Wondering what you can do for pregnancy heartburn relief? Here is everything you need to know about heartburn in pregnancy.
Heartburn in pregnancy is one of the uncomfortable pregnancy symptoms that most women experience at some point before labor. You might be asking when does heartburn start in pregnancy, what is the best way to get rid of heartburn when pregnant and what can I take for heartburn while pregnant?
After reading this post, you will have answers to all of your questions and understand what you can safely do to get pregnancy heartburn relief.
This post is all about pregnancy heartburn relief.
What is heartburn?
Heartburn is a burning feeling in your chest, right behind your breastbone that can last for minutes to hours. It can move up to your throat too and even cause a bitter or sour taste in the back of your throat. The pain can be worse after eating or when lying down in the evening and is all around very uncomfortable.
Heartburn usually occurs when stomach acid backs up into the esophagus, which is a tube that carries food from your mouth to your stomach. There is a band at the bottom of your esophagus called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) that loosens when you swallow to allow food or liquid to flow into your stomach. After swallowing, the LES band tightens up again.
But with heartburn, the band can relax abnormally or weaken. This can allow stomach acid to flow back up your esophagus and cause heartburn.
Mild heartburn is common and not a cause for concern but more regular and painful heartburn should be discussed with your doctor. It can be a sign of a more serious condition that should be monitored by a doctor.
More severe cases of heartburn that impact your daily life are usually considered gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and may require prescription medications or even surgery or other procedures.
Heartburn vs Acid Reflux
People use these words interchangeably but did you know they are actually different?
- Acid Reflux refers to when the band between your stomach and esophagus doesn’t tighten when it should so the stomach acid can travel from your stomach up to your esophagus.
- Heartburn is the pain or burning feeling in your chest and is a symptom of acid reflux.
What causes heartburn during pregnancy?
Many women complain about lots of heartburn during pregnancy. It unfortunately comes with the territory but unlike heartburn in a regular person, there are a few other things that play a role when you are pregnant.
- Changing hormone levels: It’s no surprise that your hormone levels change during pregnancy but the change can actually impact how you tolerate and digest foods. Slower moving food can oftentimes cause bloating and heartburn.
- Esophageal sphincter relaxing: The pregnancy hormone progesterone can relax your lower esophageal sphincter, which in turns allows stomach acid to move up into your esophagus.
- Uterus enlarging: Your uterus gets bigger and bigger as your baby grows, which can crowd your stomach and push stomach acid up into your esophagus. This is why heartburn in the third trimester is more common than heartburn in early pregnancy.
You may have also heard a rumor that heartburn is a sign that your baby has a lot of hair… I’m not sure there is anything scientific backing this old wive’s tale but I can tell you that I experienced lots of heartburn during pregnancy and my son was born with a full head of hair!
What does heartburn feel like during pregnancy?
You may feel burning or pain in your chest, feel bloated or very full, burp frequently, feel sick or bring up food.
It is not a pleasant experience and most women are looking for pregnancy heartburn relief to help alleviate the uncomfortableness.
This video explains heartburn so well and includes some really great pregnancy heartburn tips!
When does heartburn during pregnancy go away?
Heartburn usually goes away shortly after delivery – thank goodness! There is a small percentage of women who continue to experience heartburn and acid reflux due to a permanent weakening of the LES that does not correct itself.
If you are still experiencing heartburn after birth, you should have a discussion with your doctor about how it can be treated.
Best Pregnancy Heartburn Relief
1. Avoid trigger foods
Spicy foods, onions, citrus products, tomato products (ex. ketchup), fatty or fried foods, peppermint, chocolate, carbonated beverages, caffeinated beverages like coffee, or large meals.
2. Tums can provide relief
Talk to your doctor about if Tums or another antacid is right for you. Your provider can recommend a brand that is safe for pregnancy and doesn’t contain too much sodium or aluminum.
3. Eat several small meals throughout the day
Small meals as opposed to large meals are preferable because
4. Eat slowly
This gives your body time to digest and move the food from your stomach and into the small intestines instead of back up the esophagus.
5. Drink less while eating
This might sound like weird pregnancy heartburn relief but it really works. Drinking large amounts of liquid at a meal can lead to increased heartburn and acid reflux.
6. Sit up straight when you eat
This is the best position for your stomach and esophagus. It helps keep the esophagus at the correct angle while you eat and takes pressure off of the stomach.
7. Don’t lie down right after eating
This is HUGE for pregnancy heartburn relief. Just like it’s important to sit up straight when you eat, it’s also important to give yourself time to digest before you lay down after a meal. Otherwise, it’s easier for the stomach acid to travel up into the esophagus.
8. Sleep with your head propped up
You can do this by sleeping on more than one pillow. This will help prevent stomach acid from rising into your chest.
This post was all about pregnancy heartburn relief.
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