How can I get relief from pregnancy heartburn?
Try these natural remedies for pregnancy heartburn relief:
Is heartburn a sign of pregnancy?
You may be wondering if your recent reliance on Tums indicates that you are pregnant, but it is not generally regarded as a reliable indicator. Since not all pregnant women experience heartburn, it is not always a sign of pregnancy, according to Purdie. Other causes of heartburn include drinking alcohol or coffee, eating spicy or heavy foods in general, being overweight, or even feeling particularly anxious. Simply put, heartburn during early pregnancy is a possibility, but you don’t necessarily have to be expecting it to do so, so don’t assume anything.
Heartburn is, in its simplest terms, a boundary problem. Your lower esophageal sphincter, a muscle that separates the stomach from the esophagus, is tightly shut when you aren’t pregnant. This facilitates its ability to carry out its function, which is to stop food in the stomach from entering the esophagus. But as with many things during pregnancy, things change. Gaither explains that the sphincter occasionally relaxes due to hormonal influences during pregnancy, which causes reflux or heartburn. “Uterine enlargement is also a factor, as it may impinge on the stomach and force stomach acids upward.” ”.
What does pregnancy heartburn feel like?
A burning sensation known as heartburn frequently reaches the lower throat and the bottom of the breastbone. Heartburn is a common and generally harmless condition that many women experience for the first time during pregnancy. However, it can be quite uncomfortable. During pregnancy, more than two thirds of women experience heartburn or acid reflux.
Pregnancy heartburn and associated problems like gas and bloating typically begin in the second or third trimester, though some women may experience them earlier. Although the discomfort will likely come and go until your baby is born, heartburn typically disappears after delivery.
Heartburn can occur as a result of some hormonal and physical changes that occur during pregnancy. For instance, the hormone progesterone, which is produced by the placenta, relaxes the uterus’ smooth muscles. Additionally, this hormone loosens the valve separating the esophagus from the stomach, which can cause stomach acid to reflux and give you a burning sensation in your throat.
Additionally, progesterone can slow down your intestines’ and esophagus’ wavelike contractions, which can cause digestion to become sluggish. As your growing baby crowds your abdomen later in pregnancy, stomach acid is forced back up into the esophagus.