When Do You Get Heartburn In Pregnancy

Consider Avoiding Certain Foods Drinks And Large Meals

Heartburn during pregnancy

Some foods and drinks may make reflux worse in some people. It is difficult to be certain to what extent specific foods contribute to the problem. Let common sense be your guide. If it seems that a food is causing symptoms, try avoiding it for a while to see if symptoms improve. Foods and drinks that have been suspected of making symptoms worse in some people include:

Peppermint.
Coffee.
Alcoholic drinks.

Also, avoid large meals if they bring on symptoms. Some women find that eating smaller meals more frequently is helpful.

You May Like: Is Kinesio Tape Safe For Pregnancy

Foods You Can Have To Soothe Pregnancy Heartburn

If your heartburn and indigestion is not so severe, and you feel that you can relieve it by all going natural, here are few effective natural and safe remedies. Include these food items in your diet. It is healthy and its your third trimester both you and your baby will benefit from it!

If one remedy work effectively for a person, it doesnt mean it will work out for everyone. So, if one particular home remedy not giving you any relief try the other options.

#1. Apples An apple a day keeps your heartburn away!

The excess acidic environment created in your stomach can be neutralized by the natural enzymes present in apples.

Consume cold sweet red apples to get quick relief, if you suffer from heartburn. You can also drink fresh apple juice with honey before going to bed.

#2. Almonds

This is one of the good natural remedy for heartburn during pregnancy.

Try two or three organic almonds after a meal. Dont over eat this nuts.

#3. Avocado

Include avocados in your pregnancy diet to balance the acid in your body.

#4. Banana

Natural antacids are present abundantly in bananas that can neutralize the acidity in stomach. Consume well ripened bananas one daily after lunch.

#5. Sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are one of the highly alkalizing veggie. It helps to restore the pH in the stomach. Include this in your diet.

#6. Leafy vegetables

Leafy vegetables are also alkaline in nature and help to neutralize acids. Include leafy vegetables daily in your diet.

#7. Yellow Mustard

Babys Growth In The First Trimester

During the first 13 weeks, your baby changes from a fertilized egg into a fully-formed fetus. All the major organs and systems are taking shape. That means your baby could be harmed if you use street drugs, have an illness, or get exposed to radiation. Heres whats happening:

The fertilized egg becomes a cluster of rapidly dividing cells that implants in your uterus. The placenta, umbilical cord and amniotic sac all start to grow.
Your babys nervous system changes from an open neural tube to a brain and spinal cord. Nerves and muscles start working together. Your baby can move on its own, but its too soon for you to feel it.
The heart takes shape and begins to beat. You can hear it on ultrasound as early as week 6. It beats 120 to 160 times per minute. Red blood cells are forming.
Your baby develops a digestive system, including intestines and kidneys.
They have lungs and other major organs, but theyre not fully developed.
A soft skeleton is starting to grow.
Your baby starts to look like a baby, with arms, legs, fingers, and toes. Their face gets eyes, ears, a nose, and mouth. A tongue and tooth buds grow. Eyelids cover your babys eyes, and by the end of the trimester, they even have fingernails.
Genitals start to grow, but its too early to tell by ultrasound whether youre having a girl or a boy.

Continued

Recommended Reading: Side Effects Of Gas Relief Pills

How To Find Pregnancy Heartburn Relief

Heartburn happens, but theres no need to suffer in silence. There are several proactive and reactive steps you can take to get pregnancy heartburn reliefbut it might involve some trial and error and a few conversations with your doctor.

Certain over-the-counter and prescription medications can help treat heartburn symptoms in pregnancy, and some simple diet and lifestyle changes may work to prevent episodes in the first place. Here are a few tips to get you started:

Symptoms Of Heartburn During Pregnancy

Common heartburn symptoms reported by pregnant women include:

A burning feeling in the chest just behind the breastbone that occurs after eating and lasts a few minutes to several hours
Chest pain, especially after bending over, lying down, or eating
Burning in the throat — or hot, sour, or salty-tasting fluid at the back of the throat
Belching
Wheezing or other asthma-like symptoms

Read Also: Which Side To Lay On For Heartburn

How Can Heartburn During Pregnancy Be Prevented

You can take steps to reduce heartburn symptoms without hurting your baby.

Dietary changes:

Eat several small meals throughout the day instead of three large ones.
Eat slowly.
Drink between your meals, but not with meals.
Avoid fried, spicy or fatty foods.
Avoid citrus fruits and juices.
Limit caffeine.
Dont smoke and avoid alcohol. Besides causing heartburn, smoking and drinking during pregnancy can cause health problems for the baby.

Other tips to avoid heartburn during pregnancy:

Sit up straight when you eat.
Dont eat late at night.
Dont lie down right after eating.
Keep the head of your bed higher than the foot of the bed. Or try placing pillows under your shoulders. Doing so helps prevent stomach acids from rising into your chest.

Can I Take Over

Nonprescription heartburn relievers, such as Tums® or Maalox®, can help you feel better. But talk to your healthcare provider before taking antacids. They may contain high sodium levels, which can cause you to retain water. Some also have aluminum in them, which isnt safe to consume during pregnancy. Your provider can recommend an antacid thats safe during pregnancy.

Read Also: What To Take To Stop Diarrhea

Cut Down On Problematic Foods

Forget about foods that are very spicy, salty or fatty during your pregnancy

Spicy foods contain a chemical compound called capsaicin, which can irritate your oesophagus, worsening the symptoms of heartburn.

The connection between salt and heartburn remains a mystery for researchers, but the bottom line is that a diet high in sodium may be a cause of heartburn, even though generally healthy people do not seem to suffer from it. Avoiding salt in pregnancy is a general recommendation anyway, as salt promotes water retention, bloating and high blood pressure.

Lastly, fatty foods cause your lower oesophageal sphincter to relax, which again lets the stomach acid travel all the way up to your throat. Additionally, fat promotes the production of the hormone cholecystokinin, which enables the food to stay in your stomach for longer, thus increasing the risk of acid reflux.

Up for a bonus tip? Excellent! Have you ever thought about having a glass of Donat? Because this natural mineral water is a lot more than a sure-fire way to fight off slow digestion or constipation. If you suffer from acid reflux issues, drinking Donat will neutralise the stomach acid in your food pipe and help get rid of that burning feeling!

Medicines For Indigestion And Heartburn

How can I ease heartburn during pregnancy? – Reston Hospital Center

Medicines for indigestion and heartburn during pregnancy include:

antacids to neutralise the acid in your stomach
alginates to relieve indigestion caused by acid reflux by stopping the acid in your stomach coming back up your gullet

You may only need to take antacids and alginates when you start getting symptoms. However, your GP may recommend taking them before symptoms come on for example, before a meal or before bed.

If you’re taking iron supplements as well as antacids, do not take them at the same time. Antacids can stop iron from being absorbed by your body.

If antacids and alginates do not improve your symptoms, your GP may prescribe a medicine to reduce the amount of acid in your stomach. 2 that are widely used in pregnancy and not known to be harmful to an unborn baby are:

ranitidine a tablet you take twice a day
omeprazole a tablet you take once a day

Read Also: Are Potatoes Good For Constipation

How Can You Ease Your Symptoms

Although it is usually harmless to you and your baby, heartburn can be painful and uncomfortable for you.1 There are two simple things worth trying straight away:4

Adopting a healthy diet rich, fatty or spicy foods can trigger heartburn, as can eating large meals. Instead avoid eating foods that can trigger your heartburn, switch to eating smaller meals several times a day and dont eat in the 34 hours before you go to bed
Sitting and sleeping in a more upright position putting a wooden block under the head of your bed to raise it up can help if you get heartburn at night.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist about Gaviscon. Many Gaviscon products are suitable for use during pregnancy to give you effective relief of heartburn and indigestion symptoms.

Listen To What Your Body Is Telling You

What you can eat during pregnancy is largely dependent on how certain foods make you feel. In your first trimester, you likely had aversions and foods that induced nausea just by looking at them. Now, certain foods may trigger heartburn. Fat, caffeine, chocolate, and citrus fruits are all common foods that cause heartburn during pregnancy. Know your triggers and stay away from them.

Read Also: How To Best Take Probiotics

How Can Heartburn In Pregnancy Be Relieved

Although heartburn can last for the entire pregnancy, there are some things you can do to relieve the feelings.

Some suggestions are:

Eat a high fiber diet
Dont eat late at night
Dont eat and then lie down
Sleep propped up, not completely horizontal
Eat a diet low in acidic and fatty foods.

Its best to try to treat heartburn during pregnancy naturally.

Although its unpleasant, heartburn isnt usually serious enough to take stronger measures.

The Best Way To Get Rid Of Heartburn When Pregnant

By Fritz

Are you looking for the best way to get rid of heartburn when pregnant? Heartburn is a very common condition, but it can become quite complicated during pregnancy. You are more likely to experience heartburn during the second trimester than in the first trimester, because of the increased fluid levels in your stomach.

The muscle at the top of the stomach called the esophagus does not enlarge as it normally would during other stages of your pregnancy. As a result, the stomach acids back up into the esophagus and cause a painful burning sensation that you know you cant tolerate.

You May Like: Probiotics And Ibd

Read Also: Do Bananas Make You Constipated

Good Posture Is One Of The Easiest Ways To Prevent Heartburn

Posture is another factor that can positively or negatively affect the lives of people with heartburn. Thus experts recommend straightening your back as much as possible. This is because, by adopting a hunched posture, the stomach area can compress and release acid, causing symptoms such as spitting up or unexpected vomiting.

Sleeping Habits To Adopt

Food curfew: Dont eat three hours before going to bed to let your body process and digest your food before lying down.
Sleeping position: Try to tilt your mattress so your head and shoulders are slightly higher, approximately 10cm. This helps to prevent stomach acid coming up while you sleep.
De-stress: Take time out before going to sleep to calm yourself and the baby. Try meditating or having some quiet time so your body isnt tense during sleep.

Its important to know that although indigestion is painful, it doesnt harm your baby. If anything, the slowing of the digestive system allows more time for nutrients to be passed through to your baby so try not to panic!

If you have relentless pains it can be worth seeing a doctor, even if just to put your mind at ease.

What Medications Can I Take For Heartburn During Pregnancy

Its important to be extremely careful about the medications you take when pregnant.

For heartburn relief, over-the-counter antacids are all considered safe medications to use during pregnancy.

As always, consult with your provider about any medications youre taking even if theyre considered safe.

If you experience any unusual symptoms while taking an over-the-counter medication, call your doctor immediately.

Can A Bloated Stomach Be A Sign Of Stomach Cancer

Heartburn during Pregnancy | Instant Info

5. Stomach cancer is usually asymptomatic early on, or causes vague symptoms like bloating, indigestion, and a feeling of fullness in the upper abdomen. Like pancreatic cancer, it may have already reached an advanced stage at diagnosis, in which case there will likely be additional symptoms of weight loss, nausea, and abdominal pain.

Recommended Reading: How To Stop Belly Bloat

Heartburn Medication To Avoid During Pregnancy

Talk to your doctor before taking any antacids. Some contain ingredients that may harm you or your baby. Be sure to not to take these medications:

Ranitidine. In 2020, the FDA stopped sales of an H2 blocker called ranitidine because it was contaminated with a cancer-causing agent. If you take OTC ranitidine, stop your use. If you have a prescription for ranitidine, talk to your doctor about other options before you stop your medication.

Show Sources

How To Relieve Heartburn During Pregnancy

If you are experiencing the symptoms of heartburn unexpectedly and more frequently, try minimizing consumption of spicy and acidic foods and beverages, avoid caffeine and alcohol as much as possible, and opt for dairy products high in calcium or probiotics to help alleviate discomfort. Most importantly, though, if the symptoms of heartburn do not subside or you believe you may be pregnant consult a primary care physician as soon as possible and consider the additional resources offered by Baptist Health for expecting mothers.

Read Also: Do Bananas Help With Bloating

Don’t Miss: What To Do About Leaky Gut Syndrome

When To Get Medical Help

See your midwife or GP if you need help managing your symptoms or if changes to your diet and lifestyle do not work. They may recommend medicine to ease your symptoms.

You should also see your midwife or GP if you have any of the following:

difficulty eating or keeping food down
weight loss
stomach pains

Your midwife or GP may ask about your symptoms and examine you by pressing gently on different areas of your chest and stomach to see whether it’s painful.

What Can You Do About It

How To Get Rid Of Heartburn (Acid Reflux) During Pregnancy Fast

Other non-medicinal methods which people have tried include:

Acupuncture: Though the research regarding acupuncture and pregnant women is very limited a small trial published in the journal Acupuncture in Medicine in 2009 discovered that adding acupuncture to a treatment plan of antacids and dietary adjustments made the plan more effective in relieving pregnant womenâs heartburn symptoms.
Drink fluids between meals rather than with meals: Adding fluid to a regular meal increases the number of contents in your stomach. Instead, some women have found it more comfortable to slowly drink fluids between meals.

Don’t Miss: Is Leaky Gut A Medical Diagnosis

What Causes Heartburn During Pregnancy

Causes of heartburn during pregnancy include:

Hormone levels changing: Your hormone levels change during pregnancy, affecting how you tolerate and digest foods. The hormones often slow down your digestive system. Food moves slower, causing bloating and heartburn.
Esophageal sphincter relaxing: Progesterone, known as the pregnancy hormone, can cause the lower esophageal sphincter to relax. When it relaxes, stomach acid can move up into the esophagus.
Uterus enlarging: As your baby grows, your uterus gets bigger. It can crowd your stomach and push stomach acids upward, into your esophagus. Thats why heartburn is more common during the third trimester, the last few months of pregnancy. The baby and uterus are biggest then, crowding your other organs.

Heartburn Symptoms And Pre

If your heartburn symptoms don’t go away with medicine, it’s important to see your doctor as it may be a sign of something more serious, such as pre-eclampsia. A pregnant woman with pre-eclampsia usually has high blood pressure and problems with her kidneys. Pre-eclampsia could also seriously affect a woman’s liver, blood and brain. Any pregnant woman can experience pre-eclampsia â almost 1 in 20 Australian women will develop it.

Because pre-eclampsia is dangerous for both you and your baby, you should let your doctor know if your heartburn medicine is not working. This is especially important if you’re also feeling very unwell or you have:

sudden swelling of your hands, feet or face
a headache that doesn’t go away with simple painkillers
problems with your eyesight such as blurring or seeing flashing lights or dots
a strong pain below your ribs

Find out more about how pre-eclampsia is treated here.

Don’t Miss: Does Pickle Juice Help Heartburn

When Should I Call My Healthcare Provider About Heartburn During Pregnancy

If heartburn isnt going away, talk to your provider. They can prescribe medications that are safe to take while pregnant.

You should also call your provider if you:

Have heartburn that wakes you up at night.
Have trouble swallowing.
Have black poop.
Are losing weight.

Heartburn can have similar symptoms to a heart attack. If youve never had heartburn before and youre having chest pains, call your provider or head to the nearest ER.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

Heartburn during pregnancy is a common pregnancy symptom, especially in the third trimester. You can prevent or get relief from heartburn during pregnancy by making a few changes to your diet, like eating more frequent but smaller meals and avoiding spicy or fried foods. Some yogurt or milk may also help relieve symptoms. Before you take antacids, be sure to check with your provider for the safest option to take during pregnancy.

Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 01/29/2021.