Many mothers to be ask about acid reflux and pregnancy questions because it is a troublesome problem and there are no easy answers. There are a lot of hormonal changes going on in the body of a pregnant woman.

One of these is that the muscles begin to relax in readiness for the great event when the body will be traumatized to a certain extent. These hormones will help but they also relax that vital valve between the gullet and the stomach. Once that is too relaxed, it can allow the acid reflux to back up the gullet and that really can be very uncomfortable.

This becomes much more noticeable after the first three months. The reason is that the stomach is becoming larger and larger as the foetus grows. That development means that the stomach is pressing on the oesophagus and especially the LES valve. That pushes the acid up into the gullet.

Even in normal circumstances, this would be worrying because the long term effects can lead to all sorts of problems. These include throat ulcers, pain, tissue damage and even cancer. But during the pregnancy, the problem is shortlived but the solution in taking antacids and the newer types of histamine 2 blockers such as ranitidine are not without risks for the mother and the unborn child. There are many unanswered questions about the long term effects of these medications.

Generally though, the normal antacids (TUMS) are considered safe for pregnancy. But there are risks here too in that excessive use could lead to problems. As these contain carbonate this can cause alkalosis which could affect how we excrete drug through the kidneys. Kidney function may be at risk also because of the presence of aluminium hydroxide which could lead to renal failure. The presence of magnesium hydroxide can act as a laxative but again the build up of magnesium in the body is not healthy at all. Once you have too much of this mineral, it could lead to neurological problems. The presence of salt could also have implications for heart and blood pressure problems.

Well, eating an apple a day may well be a solution and I know that many mothers to be concerned about acid reflux and pregnancy problems have tried this and there are no side effects or health risks either. If you chew it well after a meal, it can really help.

Water does relieve heartburn in that it can help, with the force of gravity to wash the stomach acid away and also in the right direction. Most experts agree that water is better drunk between meals, rather than with food at mealtimes.

Try sugar free and mint free chewing gum. If you opt for this, it can help to produce more saliva which can help to wash the acid away.

There are many acid reflux and pregnancy solutions if you know where to find them and one place is the holistic methods which have been developed by a Californian doctor. Why not check these out?