You’re not alone
Heartburn can plague pregnant women, taking the delight out of pregnancy cravings (bad news if you crave fried chicken or chocolate cake) and interrupting sleep when you’re already exhausted. It’s a very common complaint in pregnancy, with around 17-45% of women suffering from heartburn during those 9 months.
If you’re an expectant mother looking for relief, know that there are things you can do to avoid heartburn and soothe it when that familiar burning sensation does creep up on you. Read on to find out how to remedy heartburn while pregnant.
Why Do Pregnant Women Get Heartburn?
Hormones
When you're pregnant your body has changes in its hormone levels. Some may act as a muscle relaxant that helps to prepare your body for childbirth. The downside? The increase of some hormones may also relax the Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES). That's the valve responsible for keeping stomach acid from moving up into the esophagus where it doesn't belong. If the acid moves into that area it can irritate the esophagus causing heartburn.
Baby growth
As your baby grows, its size can put pressure on your stomach. Sometimes this can push the acid in your stomach, past the LES and back into the esophagus, causing heartburn.
How To Prevent Heartburn During Pregnancy
Prevention is better than a cure! While you can’t do anything about the hormonal and body shape changes that cause heartburn when you’re pregnant, you can make lifestyle choices to avoid making it worse. Find some ideas for preventing pregnancy heartburn here.
Eat Smaller Meals
Overeating can cause indigestion which increases the likelihood you’ll get heartburn. Graze on smaller meals throughout the day rather than eating 3 big meals a day. This prevents overloading your stomach.
Avoid Trigger Foods
Acidic, rich, spicy, and fatty foods are a recipe for heartburn. Caffeinated and carbonated drinks are triggers, too. That means avoiding tomatoes, curry, fried foods, fizzy pop, citrus fruits, full-fat milk, coffee, and chocolate where possible.
Sit Upright
Sitting straight upright while you eat will help relieve some of the pressure on your stomach. Don’t be tempted to eat while slouched on the couch!
Raise the Head of Your Bed
Many pregnant women suffer from nocturnal heartburn which, alongside a kicking baby, can lead to sleepless nights. One way to help with this is to sleep propped up on pillows, or to add a wedge under the head of your bed or mattress. This utilises gravity to help acid stay down in the stomach where it belongs.
How to Get Rid of Heartburn During Pregnancy
Even if you do all the above, you still may not be able to avoid bouts of heartburn due to your growing baby pushing on your stomach. In these cases, you need ways to find relief from the symptoms of acid reflux. Find out what is safe to do during pregnancy below:
Drink Low-fat Milk
Low or non-fat milk can help soothe heartburn by acting as a buffer between your stomach and its gastric acid. Fat in foods and drinks can aggravate heartburn, so make sure you use non-fat varieties. Eating low-fat yogurt can have the same effect.
Chew Sugar-free Gum
Research has found that chewing sugar-free gum for half an hour after a meal can help reduce acid reflux after eating. This is a helpful idea for pregnant women as there are no harmful side effects.
TUMS during pregnancy
Though you should always check with your healthcare provider to determine the best individual remedy, an antacid like TUMS can be effective in the fight against heartburn during pregnancy.
Does heartburn stop after the baby arrives?
The good news is that heartburn will likely stop for most women after giving birth. However, if you have heartburn while pregnant, you may be at an increased risk of having heartburn later in life.
