How to get rid of heartburn during pregnancy
The content of the article:
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How to get rid of heartburn during pregnancy at home
- Folk ways
- Diet
- Why does heartburn occur in pregnant women?
- Video
How to get rid of heartburn during pregnancy? This question worries many women, since this symptom very often occurs during the period of bearing a child, both in the early and late stages. Despite the fact that the unpleasant sensation worsens the quality of life of a pregnant woman, including can cause sleep disturbances, it does not have a negative effect on the baby, and in most cases it passes after delivery.
Heartburn is a frequent companion of pregnancy, especially in the second half
It is not recommended to try to cope with frequent heartburn on your own during pregnancy, since self-medication can worsen the patient's condition (increase swelling, cause an increase in blood pressure, the appearance of peptic ulcer disease). Therefore, if this symptom is persistent, it is necessary to consult a doctor, identify the cause and, if necessary, treat the disease that caused it.
How to get rid of heartburn during pregnancy at home
In the presence of discomfort in the esophagus while carrying a child, drug therapy (for example, antacids) can be prescribed, while only a doctor can select drugs for the patient's treatment. In some cases, diet and lifestyle adjustments are sufficient.
The table provides basic recommendations.
| Recommendation | Explanations |
| Eating | With this pathology, it is not recommended to eat more than 200 ml of food at a time; the last meal - no later than three hours before bedtime; after eating, do not take a horizontal position, do gymnastics or other types of physical activity for at least 2 hours. |
| Proper night sleep | The woman is advised to sleep in such a way that her head is raised above the level of her body; for this, an additional pillow can be used. |
| Choice of clothes | The patient should avoid clothing that compresses the body, as this can aggravate the discomfort in the esophagus. |
| Body position | If possible, you should avoid bending the body forward (especially after eating), as this can increase the manifestations of heartburn. |
While carrying a child, it is important to combat existing constipation, which can also contribute to the development of heartburn.
Folk ways
After consulting a doctor, use folk remedies:
- Infusion of yarrow. Dry grass (20 g) is poured with 500 ml of boiling water, insisted for 2 hours, filtered and taken 1 tablespoon before meals.
- Flax seed infusion. To prepare this remedy, 1 tablespoon of seeds is poured with 1 glass of boiling water and insisted in a thermos for 6-8 hours. The infusion is drunk 1 tablespoon before the main meals.
- Infusion of centaury. Dry grass (1 tablespoon) is poured with 0.5 liters of boiling water, insisted for 4 hours, filtered and drunk 3 times a day before eating.
- St. John's wort decoction. To prepare this remedy, which allows you to quickly eliminate the burning sensation in the esophagus, 1 tablespoon of St. John's wort is poured with 1 glass of hot water, boiled over low heat for 5-7 minutes, filtered and taken 2 tablespoons 3 times a day.
- Heather medicine. To prepare this remedy, which can help to save yourself from heartburn while carrying a child, 1 tablespoon of dry grass is poured with 500 ml of hot water, boiled for 5 minutes over low heat, then insisted for 2 hours, filtered and drunk 1 tablespoon before food.
During the period of gestation, you should not try to cope with heartburn with baking soda, as this method can do more harm than good.
Diet
Diet recommendations:
- fractional meals are shown (4-5 times a day);
- food should be at a comfortable temperature; food that is too cold and hot should be avoided;
- it is recommended to boil food, steam it, stew; when baking food, avoid the formation of a coarse crust on their surface;
- it is recommended to use grated food (cream soup, pate, soufflé).
It is recommended that you keep a food diary, in which you should record all foods eaten throughout the day and the body's response to them. Foods that cause and aggravate the burning sensation in the esophagus should be removed from the diet or their consumption should be minimized.
Recommended products:
- lean meats and fish;
- wholemeal bread;
- weak broths and dishes based on them;
- cereals (oat, buckwheat, rice, semolina), porridge can be made with milk and water;
- greens;
- biscuit biscuits, dried biscuits, uncooked buns, durum wheat pasta;
- vegetable oils (olive, sunflower, pumpkin);
- low-fat milk and fermented milk products, butter;
- You can drink juices from sweet fruits and berries, dried fruit compotes, jelly.
Seeds, nuts (almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds, etc.), potato and carrot juice, milk with the addition of honey can relieve unpleasant symptoms.
Foods that are not recommended or should be limited:
- smoked, pickled foods, spicy, too salty and spicy foods;
- industrial sauces (mayonnaise, ketchup, etc.);
- fast food;
- fatty meats and fish;
- strong broths from meat, fish and / or mushrooms;
- fried food;
- sausage products;
- canned food;
- sour fruits and berries;
- fresh bakery;
- chocolate;
- strong tea, black coffee, mint tea, carbonated drinks.
To eliminate heartburn during pregnancy, you need to adhere to dietary recommendations
For some diseases, against the background of which there may be a burning sensation in the esophagus, it may be necessary to stop eating raw vegetables. Moreover, such patients are usually allowed to eat vegetables that have undergone heat treatment.
Why does heartburn occur in pregnant women?
A burning sensation in the esophagus is observed when the acidic contents of the stomach are thrown into it, as a result of which the acid has an irritating effect on the mucous membrane. This phenomenon can be observed in the absence of any disease. During the period of bearing a child, dysfunctions of the digestive tract can be caused by a change in hormonal levels (increased production of progesterone, etc.). In addition, the cause of heartburn during pregnancy in the second trimester and the third is the pressure of the enlarged uterus on the internal organs, which, in turn, leads to relaxation of the esophageal sphincter. In this case, the contents of the stomach can enter the esophagus.
Heartburn can also occur with gastroesophageal reflux disease, gastritis, gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer, as well as some pathologies not related to the digestive tract (for example, in diseases of the cardiovascular system).
In addition to a burning sensation behind the breastbone, women with heartburn may experience belching, nausea, vomiting, bloating, abdominal pain, flatulence.
Video
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Anna Aksenova Medical journalist About the author
Education: 2004-2007 "First Kiev Medical College" specialty "Laboratory Diagnostics".
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