When I was pregnant I suffered from debilitating acid reflux. To the point where if there was even a quarter of a cherry tomato in something I was eating I would near immediately start violently vomiting till there was literally blood coming out and all the blood vessels in my face felt as if they burst. It was not pretty and it was very painful and draining in every possible way.
I was told that the more acid reflux you have, the more hair your child will have – well my son was born with a lot of hair! As it turns out that old wives tale is actually true. According to a Johns Hopkins study, “heartburn usually strikes in the third trimester and is due to estrogen causing the esophageal sphincter to relax, which allows stomach acid to splash up into the esophagus. Estrogen appears to be responsible for hair growth in the developing baby.”
The second time around I was determined not to suffer as I did the first time. In addition to being hyper aware of everything I ate, using a pillow like the Sleepnitez 8″ Wedge Pillow ($57.99) has proven key! It makes sleeping when you have acid reflux actually bearable. Keeping your head over your heart is key. Not only does this allow for anyone to easily get in a good position, it does so without hurting the back or neck. I could not recommend this pillow enough and wish I could go back to my first pregnancy because I truly suffered miserably… yes I would go back even if that means sacrificing my son’s beautiful newborn hair…sorry not sorry!