Help to reduce heartburn during pregnancy

Experiencing heartburn during pregnancy is a very common complaint. Thankfully, while it can be very uncomfortable, it isn’t usually serious and doesn’t affect the growth or development of the baby.

Indigestion or heartburn is a burning sensation that is first felt in the stomach and seems to rise up into the throat.

The increase in hormones early in pregnancy slow down emptying of stomach into intestines and relaxes the muscles between oesophagus and stomach, allowing gastric acids to seek back upwards, which causes uncomfortable sensation of heartburn.

Moreover, as the pregnancy progresses and baby increases in size, it puts increased pressure on the stomach making matters worse.

Remedies

• Avoid fried foods and rich foods with high fat content.

• Keep off spicy foods.

• Stay away from orange juice or grapefruit juice. Instead drink water, milk or apple juice.

• Cut down on soft drinks, chocolate, coffee and other caffeine drinks.

• Eat little and often. Smaller meals taken at regular intervals will help to keep calorie intake high without putting undue strain on digestive system.

• Avoid eating late at night. Allow a few hours between last meal and bedtime.

• Eat alkaline foods, such as milk and yogurt to help neutralize stomach acid.

• Avoid tight clothing.

• Drink eight to ten glasses of water in between meals.

• Sit with good posture. Slouching puts extra pressure on stomach.

• Eat slowly and chew properly.

• Sleep propped up with several pillows. Gravity keeps stomach acids down and aid digestion.

Alternate remedies

Simple movement and exercises that stretch without straining are very beneficial for heartburn. Walking and some postures in yoga are usually the safest.

However, immediate consultation with gynecologist is required if one experiences severe pain under the ribs. This may feel like indigestion, and one may also feel sick.

Pain of this kind may be caused by inflammation of the liver - one of the complications of pre-eclampsia.