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Posts Tagged ‘heartburn’

Pregnancy and heartburn all too frequently seem to be inseparable. Among the explanations for this is the elevated hormonal levels that are a result of pregnancy. This results in softening of the ligaments which usually keep the lower esophageal sphincter tightly shut. Therefore, stomach acids are essentially unimpeded in making their way up to the throat and esophagus. An additional reason why women who are pregnant suffer from severe heartburn is due to more pressure in the abdominal region caused by the development of the baby. Often that can trigger the stomach acids to climb up to the esophagus.

There are a variety of techniques by which a pregnant woman can minimize the discomfort caused by heartburn. Here are some strategies that should give some relief.

* While sleeping, keep your head elevated about six to eight inches. A special acid reflux wedge pillow might be useful to help you maintain this position. This will assist gravity to prevent the acids in your stomach from making their way up the esophagus.

* Avoid alcohol, which you ought to at any rate for the health of your baby.

* Stay clear of foods that lead to heartburn. Included in this list are highly spiced foods, tomato products, chocolate, fried and fatty foods, and citrus.

* Bend at the knees, not at the waist. This puts less pressure on your stomach.

* Mind your posture while sitting. Sit erect in a comfortable chair.

* Avoid restrictive clothes. Confining the abdominal area will often lead to heartburn.

* Do not go to sleep for at least three hours after a meal. You are less likely to experience nighttime heartburn.

* Drink plenty of water, at least 8 to 10 glasses each day. But do not drink too much while you’re eating. This will trigger the stomach to swell too much and push out the stomach acids.

* Do not eat too fast.

* Consume smaller meals. Eating mini meals at regular intervals through the day will relieve the pressure on the stomach.

* Don’t gain an exorbitant amount of weight. Too much additional weight puts more stress on your stomach.

* Quit smoking. Not only is it unhealthy for your baby, it contributes to heartburn symptoms.

* Don’t drink beverages that are high in caffeine like tea, coffee and cola.

Are chiropractic adjustments safe during pregnancy Well, first off, yes it is a smart decision to get adjusted while you are pregnant. As is clear to anyone with a set of eyes, your body is going through quite a lot of changes, and these adjustments will continue as the pregnancy progresses. A subtle change is your body’s increased production of the hormone elastin. This hormone is designed to relax the tendons in the pelvis. this easing gives the pelvis more flexibility during the birthing process to make delivering the baby easier.

This process, despite the fact that its function is to assist the mother during labor, can create a lot of back pain in the months leading up to the birth. As the pregnancy advances, more elastin is released, which allows the pelvis to become increasingly more unstable. Add to that the gradual increase in the size of the baby and uterus, and you have the recipe for severe low back pain. As an Oxnard Chiropractor, I currently have several pregnant patients coming into my office for symptoms associated with their pregnancy, but most commonly it is for their low back pain.

A bonus to seeing a chiropractor routinely during your pregnancy is that it has been shown to actually decrease labor time. How can it do that? Simply put, if the pelvis is aligned properly, the muscles contracting during the labor process are more efficient because they don’t have to fight past misaligned joints.

To answer the second question from the introductory paragraph, by all means chiropractic care during your pregnancy is safe. Chiropractic is not only safe and beneficial in relieving the low back pain associated with pregnancy, but other symptoms like heartburn, nausea, swelling, and so on. In addition, should the need arise, a trained chiropractor can assist a mother who has a breached baby. This is done by using the Webster Technique, a low force technique to manipulate the uterus and get the baby into the proper presentation for delivery. A simple Google search on the Webster Technique can give you much more information.

To summarize, chiropractic is both beneficial and safe in helping to relieve many of the discomforts of pregnancy. To any pregnant women out there reading this, please go to see your local chiropractor, or if you live or work in the area, look up your Oxnard Chiropractor. We can make you feel a lot more comfortable during your pregnancy, and we can even make the labor process easier.