Heartburn can be very uncomfortable and painful and affects 2 in 3 pregnant women and is most common in the last trimester as the uterus gets bigger, although you can start to get it at twenty weeks.
It occurs as the increased hormone levels produced by your body in pregnancy cause the valve muscle between the esophagus and the stomach to relax. This means the valve doesn’t close properly and digestive acids can leak back up into the esophagus, throat and mouth. As they hit the sensitive lining within the esophagus it causes the burning sensation in the chest.
Foods to avoid, which can aggravate heartburn
- Caffeine, chocolate, orange juice and oranges
and other citrus fruit and juices - Fatty and fried foods as they take much longer
to digest - Spicy foods such as chilli powder and peppers
and stronger foods such as garlic and onions
Five ways to help reduce incidences of heartburn
- Nutrition is key – eat five to six smaller meals every 3- 4 hours,
rather than 3 larger meals and chew food properly in the mouth first, taking
time to swallow - Try chewing gum after a meal which can stimulate the salivary glands and neutralise acid
- Eat your evening meal 2-3 hours before going to bed – this means the digestive system has time to break down your food
- Place pillows under your upper body to prop you up and help your
stomach acids flow down. Remain upright one to two hours after eating a
meal - Drink plenty of fluids and soup between meals rather than with a meal
Top Tip: a handful of almonds or almond butter can help calm the feeling
TheBeezKneez have a selection of mums to be pregnancy nutritional programmes including one to one consultations for a personalised meal programme, making choosing the right foods for you very easy. To contact our nutritionist: steph@beez-kneez.co.uk
Image courtesy of thenaturalhealthreport.com
