burning pain women experience is because of the pressure exerted by the growing uterus on the stomach. In this article, you will learn about eight different methods to have relief from acid reflux during your pregnancy.

Heartburn relief during pregnancy:

1) Make sure you eat smaller food portions. Don't eat a lot at each meal. Eat smaller portions, but make sure to eat more often during the day. If you tend to eat a lot of food at one meal, this will cause stomach pressure on your stomach, which could cause contents to back up.

2) Eat more slowly and chew your food completely. Make sure you completely chew your food, because this will help you in properly digesting the food you eat.

3) Avoid eating spicy foods. Eating foods with a lot of spice in them will contribute to experiencing burning pain and discomfort.

4) Avoid eating fatty and greasy foods. These types of foods also will lead to you having burning pain.

5) Don't drink liquids with your meals. This will cause your stomach to expand and possibly cause stomach contents to back up. Drink fluids in between your meals.

6) Don't drink or eat anything right before going to bed. This will allow your stomach to properly digest food and not have food just lying there in your stomach.

7) Don't wear tight clothing. Make sure you wear loose fitting clothes. Tight clothing will cause undue pressure on your stomach and might cause acidic contents from your stomach to back up into your throat.

8) After eating, don't bend from your waist. This can cause pressure on your stomach and have contents back up into your throat.

Source: Go Articles

By Otello Zorina

Many women tend to experience heartburn symptoms when they are still carrying their babies, and this happens for several reasons.

One of these is the increase of hormones in the women's body while they are pregnant. The occurrence of this will result in softening the ligaments which function is to keep the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) firmly closed. When the LES rests at unsuitable periods, tendency is, this will let the gastric acid and food to reflux back to the esophagus and throat.

One more reason of experiencing heartburn during pregnancy is because the changes in the body and the development of the baby creates more pressure in the women's stomach. Therefore, the stomach contents are forced right into the LES, and then to the esophagus.

However, there are several methods that a pregnant woman can observe to lessen the discomfort brought by heartburn. The following are good advices, although this may not remove the heartburn totally:

• Avoid the food that triggers heartburn. Examples of this are chocolates, spicy foods, citrus fruits and juices, mustard, tomatoes and tomato based products, fatty foods, fried foods, and highly seasoned dishes. Try to refer to medical specialists to know the complete list of foods to avoid Acid Reflux. Also, for foods that you may take which contains little danger of causing heartburn.

• Get rid of drinks that have caffeine, like tea, coffee, and soda. Too much of these will cause the LES to relax and let the acid to return into the esophagus.

• Stay away from alcohol beverages. This, like caffeine tends to relax the LES thus, creating the same effect—triggering heartburn.

• Avoid eating large meals. It is suggested that taking numerous small meals throughout the day will be better.

• Avoid rush in eating your meals. Chewing food thoroughly will really help in avoidance of heartburn, so better take your time in eating.

• Rest for at least three hours after having your last meal before taking your sleep.

• A pregnant woman is advised to take more glasses of water a day, at least 8 to 10 glasses, though this must be taken not just during meals. Through this, the stomach will expand, and then the LES will be given more pressure, obliging it to open inappropriately. Hence, it is really recommended to drink more water and other fluids in between meals.

• When sleeping elevate the head of the bed for at least six to eight inches. Try to sleep with an elevated head and shoulders through a wedge pillow. Through this, the gravity will work as much that it will keep the acids in your stomach in their place—in the stomach, not in the esophagus. Try to consult physicians to gain additional knowledge on how to relieve nighttime heartburn.

• Don't wear tight fitting clothes. Tightness around the waist and stomach will trigger heartburn as it causes uneasiness.

• When bending, do it at the knees, not at the waist. This will avoid in creating too much pressure in the stomach.

• Don't slouch; rather sit erect in a relaxing chair.

• Maintain a sensible amount of weight, too much weight and fatness will give more stress in your stomach. As a result, this will force stomach contents throughout the LES and to the esophagus. Stay with your doctors guidelines.

• Avoid smoking. Doctors stated that smoking could cause several effects to a pregnant woman, much that it can add to the possibility of experiencing heartburn.

Source: Go Articles