Table of Contents
What Is Heartburn?
Heartburn is a peculiar condition with a name that has nothing to do with the organ it’s named after. Also known as acid reflux, it is a hot and uncomfortable feeling in the throat and chest. It happens when food and acid flow up from your stomach through the food tube (esophagus) and wind up in your throat and sometimes your mouth.
This burning feeling is all too common in pregnancy. Certain changes during pregnancy, including an increase in certain hormones like progesterone, can improve your chances of having heartburn. These hormones can relax your stomach valves to keep them open, allowing the stomach’s acidic content back into the food tube.
Heartburn can be harmful to pregnancy when the growing uterus presses up on the stomach. The good news is that you can reduce heartburn during pregnancy with healthy changes to your diet and lifestyle. Some medicines are also good for pregnancy-safe heartburn relief. We will explore them in this article.
What Causes Heartburn?
Heartburn is a discomfort that occurs when stomach acid and enzymes flow up into your esophagus. The thick mucous lining in your stomach protects it from these substances, but your food tube doesn’t have this, so it is prone to irritation, which you experience as heartburn.
Typically, the valve at the end of the esophagus, the lower esophageal sphincter, keeps your acidic stomach content from flowing back up. In some cases, the valve is weak or may not be able to close well. Various factors can weaken the LES or cause it to relax spontaneously, including:
- Inhaling smoke
- Foods like tomato sauce, citrus fruits, coffee, chocolate, and mint
- Heavy meals that may stretch your stomach walls or stay in it for longer
- Indigestion or gas bubbles rising through your gastrointestinal tract
- Abdominal pressure due to pregnancy and body weight
- A hiatal hernia that happens when your stomach pushes up through the diaphragm
- Lying down right after eating
- Medications such as birth control and blood pressure pills
Proven Tips for Pregnancy Heartburn Relief
If you need immediate pregnancy heartburn relief, try some of the steps below:
1. Watch what you eat
There are foods you need to take off your menu as they may trigger heartburn. Some of these foods include processed meats, spicy food, fried or fatty foods, caffeine, carbonated beverages, chocolate, citrus, and mint. Fatty foods may slow down digestion, while spicy foods promote more stomach acid content. These can prepare the perfect conditions for heartburn to occur.
2. Eat frequent small meals instead of large ones
Want to get heartburn relief? Skip the three big square meals we’ve become accustomed to. By favoring smaller meals, you allow your stomach to digest quickly, reducing your chances of heartburn. While eating, go for smaller portions of food and chew thoroughly for easy digestion. Start with smaller meal packs and snacks and watch your pregnancy heartburn, as well as other symptoms, fade.
3. Sit up straight when you eat
While a lot of us did not take this seriously growing up, sitting upright while you eat does have health benefits. Lying down or slouching could allow the gastric juices to flow up into your throat, so make good use of gravity.
4. Don't eat within 3 hours of bedtime
Whether you are eating at home or not, it’s good to eat your last meal at least three hours before bedtime. This allows your digestion to progress considerably before you lie down. You could also opt for a light snack before bed so that it digests easily.
5. Quit smoking
Nicotine, the major component of cigarettes, can cause your LES to relax, allowing stomach acids to flow upwards. Now, it’s important to understand that you should never smoke during pregnancy. Not only can it cause discomfort like heartburn, it can also lead to more serious complications for you and your baby.
6. Elevate your head 6 to 9 inches when you sleep
Try sleeping with your head lifted about 6 to 9 inches to ensure those gastric juices stay down in your body. You can place pillows under your shoulders or lift the head of your bed with blocks under the bed’s legs. Gravity will also work for you in these sleeping positions.
7. Wear loose-fitting clothing
Wear clothes that allow you to breathe. Tight clothing, especially around your waist, can constrict your tummy, adding pressure and triggering heartburn.
8. Avoid drinking alcohol
Taking alcohol during pregnancy is harmful enough for your developing baby, as it can cause problems like low birth weight and learning disabilities. Drinking alcohol can also relax your LES, allowing the acidic content in your stomach to come back up into your stomach.
9. Avoid certain medications
Some medications are safe to take during your pregnancy, while others are not. For instance, antacids help reduce the acid level in your stomach, calming the burning sensation you feel. Your doctor may suggest other heartburn drugs with the right prescription so that you don’t overdose.
10. Talk to your doctor
This is not optional. Always consult your doctor to be sure you are on the safe side. When you are expecting and getting all-natural heartburn relief during pregnancy, your doctor will guide you through the best methods.
Does anyone know if the tip about elevating your head while sleeping really helps wit heartburn? Been having a tough time with it at night.
Yeah, it really does help! Used some extra pillows when I was preggo and it made a big difference. Give it a try!
Absolutely, elevating your head helps keep the stomach acid from traveling up the esophagus. It’s a simple, yet effective method.
my wife’s been strugglin with heartburn somthin fierce, gonna show her these tips. thnx.
At Vitamins For Woman, small frequent meals are good but what about the nutritional quality? Shouldn’t that be a focus too?
Quit smoking? As if it’s easy peasy. They make it sound so simple.
Has anyone considered the effects of avoiding medication? Sometimes it’s necessary, right? What are safe alternatives?
Avoid alcohol, yeah right. what’s next, live in a bubble? people gotta live a little.
I get the point, but during pregnancy, it’s just a small sacrifice for the baby’s health, y’know?
Elevating the head and not eating late have been game changers for me! Finally getting some rest.
The tips here are quite practical, yet one wonders about the existential nature of heartburn in pregnancy. Is it solely physiological, or is there more to ponder?
Well, if quitting smoking and avoiding alcohol is the trick, sounds like my baby is gonna be the healthiest on the block! LOL.
Regarding the advice to avoid certain medications, it’s critical to consult with a healthcare provider for alternatives that are safe during pregnancy.
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Can you be more specific about the content of your article? After reading it, I still have some doubts. Hope you can help me.
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