How to Deal With Acid Reflux during Pregnancy

There are many problems a woman has to go through when pregnant. She might get high blood pressure, edema, nausea and vomiting, weakness, and excessive heartburn. For each of these problems there are remedies; however the doctor usually advises to keep medicines to the minimum lest it will affect the baby in one way or other. The mothers-to-be also prefer to endure the ordeals as much as possible, rather then risk harming the baby.

Can Acid Reflux During Pregnancy Be Controlled?

During pregnancy, a great deal of changes takes place in the body due to release of extra hormones triggered. These hormones cause the LES (lower esophagus sphincter) to get loose and as a result of that, it can swing the other way, allowing acid and undigested food rush back into the alimentary canal.

The question remains whether it is possible to check and/or control the acid reflux during pregnancy without creating any type of risk to the baby. It seems that the answer is ‘yes’. Some of the remedies are simple precautions that you can apply without much effort:

1. Identify the foods that aggravate acid reflux during pregnancy and totally eliminate those foods from your diet during the pregnancy period. Usually citrus fruits, chocolate and aerated drinks are among the foods which create the most harm.

2. Avoid all beverages/ drinks that may contain caffeine. These include coffee, tea (with and without milk) as these have been observed to cause acid reflux during pregnancy.

3. Do away with alcohol for the same reasons as above. Alcohol too allows the LES to swing inwards thus resulting in acute heartburn.

4. Eat small meals, at small intervals of time. Do not try to eat large meals as these will result in heartburn and even vomiting.

5. Let at least two hours pass between your meal and retiring for bed. Sleeping on stomach full slows down the digestion system, and hence increases the acidity of the stomach which in turn results in acid reflux during pregnancy.

The above are only five simple remedies that will allow you freedom from heartburn and acid reflux. Other remedies would be yoga, prescription medicines form your doctor and an exclusively fat free diet (if possible). It remains to see how much of these remedies are feasible for you and how many work to your satisfaction. The only way to find out is to try them out one by one and see for yourself.