Pregnancy And Heartburn: Causes And Relief Techniques

You may have heard of the old wives' tale that heartburn during pregnancy equates to a baby born with a lot of hair. There may be some truth to this according to research by John Hopkins University, however, the exact correlation is unknown. Just over half of all pregnant women will suffer from heartburn during their pregnancies. Progesterone, a hormone that relaxes muscles in pregnancy, also relaxes the stomach valve, which results in more acids being released. This, in addition to the growing uterus, could be causing acid to go upward into the esophagus. The following are a few habits you can adopt to relieve heartburn symptoms.

Wear Loose Clothing

You may want to show off that cute baby bump with a tight-fitting dress or top, but avoid too-tight clothing when you have issues with heartburn. Putting too much pressure on your abdomen, which is already cramped, can cause acids to leak into the esophagus. This is especially true during the third trimester, when the baby is growing at an impressive rate. Consider loose fitting clothing to take some of the pressure off your abdomen. Opting for loose fitting clothing can also help with temperature control, especially if you are pregnant during the warmer months.