Anyone that has gone through pregnancy will be able to testify that the pain of giving birth is far from the only pain that comes with it. Throughout the nine months of pregnancy there is increased hormone production and this can result in things such as morning sickness and a stronger sensitivity to smells. Late on in pregnancy, however, can be one of the most unpleasant stages as acid reflux in pregnancy can result. This is due to the pressure of the baby becoming large as we will see.

So, why exactly does acid reflux in pregnancy occur? As the baby becomes larger and larger the uterus will press harder against the diaphragm and this can cause the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) to begin to malfunction. The LES is designed to allow food to flow in one direction only. However, a malfunctioning LES means that stomach contents such as acidic gastric juices may be able to backwash from the stomach and get through to the esophagus and burn its tender tissues.

As mentioned, pregnant women will experience an increase in hormone production in their body, specifically estrogen and progesterone. This happens to cause the muscles of the uterus to relax and better be able to accommodate the ever growing baby. However, the uterus is not the only thing that becomes relaxes as the muscles of the LES may also loosen. This can cause constipation and of course, increased acid reflux for the woman.

If you already suffer from acid reflux then undergoing pregnancy may progress your condition from manageable to a very sever case. In the worst instance, you may require to go to hospital to have it treated.

Throughout pregnancy, the future mother and their doctor will both want to keep the amount of medication taken to a minimum. For this reason, adopting natural remedial action is usually the best advice. This means keeping an eye on your diet even more so than you normally would during pregnancy. The key is to avoid the foods that trigger acid reflux of which I am sure many are among your favorite foods. The main culprits to avoid are fatty animal products, citric foods, alcohol, soft drinks, garlic, chocolate, mint and high-fat dairy products. Smoking at any stage in one's life is highly unadvisable and even more so during pregnancy, least of all because it also contributes to the acid reflux problem.

So, we know which foods to try to eat in moderation or eliminate altogether from your diet. But, is there anything that you can eat when you feel acid reflux symptoms such as heartburn to try and ease the pain? One such natural remedy is ginger, which if chopped into small pieces and chewed slowly can reduce the pain of acid reflux in pregnancy. There are other things you can try, completely unrelated to diet. One of these is to wear as loose fitting clothes as possible any further undue pressure on your stomach only increases the problem. Also sleeping with your head in a more elevated position than normal can help to give you a better night’s sleep and avoid overnight acid reflux.

And a good night of sleep may be a rare thing for you once your pregnancy is over so I am sure you will feel the benefit of taking these steps to reduce your acid reflux.

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