Heartburn During Pregnancy

Heartburn in pregnancy is a common problem. Most women experience heartburn in pregnancy at some point during their nine-month journey. However, some can be affected worse than others. Fret not -- there are things you can do to limit the severity of heartburn in pregnancy. 
 
The most common time to get heartburn is during the first and last trimester. In the last trimester, the baby is putting more pressure on your stomach and causes food to reflux. One way to help prevent heartburn in pregnancy is to eat smaller portions. Eating smaller meals throughout the day instead of three big meals will help your stomach digest the food with greater ease, and will help minimize reflux. Also, taking your time to eat meals and chewing your food completely will help with heartburn in pregnancy. 
 
Another way to alleviate heartburn in pregnancy is to sleep with your head and body elevated. Giving your top half some elevation when you sleep will allow gravity to keep the acid in your stomach. Using a pillow under your back and head can also help keep you comfortable and bring a better night’s sleep. Also, do not go to bed immediately following a meal. Give your food time to digest before you lie down. As a general rule, go to bed two to three hours after you eat to mitigate heartburn in pregnancy. 
 
Putting pressure on your stomach can cause heartburn in pregnancy. Having good posture can help ease heartburn in pregnancy. Try sitting upright in your chair. When you stand, standing up straight will help with the reflux. Bending at your knees instead of your waist will help reduce the pressure on your stomach. Another thing you can do is wear loose clothing. Tight clothing puts unnecessary strain on your stomach and can give the acid an easier time coming back up, causing heartburn in pregnancy. 
 
The easiest way to avoid heartburn in pregnancy is to avoid the foods that cause heartburn. Soda, coffee, juice, and alcohol are some of the drinks to avoid. Also, sipping water throughout the day instead of chugging water at meal times will help. Large quantities of water can actually increase heartburn in pregnancy. Tomato-based foods, citrus fruits, and chocolates can cause heartburn in pregnancy as well. Fried foods, fatty foods, mustard, and vinegar can cause heartburn in pregnancy. By eliminating these foods from your daily diet, you can alleviate heartburn in pregnancy.