During pregnancy, a woman's body undergoes many dramatic changes. Nearly half of mothers in the United States have experienced acid reflux during pregnancy. Even if a woman has no prior history of acid reflux, they are likely to experience it during pregnancy. Acid reflux is not severe in the first quarter, but during the second and third trimester of pregnancy its usually considered to worsen and it becomes increasingly painful. Although the pain can be very serious and frustrating, acid reflux during pregnancy is usually quite harmless. Unfortunately it is quite common. Acid reflux is also an early sign of pregnancy.

The causes of acid reflux are as follows:

A hormone known as progesterone is produced by the placenta during pregnancy. This hormone causes the lower esophageal sphincter to relax. This in turn allows the acid from the stomach into the esophagus and causes nausea and acid reflux. The hormone progesterone, will cause a slowdown in peristalses which are involuntary muscle contractions that allow the food to be transported through the digestive system.

This makes it difficult to digest the food and causes acid reflux. Dueing pregnancy, the hormones of the mother-to-be are constantly evolving. Because of this, the functioning of the digestive system is concerned and some foods can not be digested as before or even tolerated at all. Some of your favorite foods can become inedible.  

As your baby grows, your abdomen may start to get cramped. Because of this stomach acid might get pushed back up the esophagus. Moreover, as the child grows, the stomach of the mother may become too big for her to sleep comfortably on her back. Because of this, the mother tends to sleep on their side and this increases the possibility of acid reflux. Some form of exercise is generally vital to reduce the symptoms of reflux. During pregnancy, expectant mothers usually have cravings for foods that they never have eaten before. The new food they eat may or may not agree with their system.

Here are some home remedies for acid reflux that you can try:

An excellent natural remedy for acid reflux is to elevate the head of your bed. Using the help of gravity to control acid reflux. When we lie down flat on our stomach acids can flow back into the esophagus. In bed with your head elevated will prevent many episodes of acid reflux and even if they do occur, they are not as severe or long lasting as when they are lying flat.

It's important to avoid certain foods. The esophageal sphincter pressure can be lowered by certain foods and is best avoided when trying to cure an acid reflux. Such as hocolate, caffeine and peppermint  

While chewing gum, saliva production greatly increases. Frequent swallowing of saliva helps to wash the esophagus and wash the acid that has refluxed into the esophagus. It's a good habit of chewing sugarless gum for about half an hour after a meal to reduce the symptoms of acid reflux.

Have smaller meals at regular intervals throughout the day. The smaller meals allow your stomach to empty more quickly, thereby reducing the risk of acid reflux.