Heartburn during pregnancy can be an awful experience. It usually starts in the first trimester and for it it only got worse through delivery, and continued for a couple months after delivery. There’s that unpleasant burning sensation in your throat and chest, and a strange sour taste in your mouth and throat. My doctor explained to me that certain hormones which are released during pregnancy tends to relax certain muscles in your stomach, and those muscles usually work to keep stomach acids down in the lower portion of your stomach. When those muscles relax, gastric acid can come up into your esophagus, causing acid reflux or heartburn.
Unfortunately, as far as I know there is no permanent way to get rid of it. However, in general, by watching what you eat and drink, and doing whatever is possible to use gravity’s help to keep those stomach acids down, can go a long way in helping reduce the discomfort.
Here are some tried and true tips you’ll hear about, and which worked well for me:
- Avoid eating large meals. Eat smaller portions more often.
- Avoid drinking large amounts of fluids. Also avoid drinking carbonated drinks, coffee, and highly acidic juices like orange juice.
- Sometimes antacids such as Maalox or Tums can help reduce the level of discomfort
- Don’t eat late at night, and avoid lying down after eating. Heartburn is caused by gastric acids flowing up into your esophagus, causing the painful burning sensation.
- Avoid very spicy foods or greasy foods
- Raise the level of your head a few inches on your bed. This helps move gastric acid down lower in your stomach.
- Avoid alcohol, and don’t smoke
- Bend over at the knees rather than at the waist
- Wear loose or baggy clothing so as not to constrict your body
