Every mother wants a healthy pregnancy and a happy child birth but Oh! The horrible heart burn and acidity problems during pregnancy! Various stages of pregnancy may have varied degree of acidity and heart burn problems. Usually with the onset of first trimester, early morning nausea and acidity ruin any plans for going on a healthy pregnancy diet plan. It ruins the appetite and whole day schedule.

Why and When Does Acidity Happen in Pregnancy?
Acidity or Acid reflux is common in first and last trimester of pregnancy. Some women are basically prone to acidity problems ever since their puberty. If you are one of them, you can be assured that there will be acid reflux during pregnancy in your first trimester.

Esophageal sphincter is the basic close valve that keeps stomach acidic juices to enter the esophagus. However, this sphincter loosens due to hormones and stretching of abdomen. It leads to acidity or heart burn during pregnancy.

How to Deal with Acidity and Heart Burn during Pregnancy?
Unfortunately, this problem has to be endured. You can minimize the effect by adopting healthy diet plan during your pregnancy. Start with avoiding citrus fruits, fried food, aerated beverages or anything spicy. This will keep your stomach light and healthy.

Stick to small diets at regular intervals. If you are a working woman, take regular breaks for small munches of glucose biscuits, sweets or some fruits. Learn to get up and walk around a little at regular intervals. Constant sitting will only increase your acidity problems.

Keep your diet under strict watch! Try to isolate various foods that trigger your acidity and stick to healthy nutritious foods for pregnancy. Drinking during pregnancy is only allowed till water and fresh juices. Avoid any alcoholic drinks and smoking is strictly prohibited. Alcohol and smoke will aggravate your acidity problems.

Dieting while pregnant is good only to the extent when you shy away from fried and fatty foods. You need to remember that fat also important for your body and so are carbohydrates. Consult your doctor and stick to your pregnancy diet plan. It is important and quite normal for you to eat more than your regular diet during pregnancy. After all, you are eating for two people!!

Caffeine is yet another element that propagates acid reflux during pregnancy. Cut down on your coffee intake. It will surely help you to fight your acidity during pregnancy.

You also need to change your daily habits including sleeping patterns. If you are continuously annoyed by persistent acidity and heart burn during pregnancy, then you can start with stacking some pillows under your head while sleeping. Remember to use bigger pillows so that at least a part of your shoulders are also elevated. This will help you to fight flow of acid from stomach into the esophagus while you are sleeping.

Walk a lot! If you are having a healthy pregnancy, walk a lot and do small chores to keep your abdominal muscles working. This will help to keep your acid reflux under check.

Do not wear clothes that are tight around waist. It will help abdominal muscles to relax and food to settle down in intestines. You must also remember to bend from knees rather than waist to prevent constriction of abdominal walls that may push food back to esophagus. Keep at least more than one hour gap between eating and sleeping time. Food and acid need to be emptied out of your stomach to prevent their back flow into esophagus and cause acidity.

 
Should You be Worried?
Not at all! Acidity and heartburn during pregnancy are perfectly normal. Moreover, only few women have to endure them during entire pregnancy else for most women it phases out after the first trimester.

Keep yourself occupied and working physically. It will also keep you happy and cheerful and prepare you for the arrival of the baby.