Heartburn during pregnancy is not considered a pathological condition; it should be considered only as a concomitant symptom indicating disruptions in the gastrointestinal tract. An uncomfortable and even painful burning sensation in the esophagus during pregnancy is one of the typical symptoms of gastrointestinal disorders. There may be different reasons for this at different months of gestation, but most often only baking soda is on hand. However, baking soda for heartburn during pregnancy may not always be beneficial. Therefore, you should not immediately swallow sodium bicarbonate with spoons; you should consult your doctor in advance.
If you experience discomfort in the esophagus, you should seek medical help.
Why do pregnant women suffer from heartburn?
Heartburn, unfortunately, is considered almost a regularity when carrying a baby. Several characteristic factors contribute to its development.
- As a rule, attacks of unpleasant burning begin due to dysfunction of the sphincter between the stomach and esophagus. For this reason, hydrochloric acid secretion, together with food masses, from the stomach enters the esophageal canal. It is much less common for the irritating acid to reach the throat and mouth. All this is accompanied by pain and burning in the chest area. When such a sign appears in a pregnant patient, its true causes should be understood.
- In the early stages after fertilization of the egg, the progesterone hormone begins to actively grow, which reduces contractile uterine functions, preparing the organ tissue for implantation. An additional effect of this hormonal substance is a decrease in the muscle tone of the gastrointestinal tract structures, especially the lower sphincter, as well as the retention of food masses in the gastric cavity, which provokes the appearance of heartburn.
- In late gestational periods, the uterine body puts more pressure on all intraorganic systems located in the neighborhood, as the baby grows, and with it the reproductive organ grows. As a result, the gastric body moves upward, increasing pressure on the esophageal canal and the muscular sphincter tissue located between the stomach and esophagus.
- Pressure is also exerted on the artery located in the peritoneum, which also indirectly affects the formation of a burning sensation in the esophagus and epigastrium.
It is impossible to somehow eliminate these factors before delivery, but you can cope with the burning and sometimes painful symptoms. Some try to solve the problem with sodium bicarbonate. But can pregnant women drink soda for heartburn or can such self-medication pose a danger to the baby and the gestation as a whole.
Causes of heartburn attacks
What can cause stomach contents to enter the lumen of the esophagus? Normally, they are always reliably separated by a smooth muscle sphincter. But if its tone weakens or pressure in the abdominal cavity increases, protection may be insufficient.
During pregnancy, a woman’s body contains both factors that provoke heartburn:
- the level of progesterone in the blood increases significantly, one might say “jumps”. This is a female sex hormone that has a relaxing effect on all muscle tissue, including sphincters.
- During gestation, simultaneously with the growth of the fetus, the level of intra-abdominal pressure invariably increases. As a result, the stomach and all nearby organs become compressed.
Under such conditions, the aggressive acidic gastric environment is able to penetrate the lumen of the esophagus and cause a painful attack.
Useful properties of soda
Externally, sodium bicarbonate is a white fine powder that dissolves well in an aqueous environment, giving the liquid a salty taste. If soda interacts with the acid produced in the gastric cavity, carbonic acid and salt are formed, which instantly disintegrate into water and carbon dioxide. This is why a characteristic belching occurs when drinking soda.
In fact, baking soda is the sodium salt of hydrocarboxylic acid. In addition to the sodium salt, soda contains minor impurities of selenium. A lot of research has been carried out regarding sodium bicarbonate, which has confirmed the unique properties of baking soda. The use of the powder is relevant for any gastric acidity. In addition, soda powder helps to cope with many pathologies not only in the gastrointestinal system, but also with colds, skin ailments, allergic hay fever or intoxication, runny nose and acidification of the bloodstream.
The beneficial properties of this powder have been known for a long time
Baking soda and heartburn during pregnancy
Treatment during pregnancy of any health problems is accompanied by a lot of difficulties, because taking pharmaceutical synthetic drugs is contraindicated for expectant mothers. Any drug taken by a pregnant woman will inevitably affect the baby growing inside. Similar restrictions apply to soda, although we never take it seriously and do not consider it to be some kind of dangerous substance, which is absolutely in vain. The use of soda for heartburn during pregnancy is allowed, however, certain rules of administration must be followed.
Baking soda for heartburn during pregnancy can be used only in cases where there is no appropriate medication at hand that is approved for the pregnant woman. This remedy works quite effectively and very quickly, eliminating the unpleasant burning sensation in the digestive tract, pain associated with heartburn and other symptoms typical of a heartburn reaction. Soda powder does not have any negative effect on the baby growing inside the uterine body, however, pregnant women will still have to follow some rules when using it.
Soda for heartburn during pregnancy can be used as an effective and quickly helpful remedy, but you need to familiarize yourself in advance with some of the features of using sodium bicarbonate.
- When using this drug, there is a high probability of developing hypotonic states and cephalalgia, dizziness or fainting and nauseating ailments;
- If you drink soda too often for heartburn, then there is a high risk of alkalization of the body with a typical violation of the acid-base balance;
- Heart problems may also occur;
- An insufficient amount of beneficial microflora in the stomach cavity can become a trigger for the development and reproduction of pathogenic microbes;
- If you often drink soda during pregnancy for heartburn, then fluid retention occurs in the body, which increases the likelihood of developing hyperedema;
- Often drinking soda for heartburn during pregnancy is also not recommended due to the increased likelihood of developing intoxication or inflammation.
A soda solution can provoke an exacerbation of existing gastrointestinal pathologies or simply disrupt the functionality of the gastrointestinal tract, causing bloating, diarrhea, heaviness in the stomach, or delayed bowel movements. And a constantly low acid level is fraught with the development of chronic gastritis. Food masses are not able to be fully digested in the digestive system, which leads to the development of stagnation, accompanied by heaviness and defecation difficulties, bloating in the abdomen, and such conditions are extremely undesirable for a pregnant woman. Therefore, if heartburn occurs, whether you can drink soda, you need to find out from a specialist.
Advantages of the method
Doctors believe that consuming sodium bicarbonate is not harmful. They allow the use of soda in moderation in case of very frequent attacks of heartburn or the impossibility of using other remedies. Drinking soda all the time is not advisable.
In these cases, the following recipe for expectant mothers will be useful: dissolve a quarter teaspoon of soda powder in a glass of milk. You need to drink the composition on an empty stomach.
You can dilute the powder in warm boiled water in the same proportions. To stir thoroughly. You will get a white, cloudy liquid. It is important to drink the solution immediately, in large sips. Immediately you need to lie on your side. After 10 minutes, relief will come.
If you take the solution after meals, gastric juice will be produced with greater intensity, which will increase acidity, and heartburn will not disappear.
Why is baking soda dangerous for pregnant women?
The use of soda solutions for pregnant women is not contraindicated, but is not considered a useful procedure. If the patient finds herself in a situation where a strong burning sensation has begun in the esophagus, and there is nothing except soda, then you can use this remedy, but only as an emergency aid and in minimal dosages. A good option is to use baking soda with milk. This product is not so aggressive and works more gently.
If you abuse soda solutions, you may experience health problems, for example, disruption of acid-base balance and cardiovascular activity. There are still doubts whether soda can be used for heartburn during pregnancy, then it will be useful to know that the abuse of soda is fraught for pregnant women (and not only) with nausea and vomiting reactions and impaired respiratory functions. Sodium bicarbonate solutions are contraindicated if the patient has pathologies of the circulatory or digestive system, renal structures, severe swelling or recent surgery.
No amateur activities, follow only the recommendations of the attending physician
What can be replaced
- Mineral water. It is important that it is non-carbonated. Water helps wash away hydrochloric acid from the wall of the esophagus, thereby eliminating the symptoms of heartburn.
- Tinctures from chamomile, calamus and heather roots help eliminate the inflammatory process.
- Sunflower seeds. It is advisable to carry them with you at all times during pregnancy. They help quickly and effectively eliminate heartburn attacks. You can replace them with walnuts or almonds. They additionally help normalize the acid-base balance.
- Porridge. Eating porridge is good for heartburn. For example, it could be oatmeal, buckwheat, semolina. The only limitation is individual intolerance to certain products. Additionally, porridge helps normalize the production of gastric juice and effectively coats the walls of the stomach, which is a good prevention of erosions and ulcers.
- Yogurt. You can eliminate heartburn with any fermented milk products, but this particular product is best absorbed by the body of pregnant women.
Heartburn is an unpleasant condition. It can be eliminated using various drugs, but it is best to use traditional methods.
However, you should always remember that pregnancy is not a condition that can be neglected, therefore, if serious accompanying symptoms occur, you should contact a therapist or gynecologist.
Rules for using sodium bicarbonate
In order not to unknowingly cause irreparable damage to the body, it is necessary to discuss the problem with a specialist and clarify whether it is possible to drink soda for heartburn in a particular case. If, in exceptional clinical situations, the doctor allows you to use fizzy drink for heartburn attacks, then you should approach this treatment wisely. For dilution you need to use plain boiled water or milk. But mineral water is not suitable as a basis for a medicinal drink.
The recipe is simple. For a standard glass of liquid, take a teaspoon of soda powder, but this is for the average person. For pregnant women, the recipe should be slightly modified: take ½ teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate per glass of liquid. There are quite a variety of recipes that involve mixing soda powder with apple cider vinegar or citric acid. As a result of the resulting reaction, carbon dioxide, water and sodium salt are released, which prevents acid-base imbalance and neutralizes acid. Similar compounds are present in many antacid drugs, the action of which is aimed at relieving heartburn, discomfort and other unpleasant sensations in the gastrointestinal tract.
Take the solution only as an emergency aid to prevent heartburn. The following is recommended:
- When taking a soda solution for the first time, you should take half the recommended dose of powder.
- You need to drink the entire prepared solution at once, but not in one gulp, but in small sips.
- After taking the composition, it is allowed to lie down, but the head and chest area should be located above the abdomen. The effect of drinking the solution comes after 10 minutes.
- The solution should be taken on an empty stomach.
- To stop a heartburn attack, you need to use a freshly prepared solution.
There are several different formulations based on sodium bicarbonate. The classic option is to use only water and powder. If the pregnant woman does not like the pure soda solution to her taste, then you can add a dessert spoon of liquid honey to the drink. It is also possible to combine the powder with a few drops of freshly squeezed lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. When the effervescent reaction stops, simply add water to the mixture, stir and drink.
Non-drug ways to relieve heartburn
Women who have a negative attitude towards the use of any chemicals and medications during pregnancy can use a homeopathic mixture or choose an acceptable recipe from the traditional medicine box. Heather tea, yarrow infusion or decoction of calamus rhizome are quite effective for heartburn.
Many pregnant women successfully “eat” heartburn with boiled buckwheat, fresh cucumbers, carrots, seeds; almonds and hazelnuts help many. Some women with heartburn prefer to drink mineral water, potato and carrot juices, or take a few sips of milk.
How to prevent heartburn attacks:
- Take daily meals in fractions, dividing them into small portions. With this type of nutrition, it will become impossible to overfill the stomach; its contents will not be thrown into the lumen of the esophagus.
- It is contraindicated to take a horizontal position immediately after eating; you should sit upright for a while. But if you feel irresistibly sleepy, you can lie down on pillows stacked on top of each other.
- It is contraindicated to drink at the same time as eating. This will fill the stomach, dilute the digestive secretions and make digestion difficult.
- On the contrary, outside meals you need to drink more often. It is most preferable to quench your thirst with plain water or herbal infusions that prevent heartburn attacks, for example, mint, ginger or chamomile. They are easy to prepare at home.
- It is necessary to avoid frying when preparing culinary dishes, spices, marinades and fatty foods. You should limit the amount of sugar in your diet as much as possible, refrain from coffee and strong tea, and concentrated fruit juices.
Contraindications for soda
Not every pregnant woman is suitable for this remedy for uncomfortable epigastric burning. If a girl previously drank soda solutions and then felt discomfort in her stomach, then she should abstain from such an emergency rescue remedy. The use of solutions based on sodium bicarbonate is also contraindicated for patients with diseases and disorders such as diabetes mellitus, hypoacid reaction of gastric juice, individual hypersensitivity or intolerance to the powder.
This solution cannot be used to treat heartburn in case of ulcerative lesions of the gastrointestinal system, high blood pressure, a tendency to hyperedema, or genitourinary and renal pathological conditions. Intestinal infections or recent surgical interventions are also considered contraindications for internal use of soda. If a patient has contraindications for taking soda solutions, then it is better to always have with her some approved antacid medication that will help in an emergency with a severe attack of heartburn.
The mechanism of the occurrence of unpleasant sensations
The immediate cause of this ailment is contact of the inner surface of the esophagus with gastric secretions. The aggressive acidic environment of gastric juice has a burning effect on the mucous layer lining the inside of the esophageal tube. As a result of this, a burning sensation of varying degrees of severity is felt, rising from the stomach to the neck area. The attack occurs during or an hour after eating, but can also occur at night. Heartburn is often accompanied by flatulence, belching, a local feeling of heaviness or fullness in the stomach and in the adjacent part of the esophagus.
What do the doctors say?
Sodium bicarbonate has no toxic properties, and therefore it is not capable of causing any harm to the baby or causing developmental abnormalities. Soda solutions are widely used for inflammatory lesions of the throat; they effectively reduce inflammatory manifestations on the mucous membranes. But during heartburn attacks, you should not immediately save yourself with soda mixtures. You can try drinking milk or eating a spoonful of sour cream; sometimes such simple products turn out to be no less effective.
To relieve a single attack, soda is suitable, but regular use of such solutions is contraindicated, and not only for pregnant women. Frequent consumption of soda is fraught with the development of digestive pathologies, hyperedema and increased blood pressure.
Alternative methods to combat heartburn during pregnancy
Can pregnant women use activated charcoal for diarrhea?
It is best to avoid the use of medications during pregnancy, but if necessary, you can take relatively safe medications: Rennie, Smecta, Maalox.
To prevent heartburn, it is recommended not to lie down after eating, but to move - as experts say, to “shake” the food. In a horizontal position, gastric juice easily penetrates the esophagus, causing discomfort.
The best way to prevent it is to choose the right diet. Nutrition for heartburn should be based on natural products. Vegetables and fruits are the safest foods in this regard. They minimize the possibility of developing unpleasant sensations and fill the body with substances necessary for the normal development of the baby. Fatty, fried, salty, pickled foods, semi-finished products, spicy and sour foods should be excluded from the menu.
You should eat in small portions: a large amount of food increases the load on the stomach, stimulates a greater release of gastric juice and leads to heartburn.
It is important for pregnant women to take care of their mental balance. Nervous tension and stress have a direct effect on increased acidity and lead to the development of unpleasant symptoms
The position in which a woman sleeps also matters. With the head positioned higher, the likelihood of heartburn is reduced. The optimal position is on your back.
An important point is choosing the right clothes. It should not restrict movement or compress blood vessels - especially in the abdomen and back. Pressure items (tight pants, belts) contribute to the development of unpleasant symptoms.
Some women benefit from consuming milk and fermented milk products. But this question is quite individual, since in some cases such products, on the contrary, provoke heartburn.
Good remedies are fresh potato juice, carrots (grated), oatmeal (they should be chewed raw), almonds, and hazelnuts.
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