What To Take For Heartburn When Pregnant Nz

Heartburn Medicine Factors To Consider

When shopping for a new heartburn medicine, there are a number of important factors to consider. Some consumers might only need short-term relief from occasionally eating trigger foods. Others might need a longer-term treatment for chronic acid reflux, GERD, or a sensitive stomach. It isnt unusual to experiment with different types of heartburn medicines in order to find the one that brings the most reliable relief. Here are some important factors to consider while looking:

Relief onset time: While traditional antacid brands offer relief in seconds or minutes, H2RAs and PPIs generally take hours or even days. This delay isnt necessarily a bad thing since these medicines provide longer-term relief. When comparing H2RAs and PPIs, keep in mind that H2RAs usually have a faster onset time, but the effects of PPIs last longer. If faster relief of an occasional bout of heartburn is the goal, try an H2RA first. For more frequent acid reflux, a PPI might be more appropriate.

Mechanism: Different types of heartburn medicine use different mechanisms to address the same basic problem. Antacids chemically neutralize stomach acids but dont affect acid production. H2RAs enter the bloodstream and block acid production. PPIs actually shut down acid production. Consumers should consider the severity and frequency of their heartburn symptoms and shop accordingly.

Pelvic Floor Care During Pregnancy

Its a great idea to exercise your pelvic floor muscles when youre pregnant.

These muscles support your bladder, uterus and bowel, and they often get weaker in pregnancy and during birth because of the extreme pressure the baby and the birth put on them.

If you have weak pelvic floor muscles you might end up having trouble controlling wind, and you might wet your pants when you sneeze, cough, laugh or exercise.

Strong pelvic floor muscles during pregnancy can help your pelvic floor muscles recover quicker after birth. Stronger pelvic floor muscles can make sex better too.

Read more about pelvic floor care

Raising Children Network

The Australian parenting website

Eating To Help Manage Morning Sickness

Nausea and vomiting are often the first sign youre pregnant. Even though its commonly called morning sickness, it can happen any time of the day or night, especially when youre hungry or tired.

The good news is that early in pregnancy you dont need much additional nutrition, so its rare for nausea and vomiting to cause any nutritional problems. But if your vomiting is severe, and you struggle to keep any foods or liquid down, its a good idea to seek advice from your midwife or doctor.

Try:

• eating regularly, choosing smaller meals or snacks
• having fewer high-fat and spicy foods
• a carbohydrate snack before getting out of bed in the morning
• drinking small sips of flat lemonade or ginger ale
• ginger or foods flavoured with ginger
• giving yourself extra time in the morning – rushing can make you feel worse
• to rest more.

If cooking smells make you feel sick, have someone else do the cooking while youre not in the room.

Recommended Reading: Ra And Ibs

How Is Gord Treated

It is important to begin treating GORD as soon as possible after diagnosis. Left untreated, acid reflux will continue to damage your oesophagus and create other complications. There are 3 main types of medicines used to treat GORD. The type of medicine prescribed depends on how severe your symptoms are. These medicines from mildest to strongest are antacids , H2-receptor blockers and proton pump inhibitors.

After your oesophagus has had a chance to heal and your symptoms improve, the strength of medicine prescribed will be reduced. Eventually you may only need to take medicine when you have symptoms. For some people with severe GORD, the lowest effective dose of medicine may need to be continued.

Medicines are effective in treating GORD but they are only part of the solution. To help prevent symptoms of GORD recurring, you may need to make some important lifestyle changes.

Back Pain And Pregnancy

Another common symptom of pregnancy is back pain, as the ligaments and tendons in your pelvis relax and soften, preparing your body for labour.

Its a good idea to avoid lifting heavy objects, and to bend your knees and keep your back straight when youre lifting or picking something up off the floor. You might also want to try prenatal yoga or a water exercise class to gently strengthen the muscles so they better support your back.

In later pregnancy you may also experience sciatica a persistent tingling or numbness in the sciatic nerve that runs from your lower back down the back of your legs. This is because your growing uterus is putting pressure on your sciatic nerve, and should pass after youve given birth.

Also Check: Can Xanax Help With Stomach Pain

When Should I Seek Medical Advice

Occasional heartburn is usually nothing to worry about. However, if you have frequent and persistent heartburn, see your doctor. Without treatment, ongoing heartburn or GORD can lead to complications.

• Reflux oesophagitis frequent or an extended period of heartburn can inflame your oesophagus because it gets burnt by the acid leaking up from your stomach.

• Respiratory problems people with heartburn occasionally develop respiratory problems like asthma, chronic cough, pneumonia, choking at night or a sore throat in the morning.

Read more about GORD.

You should also see your GP or doctor if:

• your symptoms have not improved after 4 weeks of treatment with medicine
• your symptoms get more frequent or severe
• you develop regular heartburn for the first time and you are aged over 50 years.

What Can I Take For Heartburn While Pregnant Besides Tums

• 22-04-2019
• By Maanasi Radhakrishnan

As beautiful the phase of pregnancy is for a woman, it comes with several problems as well. Women often feel uncomfortable due to the occurrence of several complications. These problems are mainly related to the stomach or digestive system in general. Heartburns are a common complaint of pregnant ladies. This happens because the progesterone hormone causes the valve between the stomach and oesophagus to relax. Since this valve is responsible for preventing the acid from the stomach to enter back to the oesophagus, its relaxing leads to heartburns.

Its important to be cautious during this period. Hence, any problem has to be dealt with the greatest care. For heartburns the most common solution suggested is to use tums. Tums not only provide quick relief from heartburns but also help add calcium to the body. Hence it is quite popular. But the popular question among pregnant women is, what can I take for heartburn besides tums during pregnancy?

Read Also: Does Throwing Up Help Heartburn

You May Like: Probiotic Align

Eating For Healthy Pregnant Women/ng Kai Totika M Te Wahine Hap

Eating well and doing moderate physical activity during pregnancy are important for you and your baby. Nutritional needs are higher when you are pregnant. Meeting these needs helps protect the long-term health of both you and your baby.

Seek antenatal care as soon as you think that you are pregnant.

Some pregnant women may need special advice from a dietitian about eating. This includes women who:

• are 18 years old or younger
• have a medical condition affecting their eating, such as diabetes
• are having more than one baby
• eat very little or have a history of eating problems
• are vegetarian or vegan
• are very overweight
• are underweight.

If you think you should see a dietitian, ask your lead maternity carer to arrange this for you.

How To Help Alleviate Heartburn In Pregnancy

The first line of management of heartburn is lifestyle changes. Eating smaller meals, not eating at night and raising your bedhead are all key steps to take.

In cases of more troublesome symptoms, or if symptoms persist despite lifestyle changes, you may wish to discuss medications with your doctor. There are a variety of such medications, for example, antacids are a fast and effective means to alleviate your heartburn symptoms may be due to their rapid symptom relief. It is important to discuss the most appropriate management of heartburn and any other symptoms with your health care professional.

Don’t Miss: Align Digestive

Choose And Prepare Foods Low In Fat Salt And Sugar

The best way to meet your extra needs is to choose foods from the four food groups. These are good sources of fibre, vitamins and minerals.

When shopping, read labels and look for foods that are lower in fat , salt and sugar. If using salt, choose iodised salt.

To cut down on your intake of fat , salt and sugar:

• choose polyunsaturated or monounsaturated margarine or lower fat table spreads rather than butter or dripping, and spread margarine thinly
• choose foods rich in polyunsaturated fat and omega-3, including green leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds, oily fish , and oils
• choose lean meats trim off any fat, remove skin from chicken before or after cooking, skim fat off stews or off the top of boil-ups and eat more grilled, boiled or steamed fish
• reduce intake of sausages or processed meats, which can be high in fat and salt if eating these foods, grill rather than fry them and always heat until piping hot then serve them hot to reduce the risk of illness such as listeria
• when cooking, choose to grill, steam, microwave, boil or bake foods, without adding fat
• eat meals without adding extra salt
• choose foods with no added sugar.

Pregnancy Tips And Tricks

Weve put together the answers to the most common questions we get asked by pregnant women. We hope you find this information useful!

What vitamins do I need?

Folate should be taken from before conception, until 12 weeks of pregnancy. This is to reduce the risk of neural tube defects. Some women need to take MegaFol . These women have a personal or family history of Neural Tube Defects , have had a previous pregnancy affected by NTD, have Type 1 Diabetes, or are on medication for epilepsy.

Iodine is recommended from before conception and throughout pregnancy. Iodine is important for thyroid function.

Omega 3 from 12 weeks of pregnancy has been shown to reduce the risk of preterm delivery. We recommend that everyone considers this.

Aspirin 150mg taken at night, started in the first trimester or early second trimester, is recommended in some cases. Examples include: previous pre-eclampsia, pre-existing hypertension, a low Papp-A at first trimester screening, Type 1 or 2 diabetes, twins or higher-order pregnancies, pre-existing kidney disease, or autoimmune diseases such as lupus and antiphospholipid syndrome. If multiple of the following moderate-level risk factors are present, aspirin is also recommended. These include a BMI over 30, age over 35, first baby, or a family history of pre-eclampsia.

What dietary changes do I need to make?

• For a PDF on listeria, high risk foods, symptoms, and pregnancy concerns, click here.

Can I exercise during pregnancy?

Can I have sex?

Reflux

Also Check: Stomach Cramps And Diarrhea During Pregnancy

Drink Plenty Of Fluid

Drink when you are thirsty. Try to drink at least 9 cups of fluid each day. Water or reduced- or low-fat milk are the best choices.

You may need more fluid when its hot, after you have exercised and if you are vomiting or constipated . If you are throwing up, fluid may be more easily taken by sucking on ice blocks or having clear soups.

Eat Well To Cope With Pregnancy Symptoms

Nausea and vomiting are common during early pregnancy, and this is often the first sign of being pregnant. This is referred to as morning sickness, but it may occur at any time of the day or night, especially when you are tired or hungry.

Eat as well as you can. Your extra nutrition needs are small during early pregnancy, so nausea and vomiting rarely cause any nutritional problems. However, if your vomiting is severe and you are unable to keep any food or fluids down, seek advice from your LMC.

• Eat regularly, choosing smaller meals or snacks.
• Have fewer high-fat and spicy foods.
• Try a carbohydrate snack before getting out of bed in the morning.
• Drink small sips of flat lemonade or ginger ale.
• Try ginger or foods flavoured with ginger.
• Give yourself extra time in the morning. Rushing can make you feel worse.
• Try and rest more.
• If cooking smells make you feel sick, cut down on cooking as much as you can or have someone else do the cooking while you are elsewhere.

Don’t Miss: Is Peanut Butter Ok For Acid Reflux

What Are The Risk Factors For Gord

One of the main risk factors for GORD is being overweight. As your body mass index increases, so does your risk of developing GORD. This is thought to be due to extra pressure being put on the lower oesophageal sphincter by the weight resting on your stomach. Other risk factors include pregnancy, smoking, abnormalities of your oesophagus and eating certain foods.

Pregnancy

Many women get heartburn during later stages of pregnancy, when your womb pushes up against your stomach. This normally goes away at the end of the pregnancy.

Smoking

Nicotine can cause the muscles of the lower oesophageal sphincter to relax which may allow reflux to occur. GORD in smokers is also thought to be caused by frequent coughing leading to hiatus hernia. A hiatus hernia is where the upper part of your stomach is pushed up into your upper chest cavity through an opening in your diaphragm, affecting the functioning of the lower oesophageal sphincter. Read more about hiatus hernia.

Abnormalities of the oesophagus

These may lead to reflux of stomach contents, including acid and sometimes bile, into your oesophagus.

Eating certain foodsFoods that can make the symptoms of GORD worse include:

• spicy foods
• fried or fatty food.

Mums On Our Forum Say

Im the acid reflux girl! I have to take Gaviscon every night! Corrinne

Ive been suffering with the worst heartburn ever for the past 3 days Ive tried everything. Gaviscon, Rennies, milk, even not eating and thats not worked! The antacids work for a little bit but then it comes back even worse than before! This baby must have an afro if the wives tales are true about having a hairy baby! Amybaby

You May Like: Does Prenatal Vitamins Give You Diarrhea

Treatment For Heartburn During Pregnancy

Like many pregnancy symptoms managing them involves paying attention to your body. The first step is figuring out which foods and daily habits cause you heartburn or make it worse. You can then try to avoid them and reduce your chances of having heartburn.When heartburn strikes, try these simple tips to give yourself some relief:

• Drink water after meals. Flushing your meals down with a good sip of water may help your stomach digest your food more quickly, without needing to produce excessive amounts of acid.
• Have a sip of milk. Milk can sometimes help to settle heartburn. If you’re lactose intolerant or don t enjoy full-fat milk, try having a sip of coconut, almond or rice milk instead. Or some yoghurt may also help.
• Consider taking an antacid. Always check with your healthcare professional and/or a pharmacist first, but an over-the-counter antacid, in liquid or chewable tablet form, can provide soothing relief from heartburn.

If none of the above methods give you relief from heartburn, ask your healthcare professional for some more specific advice.

*Please note that the published date may not be the same as the date that the content was created and that information above may have changed since.

How Is Gord Diagnosed

See your doctor if you are having heartburn regularly and ongoing. To make a diagnosis of GORD, your doctor will take your medical history and conduct a physical examination. A diagnosis of GORD is highly likely if regular and ongoing heartburn is your main symptom. Further tests may be required to work out how severe your GORD is or whether there is any damage to your oesophagus.

Tests may include:

• an endoscopy this involves having an endoscope passed through your mouth down into your stomach to examine the lining of your digestive tract.
• pH monitoring this involves using an acid monitor to measure acidity levels in your oesophagus.

You May Like: Pickles And Gerd

Understanding The Oesophagus And Stomach

When we eat, food passes down the gullet into the stomach. Cells in the lining of the stomach make acid and other chemicals which help to digest food. Stomach cells also make mucus which protects them from damage from the acid. The cells lining the oesophagus are different and have little protection from acid.

There is a circular band of muscle at the junction between the oesophagus and stomach. This relaxes to allow food down but then normally tightens up and stops food and acid leaking up into the oesophagus. In effect, the sphincter acts like a valve.

Acid Reflux and Oesophagitis

What Causes Heartburn During Pregnancy

During normal digestion, food travels down the esophagus , through a muscular valve called the lower esophageal sphincter , and into the stomach.

The LES is part of the doorway between your esophagus and your stomach. It opens to allow food through and closes to stop stomach acids from coming back up.

When you have heartburn, or acid reflux, the LES relaxes enough to allow stomach acid to rise up into the esophagus. This can cause pain and burning in the chest area.

During pregnancy, hormone changes can allow the muscles in the esophagus, including the LES, to relax more frequently. The result is that more acids may seep back up, particularly when youre lying down or after youve eaten a large meal.

In addition, as your fetus grows during the second and third trimesters and your uterus expands to accommodate that growth, your stomach is under more pressure. This can also result in food and acid being pushed back up into your esophagus.

Heartburn is a common occurrence for most people at one time or another, but it doesnt necessarily mean youre pregnant. However, if you also experience other symptoms, such as a missed period or nausea, these could be signs that you need to take a pregnancy test.

Read Also: Does Almond Milk Cause Heartburn