Heartburn in early pregnancy - causes and treatment of heartburn during pregnancy

Heartburn in early pregnancy is common in expectant mothers. And so, if after eating you have an unpleasant burning sensation, do not worry very much. Fortunately, heartburn does not affect the development of the child at all, but it can spoil the mood( sometimes even for the entire duration of pregnancy).

Causes of Heartburn

Heartburn is caused by ingestion of the stomach contents( the main part of which is acid) into the esophagus. In a normal state and with a healthy body between the stomach and the esophagus, a special valve( sphincter) fully functions, which closes as soon as the food is swallowed and appears in the stomach.

But pregnancy is a time of cardinal changes in the body. And nature, trying to protect the child in the womb, increases the protective forces in this direction, which often causes very unpleasant side effects. So the hormone of pregnancy - progesterone - is responsible for the normal condition of the uterus during all 9 months of bearing the baby. It does not allow the uterus to strongly contract and relax the muscles, so that the uterus is easier to stretch to the size of a crumb. But the hormone does not act too selectively and its relaxing effect extends to the entire female body.

So, the sphincter between the esophagus and the stomach under the influence of this hormone ceases to "swing" at the right time quickly and completely. As a result, some of the food you eat can go back to the esophagus, especially when you decide to lie down. But if you are standing or sitting, then the products swallowed by you are more difficult to overcome gravity and leave your stomach.

We are saved from heartburn

The human stomach is a small muscular sac. From its left lower edge, food enters the intestine to give there the maximum amount of useful nutrients, and then leave our body. Exit from the stomach is not strictly from below, but on a small rise, otherwise all hydrochloric acid from the stomach would constantly flow into the intestine.

Now imagine that the stomach is a pan in which you poured some water and put some food( for example, dumplings).Boiling water in a pot is a process of digesting food. In this case, if you poured too much water or overdone with the amount of pelmeni, your lunch will start from the pan "run away".Similarly, the stomach also works - if the food is too much, then together with the acid it starts to "run away" from the stomach back into the esophagus.

Therefore, to prevent heartburn in the early stages of pregnancy, you do not suffer, try to observe the basic rule: do not eat too much food at one meal. Let you "peck" a little every hour, but unpleasant sensations of burning will not visit you.

The second rule: heartburn strengthens all sour and difficult to digest. If you want a salted cucumber, you will not be deprived of it. But let you eat in just two hours only one cucumber, and not the amount that fit in a three-liter bottle. Try to adhere to separate food( for one meal no more than 2 types of food) and put food in saucers, not soup plates. Pay special attention to soups - they can not be eaten hot, and, of course, limit to half of the usual portion( the second half is best eaten in three to four hours).Do not drink too hot tea and coffee, as well as refrain from carbonated drinks( along with carbon dioxide, your stomach will leave and hydrochloric acid).

Third rule: do not lie down for at least 30 minutes after eating. It is better to walk a bit in the fresh air or engage in some kind of cumbersome business, so as not to listen to your body with suspicion.

The fourth rule: do not starve! If there is one acid in the stomach, your heartburn will only intensify. Therefore, try periodically to "throw" into it something from the food or at least do every half hour of a couple of sips of juice or water.

The fifth rule: do not smoke and do not breathe tobacco smoke - all this causes increased isolation of hydrochloric acid in the stomach and, as a consequence, increased heartburn.

The sixth rule: forget about chewing gum and sucking candy. When they are used in the stomach at the level of the reflex, the release of an increased amount of acid begins, while from the mouth practically nothing gets into the stomach.

The seventh rule: do not be nervous. If you are irritated by the situation at work, take a sick leave sheet from the doctor and rest at home. Try not to quarrel over trifles with your husband and relatives. It is clear that during pregnancy you are more controlled by hormones, but try not to bring the situation to quarrels and nervous breakdowns.

Contact the doctor

If heartburn in the early stages of pregnancy has become your usual companion, be sure to tell your gynecologist about it. Sometimes heartburn may be the result of taking medications( antispasmodics) that have been prescribed to you to prevent miscarriage. It is impossible to cancel the appointment of a doctor independently.

In cases where heartburn is very severe, the doctor can prescribe you a cure. Most often these are collections of medicinal plants or special sparing preparations. Take medication for heartburn without consulting a doctor, as many drugs have contraindications.