pregnancy acid reflux

Keeping Pregnant Women Safe From Acid Reflux It is common for women to feel heartburn during pregnancy. This could be because of several reasons. During pregnancy there is an increase in hormone levels in woman's body. This results in the softening of joints and muscles. This will cause the opening of lower esophageal sphincter (LES) in your stomach and stomach fluids will go up the esophagus. Changes in woman's body and the baby's position in her stomach causes more pressure in stomach. so there is a higher chance of acidic fluids from stomach to go up through LES. Some of the methods which would help the woman in reducing the acid reflux problem are: • Remove items like chocolates, spicy foods, juices, citrus fruits, mustard, tomatoes, products based on tomato, fatty foods, fried foods and seasonedfoods from your menu. These are known to increase acid reflux. Clarify with a doctor to get a complete list foods that reduces and increases acid reflux and reduce the problems associated with acid reflux.

• Caffeinated drinks like tea, coffee and soda should be avoided. They are known to cause the LES to open up and this result in increased acid reflux.

• Do not use alcoholic beverages. They also tend to relax LES and results in increased heartburn.

• Take small portions as they digest better instead of a big meal.

• Eat slowly, chewing the food well. This will help digestion and hence less acidic fluid generation in stomach.

• Leave a gap of at least three hours between dinner and bed time.

• A pregnant woman needs to drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water a day in equal intervals between meals. Drinking water with a meal is going to add pressure to stomach and will increase heart burn.

• While sleeping, keep your pillow elevated by six to eight inches. This way gravity will keep the acidic fluids in your stomach and not in esophagus. Your doctor could further inform you in relieving night time heartburn.

• Wear comfortably fit clothes. Tight clothes will increase pressure on your stomach and will lead to increased heartburn.
• If you have to do some thing on a bent position, bent your knees; not your stomach. Less pressure on your stomach means less heartburn.

• Always sit straight in a comfortable chair. Never slouch.

• Control your body weight at a healthy level. Over weight people will have more stress on their stomach and will result in increased heart burn. check with your doctor to know what is your ideal weight and try to maintain it at or around that range.

• A pregnant woman should not be smoking as it could cause several problems during pregnancy. One among them is the pain of heartburn