During pregnancy, the expectant mother can face a lot of troubles. One of them is heartburn. However, there are ways to deal with it without resorting to the use of drugs.
Heartburn can begin in the expectant mother at any stage of pregnancy. In the first trimester, it may appear due to an increase in the hormone progesterone in the body. It relaxes smooth muscles, including the sphincter between the stomach and esophagus. Because of this, acid easily passes from the stomach into the esophagus, and a pregnant woman begins an attack of heartburn.
As the baby grows, the uterus begins to press on the stomach, and heartburn worsens even more. Severe attacks usually occur at night when the woman is in a horizontal position and acid can easily flow from the stomach into the esophagus.
The following tips will help you cope with heartburn during pregnancy without medication:
1. Follow the principles of a healthy diet. Avoid fatty, smoked and fried foods. Eat small meals often.
2. Drink some table mineral water before bed. The salts contained in it neutralize gastric acid, and heartburn recedes.
3. Some pregnant women are helped by fresh cucumbers, cow's milk, green apples. Find the one that's right for you.
4. Sleep on high pillows. The higher the angle of inclination of the body during sleep, the more difficult it will be for acid from the stomach to get into the esophagus.
