Pregnancy: Tips for dealing with heartburn and acid reflux

When I was pregnant for the first time, I remember waking up in the middle of the night with a tightness in my chest and I felt like I really needed to burp.  As the night progressed (and my sleep did not), I could not figure out what was wrong with me.  I realized that as I was in my third trimester and that Ethan was running out of room to move around, but I didn't understand what exactly was going on inside me. 

After flipping over in the bed for the 30th time, I finally elbowed my husband and told him how I felt.  He told me that I had heartburn.  Heartburn?  Never in my entire life had I ever had heartburn, but boy was it terrible.  I couldn't get comfortable and I became very frustrated.  As the days progressed and I started to get heartburn from EVERYTHING, I searched for solutions to my heartburn issues.   While some common causes of heartburn when your pregnant include spicy foods or drinking orange juice, I seemed to get heartburn from just about everything.  On several occasions I even felt a swift kick to the stomach and then the acid would climb up my throat.  It wasn't even the lack of room of my belly that was causing the discomfort but my son actually causing the problem with his kicks.  Oh, dear.  But have faith.  If you have pregnancy-related heartburn, there are some things that can ease your discomfort.  You probably won't be able to get rid of it completely, but you might just be able to sleep through the night and not be kept up. 

• Avoid eating spicy or acidic foods late in the evening.  In fact, try to eat before 6:30 p.m if you can. 
  
• Take small sips of drinks at a time.  If you get too thirsty and gulp down your drink, you are also gulping down air.  And extra air in your stomach leads to heartburn.
• Place a pillow or folded bedsheet under your mattress.  By adding the extra height under your mattress, you are creating a gradual incline which raises your head and chest slightly above your stomach.  Believe it or not, this is a lifesaver and can keep the heartburn from even starting.  This made the most difference for me. 
  
• Try to keep your activity up.  Take a walk after dinner so your food isn't just sitting there in your stomach.  This aids digestion and gives you a boost of energy as well.
• Eat small portions and more meals.  I got heartburn from an empty stomach.  If I ate less food at meal time but filled in the non-meal times with healthy snacks, I found that I gained less weight, had more energy and reduced my chances of getting heartburn at bedtime.
• Tums.  Tums became my new best friend.  My doctor recommended them because they reduced heartburn and provided an excellent source of calcium.  When the heartburn was really bad, my doctor recommended Zantac.  She said that it was safe for the baby.  I only took it twice during my pregnancy but they were nights when I felt like I was going to die.  If you have any questions about the safety of taking an over-the-counter medication for heartburn, contact your health care provider.

I'm now pregnant for the second time and while the heartburn is back (and came earlier in my pregnancy than the last time), I feel like I do not need to be defeated by it.  When I follow the tips above, I am finding that I feel much better.  I hope it helps you too.