Many women experience acid reflux and heartburn in pregnancy, but did you know there are things you can do to avoid or at least lessen these discomforts? Yoga in particular can be a great activity to help pregnant moms who are suffering from heartburn. Debra Flashenberg of the Prenatal Yoga Center shares what yoga poses work (and which poses to avoid), as well as natural remedies for alleviating heartburn.
Why do pregnant women tend to suffer from acid reflux and heartburn?
Pregnant women experience an increase in the hormone, progesterone, which is responsible for relaxing the smooth muscles throughout the body. This includes the sphincter at the base of the esophagus, which may not close as tightly as it did before pregnancy. Coupled with the fact that a pregnant woman’s body experiences increased pressure from her growing uterus, this can lead to acid escaping from the stomach and moving up the esophagus, causing acid reflux and the sensation of heartburn.
What yoga poses are helpful for alleviating heartburn?
In terms of yoga, asanas, or chest opening poses, are encouraged. These postures help lift the front of your body, which can counter the pressure on the compressed esophagus and create more room in the chest. Chest opening poses include modified camel (Ustrasana), supported fish pose (Matsyasana), and Warrior 1 (Virabhadrasana I). Also, raising the arms up over the head can alleviate esophageal pressure, as can keeping the torso at a 45 degree angle when reclining.
What yoga poses or movements should pregnant moms avoid?
Any pose where the head goes below the heart should be avoided if you are suffering from heartburn. Examples include downward facing dog (Adho mukha svanasana) and an intense forward bend pose (Uttanasana). These poses will just invite the acid to creep up in the esophagus. In class, we encourage the students to practice the downward dog pose at the wall, with the chest parallel to the floor and arms extended towards the wall. This pose accomplishes stretching the back muscles out, which feels so good during pregnancy, without aggravating the esophagus.
Besides yoga, what else is helpful in treating heartburn?
There are many alternative remedies that may help alleviate the discomfort of heartburn. Raw almonds, papaya enzymes, slippery elm bark, and apple cider vinegar are known to be helpful as digestive aids. Drinking one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with water in the morning before eating is a great home remedy. There are two theories as to why this works: first, the stomach is fooled into thinking it has enough acid to digest food and will therefore produce less acid; and, second, apple cider helps balance the pH levels of the stomach.
