Love for your new baby burns deep within you. Unfortunately, that’s not the only thing that burns. Acid from your newly constricted stomach emerges from its organ and burns your esophagus, causing heartburn. Your slow-moving digestive system may be another cause of this discomfort. Heartburn can be uncomfortable and can trigger nausea. Look to home remedies to put out the fire in your chest.
Food
What you eat and how you eat it plays a large part in your heartburn. You can either relieve or worsen heartburn with your food. Space your meals out throughout the day and snack on little meals. Don’t overfill your stomach with food, causing acid to spill over. To keep your stomach from getting too full, don’t drink with the meal. Sip your water or other beverages after the food has had a little while to digest. Avoid foods full of spice, grease or fat. Even fatty foods like milk and butter can cause burning so purchase low-fat alternatives. While you may think of salsa and peppers when you consider spicy foods, garlic, onions, cinnamon and other spices might also cause excessive burning. Acidic foods and those with caffeine might aggravate your heartburn. Munch on crackers, breads and other grains, in small portions, to absorb excessive acids.
Posture
Imagine your stomach as a small cup or bottle with a narrow top. Tipping it upside down will cause everything to spill out. Normally, you won’t be on your head, but even tipping a full cup slightly can cause spilling. After a meal, don’t lie down at all for an hour or two. Once you are ready to lie down, prop yourself up with a stack of pillows. As often as possible, squat down to a lower position, rather than dipping or bending down. Your vertical position will help keep the acids where they belong.
Habits
Work heartburn avoidance into your daily routine. Don’t plan your dinner right before bedtime or eat any snacks before a nap. You should not drink or smoke, although that is true of any pregnant woman. Watch what you wear. Just as your uterus and other growing organs may constrict your stomach, so can tight-fitting pants, skirts, belts and other clothes. Imagine squeezing a water bottle and letting the water spill over the top. Yes, this might be the time you can get away with unbuttoning your pants after a meal, at least at home.
Photo Credit
- pregnancy image by sasha from Fotolia.com
