7 WAYS TO DEAL WITH HEARTBURN DURING PREGNANCY

7 Ways to Deal with Heartburn during Pregnancy

During pregnancy, it is common to have nausea, back pain, sore legs, and interrupted sleep.  Another one of the complaints of many pregnant women is the heartburn that they experience.  In fact, up to 50% of women are likely to experience heartburn at some point in their pregnancies.  You may not be able to avoid it or relieve it completely during pregnancy, but there are ways to control it. 

What exactly is heartburn? 

Heartburn actually has nothing to do with your heart.  The burning pain, associated with heartburn, results when stomach acid rises up into your esophagus (the tube that connects your mouth to your stomach).  You may hear it referred to by its medical name, "gastroesophageal reflux."  "Gastro" means stomach.  "Esophageal" refers to your esophagus/food pipe. 

What causes heartburn during pregnancy? 

There is a muscle, called the “lower esophageal sphincter,” located between your stomach and esophagus.  This muscle relaxes when you eat or drink something so that the food/drink gets to your stomach. 

However, if the muscle relaxes and does not stay closed, then symptoms of heartburn result.

The two main reasons for heartburn during pregnancy are:

1. Pregnancy hormones play a role in relaxing muscles throughout your body.  This includes the lower esophageal sphincter.

2. The growing uterus pushes and displaces other organs in your abdomen, including the stomach and its contents.

What can you do to reduce heartburn and its effects?

1. Eat smaller, more frequent meals

Most pregnant women get accustomed to doing this anyway, especially as the pregnancy continues and the baby crowds your abdominal organs. 

2. Do not eat/drink before you lie down

You want to use gravity to your advantage to help keep things in your stomach, where they should be.

It is preferable that you do not eat for about two hours before you plan to go to sleep.

3. Make adjustments to your sleeping surface

You may have to sleep in a recliner chair for part of your pregnancy.  Again, you are using gravity to help keep things down. 

A second option is to elevate the head of your bed.  You can do this by putting six-inch blocks under the head of your bed.  Alternatively, you can buy a foam bed wedge that you place under your head down to your waist, and sleep on that.  That will keep you propped up.  You can find these wedges on Amazon, for example. 

4. Try sleeping on your left side instead of your right side

This recommendation is based on the anatomical design of the human body, and can be helpful for some heartburn sufferers.

5. Ensure you are wearing comfortable maternity clothing

You want to avoid anything tight around your waist that might cause increased pressure and chance for reflux.

6. Avoid particular foods and drinks

Spicy foods and carbonated beverages are known to play a role in heartburn.  Caffeine, citrus, and pickled foods can also aggravate it.

7. Speak to your physician

If you try these tips, and you are still not getting full relief, be sure to talk to your doctor.  Some antacids may be able to be used, but you should get medical advice first as to which ones are recommended during pregnancy.

To summarize, heartburn is one nuisance of pregnancy.  Now that you know what causes it, you need to implement methods to control or relieve it.  Pregnancy certainly can be uncomfortable, but you want to do what you can to minimize those discomforts.