Soda is truly a universal thing. It will help both to wash dishes from fat and to bake a lush cake. Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is used not only in the food and chemical industries, but also in medicine. Soda is able to neutralize acids, while forming substances harmless to a living organism - salt and carbonic acid, which, in turn, decomposes into carbon dioxide and water.
A pack of soda is present in the house of almost every housewife. The wonderful properties of baking soda help in different situations. But can it be used during pregnancy? After all, a woman in a position is often limited in taking medications and various means, and soda has an anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effect.
Thrush and soda
Thrush (candidiasis) is a companion of many pregnant women. The hormonal changes occurring during the period of gestation provoke the rapid multiplication of Candida fungi (wikipedia Candida). In addition, thrush often occurs with a decrease in immunity, which is typical for any expectant mother.
At the same time, taking most medicines is contraindicated, and approved medicines are not always at hand. Therefore, baking soda can be used as an ambulance. Of course, it will not cure thrush, but it will reduce the manifestation of unpleasant symptoms such as itching, inflammation and discharge. Soda will not harm either the expectant mother or her baby.
Prepare a soda solution to combat thrush symptoms. Dissolve a teaspoon of baking soda in a glass (250 ml) of warm boiled water. Bathe with soda water every day for a week. You can also do douching. In any case, consult your doctor before proceeding.
Soda for heartburn
Even if a woman did not know what heartburn was before pregnancy, now she is likely to get acquainted with this unpleasant sensation. The growing baby presses on the mother's internal organs, and the pressure on her stomach creates a burning sensation. Not wanting to endure this discomfort, a woman can use baking soda out of habit. But is this folk remedy so harmless during the period of carrying a baby?
When heartburn occurs, baking soda can actually provide emergency relief. Reacting with gastric juice, sodium bicarbonate neutralizes acid, which is the cause of the "misfortune". However, the carbon dioxide released during the process increases the secretion of gastric juice, and the symptoms of heartburn return after a while.
It turns out that soda brings only temporary relief. But at the same time, it causes swelling, which is especially critical during the second half of pregnancy. And yet it does not in the best way affect the intestinal mucosa. Therefore, it is not advisable to save yourself with soda during heartburn, especially for expectant mothers - which means that taking soda and a solution with its content inside during pregnancy is not recommended.
Today you can find much more gentle means for the body than soda. For example, you can take medications such as Maalox and Alfogel. These are non-absorbable antacids that can be safely consumed during pregnancy.
READ IN DETAIL: Soda for heartburn for pregnant women - PROS and CONS and we recommend that you read the article How to deal with heartburn during pregnancy?
Is it possible for a future mother to treat her throat with soda
It is difficult for a woman in position to protect herself from colds and infections. And one of the typical symptoms of these diseases is a sore throat. Everyone knows that if you rinse your throat with water and soda at the slightest manifestations of ARVI or ARI, the pain will gradually subside.
To do this, it is enough to dilute 1 tsp. soda and salt taken in the same amount in one glass of warm water (250 ml). This soda-salt solution will relieve pain when swallowing. Baking soda can be harmful during pregnancy if you swallow it, but when rinsed, it does a great job of treating unpleasant symptoms such as sore throat, pharyngitis, laryngitis, and stomatitis.
Pregnant women can gargle with soda solution. But do not forget that this method must be combined with the treatment prescribed by the doctor.
Toothache and baking soda
Toothache can occur at any time. This is especially true for those who do not carefully monitor the health of the oral cavity. And although toothache does not pose a threat to the condition of the mother and fetus, it can cause a lot of suffering to the expectant mother.
And if before that you could have resorted to a soda solution without a doubt, now you may doubt the correctness of its use. Of course, when a toothache appears, you should immediately contact your dentist, but since such an opportunity does not always exist, you can use the usual improvised means.
Prepare a solution from a glass (250 ml) of warm boiled water and two teaspoons of baking soda. Rinse your mouth thoroughly with the resulting composition during the day. This recipe is effective enough to help you get rid of the pain before you end up in the dentist's office.
Soda pregnancy test
It is interesting that our grandmothers used soda even to determine pregnancy, because they did not have modern tests and ultrasound at their disposal. As you can imagine, you shouldn't fully rely on this method, but you can try this home method for determining pregnancy.
So, you'll need freshly collected morning urine and baking soda. It will be nice if you prepare a transparent container. Add baking soda to urine and watch the reaction occur:
- if the liquid foams and hisses, this means that you are not pregnant;
- if there is no visible reaction, and a sediment has formed at the bottom, this indicates pregnancy.
Pay attention
When using baking soda, do not forget that it does not belong to medicines, therefore it cannot cure you of various diseases. With inflammation of the mucous membranes, baking soda will only temporarily relieve you of pain and itching. Using homemade recipes with this remedy does not cancel out doctor visits and medications.
Soda is not a toxic substance, but it can still be harmful, especially if you are expecting a baby. A solution with a slightly alkaline medium can be prepared from soda, but in no case should you drink it! This is especially true for pregnant women who are prone to the frequent appearance of edema. And if the expectant mother unknowingly drank this solution, you need to inform the doctor about it.
Baking soda is a great help in treating sore throat, toothaches, and thrush symptoms. It is not forbidden to use it for cosmetic purposes, for example, when taking a bath to get rid of sweating. Use soda correctly and be healthy!
