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Indigestion
in Pregnancy
I
have never really suffered from indigestion, until I got pregnant!
What can I do to help or stop indigestion? I don't want to take
any medications that could harm the baby.
Jerri
says:
Many factors in pregnancy increase your chances of heartburn (indigestion).
The most obvious is the upper pressure that your growing uterus
places on your stomach. However, indigestion can occur in pregnancy
even before your uterusis greatly enlarged. Changing hormone levels
decrease your gastrric motility and relax your stomach muscles,
resulting in slowed digestion and a slower emptying of your stomach.
In addition, gastrin, a hormone produced by the placenta, raises
the acid, chloride, and enzyme levels in your stomach during pregnancy
far above their prepregnant levels. All these factors also increase
the risk that stomach acids will be forced up into your esophagus
causing heartburn / indigestion.
What
can help:
-
Eat sitting up.
- Do
not exercise after meals.
- Try
to avoid bending over at the waist.
- Do
not lie down for at least two hours after eating, avoid eating
before going to bed, and sleep with your head elevated.
- Instead
of eating three large meals a day, try five or six smaller meals.
- Avoid
spicy foods, any food known to cause gas (fatty foods, fried foods,
dired beans, kidney beans, dried peas, lentils, soybeans, onions,
cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts), and any
food that usually causes you to have gas or indigestion.
- Do
not take antiacids without checking with your practitioner, who
may also be able to offer further assistance.
Heartburn
and indigestion symptoms peak at around 36 weeks and lesson once
the baby "drops" (settles lower into the pelvis).
Best
Wishes to you!
Jerri
Colonero RN
Return
to With You And Your
Baby All the Way
Jerri
Colonero is an obstetrical nurse and author of "With You & Your
Baby All of the Way -- the Complete Guide to Pregnancy, Childbirth,
Recovery, and Baby Care." Visit
Jerri's website!
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