A pregnant womans body will see a lot of changes occur during the pregnancy. While this is a very exciting time there are issues including acid reflux that can make it difficult to enjoy all aspects of it. There is an old wives tale that pregnant women with acid reflux means the child will be born with a full head of hair. These old tales are not true and acid reflux is due to chanted hormone levels in the body during pregnancy.
These hormones can result in a woman producing more acid in her stomach. while pregnant eating more is a common side effect which in turn helps produce even more acid reflux. The combination of them can result in some of the acid moving up into the esophagus. With acid reflux on the rise nearly 1/4 of pregnant woman have to deal with it on a daily basis. Having acid reflux makes it much harder to sleep well and focus of the days work ahead.
More pressure is felt on the stomach as pregnancy progresses. As a result severe heartburn is felt due to more acid being pushed into the esophagus. That is why the majority of pregnant women find that they suffer from acid reflux during the last few months of it. Due to what can effect the baby there are limitations on effective measures. Heartburn prescription medication should be avoided where possible.
It is possible to take antacids to treat mild cases of acid reflux during pregnancy. According to extensive research results antacids will not harm the baby. Pregnant women do need to be careful though as they contain large amounts of sodium. The sodium can bring swelling to the legs and ankles due to retaining fluids.
Every woman wants her baby to be as healthy as possible and that is understandable. During pregnancy natural cures are the way to go to try and avoid acid reflux. While consuming plenty of fresh fruits is important some of them may increase your risk of acid reflux. Acidic fruits should be avoided if possible. The most acid fruits in this category include grapefruit, lemons, and oranges.
To avoid hunger eating six small meals a day is best. Your body will be able to digest these smaller meals easier than large ones. Stay hydrated during the day by consuming large amounts of water. The body will digest foods easier if taken with liquids. Avoid eating in the last hours before you go to bed at night or you may end up suffering throughout the night with acid reflux.
Elevate your head and shoulders when you sleep as well. This will help to keep the acid from going into the esophagus at night or when you rest during the day. Special bed wedges or wedge pillows will change your elevation or you can just stack extra pillows. Another tip for elevating your body is to have the head of your bed elevated using bricks or a board. Adding a couple of inches to the beds elevation can make a great difference.
Try to lay on your left side too as this will help to get the acid reduced in your stomach. When you lie on your right side or your back it is going to increase. It may not always be comfortable during a pregnancy to lie on your left side but do your very best to get into that routine. It will certainly help you to avoid suffering from acid reflux.
Following such guidelines will help you offset acid reflux during pregnancy. This is a great time for a mom so keep those negative aspects of it away. Important things to do now are to relax and rest because you may not be able to once the baby is born. If you continue to suffer from acid reflux on a regular basis during your pregnancy make sure you share this information with your doctor. Severe heartburn can cause damage to the esophagus lining which in turn needs more treatment which can be alleviated by your doctor.