It is difficult to imagine a happier and more responsible time for a woman than the nine months that she wears under the heart of her child. Each trimester of pregnancy has its own characteristics, both pleasant and not very. Here, for example, heartburn, which torments most women in the second half of pregnancy. Why does it arise? What to take from heartburn? Will the medicine harm the baby? Everything in order in this article.
Side effects of an interesting position
Throughout pregnancy, a woman’s body undergoes numerous changes. Even before the test shows the long-awaited two strips, the expectant mother may feel unwell, drowsiness, nausea. A colossal hormonal restructuring takes place in the body, in a little man all organs and systems are formed, so such symptoms are not surprising. Toxicosis in the early stages overshadows the lives of many women, in some it even lasts throughout the pregnancy.
The second trimester is the calmest time. The baby is growing up, mom is not so sick anymore, hormones are not so raging in the blood - it seems that life is getting better. But already at the end of this period and the beginning of the third trimester, many women are faced with new troubles: spider veins appear on their legs, veins begin to swell. This is how varicose veins develops, so with the first symptoms you need to run to the doctor. The same thing should be done if blood was detected during bowel movements, another “sworn friend” of pregnant women creeps up - hemorrhoids.
About 80% of women begin to experience heartburn in the form of an unpleasant burning sensation in the chest and throat during this period. Heartburn in the early stages is also not uncommon, but there are other reasons for its occurrence.
The mechanism of heartburn
In the third trimester, the baby in the womb of the mother every day becomes more and more, and there is less space for him. Strong pressure is exerted on all the internal organs of the mother, including the stomach.
There is a special valve between the esophagus and the stomach, it is called the sphincter. Thanks to him, food passes into the stomach and remains there. Under pressure, the sphincter ceases to cope with its function, and the gastric juice is thrown back into the esophagus. The burning sensation persists for a period of a couple of minutes to several hours.
Other causes of heartburn
The hormone progesterone, which is produced intensively in the pregnant woman's body, can affect the reduction of sphincter function in order to relax the uterus and prevent its hypertonicity. Together with the smooth muscles of the uterus, other muscles, including the sphincter, also relax.
On the other hand, a change in the hormonal background also affects the digestion of food itself, which moves much more slowly along the esophagus. As a result, digestion is delayed, which causes an upset stomach and heartburn.
Hormonal changes can affect the acidity of the gastric juice. The higher it is, the stronger the burning sensation.
Early heartburn
What causes early heartburn in pregnant women? The main reason is malnutrition. A woman's use of unhealthy food, namely, very salty, fatty or fried foods, as well as constant snacking on dry food, can cause heartburn even in an absolutely healthy person. Those who like to eat too much at bedtime are also at risk, do not chew food thoroughly, and abuse carbonated drinks and coffee.
Heartburn, although it causes a certain discomfort, does not pose any danger to the health of the mother and baby. It occurs for the natural reasons listed above. But if heartburn tormented you even before pregnancy, this is a clear sign of a violation of the gastrointestinal tract. Pregnancy will only exacerbate your problem. Be sure to consult with a specialist.
Heartburn provoking foods
What helps with heartburn during pregnancy? For starters, giving up junk food. To reduce symptoms of heartburn, it is better to avoid the use of certain foods that can provoke it:
- alcohol - it is already completely contraindicated for pregnant women. We disappoint those who believe that a glass of wine will not hurt a child. Maybe so, but it will definitely cause heartburn, especially red;
- fatty foods slow down the digestion of food, especially smoked meats;
- spicy food - seasonings stimulate increased production of gastric juice;
- coffee, strong tea contribute to the relaxation of the sphincter;
- citrus fruits - oranges, lemons - and other acidic fruits increase acidity;
- sugar and chocolate;
- fresh bread;
- eggs
- some vegetables, such as onions, garlic, tomatoes.
Nutrition of the future mother
We have already decided on the list of prohibited products, now let's move on to the diet. Diet for heartburn in pregnant women involves eating the following products:
- low-fat varieties of fish;
- dietary meat - rabbit meat, chicken, turkey meat;
- vegetables, especially those that promote easy bowel movements;
- bread - dried or in the form of crackers;
- warm milk in small quantities is, by the way, a good home remedy for heartburn.
Products should be boiled, steamed, baked in foil. Frying in a pan and even grilling, and even more so deep-fried, has nothing to do with healthy eating.
Cook soups, but in no case do not cook broths on bones, they stimulate the production of gastric juice and adversely affect the liver and pancreas.
What helps with heartburn during pregnancy? Simple recommendations
Before deciding what to take from heartburn, pay attention to some tips:
- Do not eat at night, it is recommended to eat at least 2 hours before bedtime.
- Eat often, but in small portions.
- Chew food well so that it is digested faster, and try not to drink while eating so as not to increase acid production.
- After eating, do not immediately take a horizontal position. Sit with a straight back, this will increase the chances that acid from the stomach will not make itself felt.
- Avoid conflicts, quarrels. Not only does stress negatively affect the mother’s body, even the stomach, it’s also able to significantly harm the baby, so “calm, only calm”.
How to deal with heartburn without medication?
People say that if mother has heartburn, then the child will be born with hairs. In practice, this assumption is not always confirmed, but folk remedies for heartburn are very effective. We will analyze them further:
- To relieve symptoms of heartburn and eliminate belching, use potato juice. You need to drink it before breakfast and in the evening, before going to bed.
- Another home remedy differs from a more pleasant taste from heartburn - viburnum jam, which should be diluted with boiled water.
- Crushed nuts will help fight the disease, walnuts and almonds are best. The kernels must be crushed into powder and taken 1 tablespoon per day.
- At the first sign of heartburn, chew raw potatoes or carrots - these are very effective folk remedies for heartburn.
- Celery root is particularly effective, and you can chew it, make a drink out of it, and use it in the form of mashed potatoes.
- To eliminate heartburn, you can turn to a very allergenic product - honey. It is important to know the measure and not to abuse, so as not to harm yourself and the child. If you slowly chew honeycombs, then the wax from them will protect the walls of the esophagus from acid and, importantly, neutralizes the pain.
- Herbal preparations, in particular wormwood and chamomile, will help to cope with this problem, but their use, as well as the treatment of heartburn in pregnant women by any other methods, should be discussed with a doctor.
What to do if folk remedies do not help?
What helps with heartburn during pregnancy better than folk remedies? The answer is obvious: medication. Do not be afraid of everything related to the pharmaceutical industry. There are drugs that can be taken by pregnant women, so don’t have to endure. Be sure to consult your doctor and carefully read the leaflets.
Heartburn medications act differently. Some drugs are taken before meals, they envelop the walls of the esophagus so that the gastric juice does not affect them. For these purposes, pregnant women often use Smecta, which is absolutely harmless, since it is not absorbed in the stomach.
The second group of drugs is antacid, designed to neutralize acid in the stomach. They are taken with the manifestation of heartburn, most often produced in the form of tablets, gels, suspensions. The safest drug of this group for pregnant women is recognized as "Rennie." This also includes Maalox, Almagel, Taltsid. But the use of drugs in any case should be as rare as possible and not earlier than the second month of pregnancy.
There is a group of drugs that can reduce the amount of gastric juice (for example, Ranitidine), but they should be taken strictly under the supervision of a doctor.
Soda in the fight against heartburn
According to many people, soda is exactly what helps with heartburn. During pregnancy, this issue should be approached with particular responsibility.
Once in the stomach and combined with hydrochloric acid, soda is converted into carbon dioxide, salt and water. Heartburn really recedes, but after a while returns with renewed vigor. The blame is carbon dioxide, which irritates the walls of the stomach.
The resulting sodium salts also have a negative effect - they contribute to fluid retention in the body and the development of edema, which the expectant mother does not need at all.
Soda is an excellent tool for humans, if applied externally. For example, as a rinse for a diseased tooth or a yellow coating of tooth enamel, it can be added to the foot baths to soften corns and rough skin.
But the use of soda inside, especially during pregnancy, is unjustified and even dangerous.
The implementation of simple recommendations will greatly facilitate your condition, because in heartburn there is nothing pleasant and you should not endure it. It is better to gnaw raw carrots or take a pill than spoil your mood: the baby needs a cheerful and happy mother. The main thing is to remember that all these inconveniences are temporary. When you take your child in your arms, even birth pains will be forgotten, not like some kind of heartburn.