The bigger the baby bump gets, the more it pushes the stomach upwards. The problem of heartburn should be familiar to every pregnant woman from about the 30th week of pregnancy. The tighter it gets in the expectant mother's belly, the more the stomach struggles to keep the sphincter to the esophagus tightly closed. The result: stomach acid is increasingly pushed into the esophagus and triggers annoying and usually unpleasant heartburn.
Especially when lying down or bending over, women will be able to observe this phenomenon – nevertheless, painful heartburn can be controlled and reduced a little.
Heartburn can be alleviated
- Tip 1: it is better to eat several small meals throughout the day. This makes the work easier for the stomach and at the same time less stomach acid is produced. Consequently, less can get into the esophagus.
- Tip 2: anyone who eats more easily digestible food can cleverly reduce heartburn. Lots of fruit and vegetables, but fewer fatty foods, are a balm for sore esophagi.
- Tip 3: avoid additional acid. Those who enjoy fewer citrus fruits can also curb their acid balance. It is better to fall back on melons, apples, pears, and bananas. Likewise, vinegar is an excellent source of acid. It is best to avoid it in salads.
- Tip 4: sweets also have their pitfalls. A few sweets are okay, but in moderation, they can also lead to increased heartburn. Therefore, you should snack less, or if you don't want to do without them, enjoy the sweets slowly. Anyone who sucks on a piece of chocolate will be able to enjoy the sweet for longer and will be satisfied more quickly accordingly.
What can I do if the heartburn is still tormenting me?
Sometimes the acid flows upwards despite all precautions. If the heartburn burns like fire and just won't subside, the following tips might be helpful and should definitely be tried out.
Chew nuts well
Chew on hazelnuts or Almonds long and carefully for a while until a fine paste has developed. Only then is the mixture swallowed.
Whole grain bread
If you don't like nuts or are allergic, take a slice of whole grain bread instead and chew the bites until they taste sweet. Only then swallow.
Elevate your upper body
Place two pillows under your head and upper body. With this elevation, you lie comfortably and relaxed, and at the same time, the acid cannot crawl upwards as easily and cause painful burning.
Magnesium
A magnesium-rich diet can also be helpful. Therefore, plan plenty of potatoes, whole grain products, and dairy products in your diet. It is best to have a mixture of muesli, milk, and nuts in between. Anyone who strengthens themselves with this in the morning and towards the evening will chase away the heartburn.
Milk or yogurt
If you can't stand muesli anymore at some point, drink a glass of milk instead or enjoy a mild yogurt. This dampens the acid in the stomach and makes it milder.
Baking soda
Mix a glass of water with a teaspoon of baking soda and drink it in small sips. Baking soda is available as a powder in almost every grocery store.
Apple cider vinegar
For this home remedy against you need the following ingredients:
- a glass of water
- with 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- possibly with 2 tsp honey for sweetness
Mix the vinegar and honey into the water and drink after eating. It helps especially if you have eaten a lot of protein-rich food. Because heartburn occurs because there is too little hydrochloric acid in the stomach, and this acid is primarily responsible for the decomposition of protein.
What can I do if none of the tips seem to work?
If nothing helps anymore, you should talk to your gynecologist about it. They will prescribe a special remedy for annoying heartburn. These preparations can usually be taken without hesitation even during pregnancy and have no negative effect on the organism or harm the baby.
My experience
Heartburn is very unpleasant, but unfortunately, it occurs very often during pregnancy. Unfortunately, I also had problems every now and then, and a glass of milk or milk with honey helped me. In addition, I was able to alleviate these complaints by chewing a few unpeeled almonds until they became a real paste in my mouth.
Read also:Â Tips for pregnancy nausea
Photo by Janine, meinhaushalt.at
