Heartburn

Help! My chest is on fire!

Heartburn

Heartburn is a very common complaint among pregnant women. Usually, heartburn is not dangerous and will go away after the baby is born. More than half of all pregnant women will experience some form of heartburn during their pregnancy. Heartburn is also known as acid indigestion or acid reflux and occurs when stomach contents come up from the stomach. This causes a burning feeling in the esophagus and chest area and can become quite painful. Sometimes you may even experience a sour, acidic taste in your mouth.

Because of changing hormone levels, an enlarged uterus and a relaxed lower esophageal sphincter, pregnant women are prone to develop heartburn. You are more likely to experience heartburn in the second and third trimester, but heartburn can be a problem at any point of the pregnancy. In the later stages of pregnancy, your large uterus will push stomach contents into your esophagus and heartburn may become worse.

To avoid heartburn, you should:

Avoid eating quickly.
Eat several small meals every day.
Do not eat fried foods.
Avoid spicy foods.
Avoid tomato products.
Limit or avoid chocolate.
Don`t eat mustard or vinegar.
Sit up straight instead of slouching.
Stay awake after you eat rather than lying down.
Use pillows to elevate your head and chest while sleeping.
Drink milk.
TUMS are safe during pregnancy.
Avoid caffeine, carbonated drinks and alcohol.
Avoid acidic foods and juices.
Do not gain an unnecessary amount of weight.

Sometimes heartburn is not able to be prevented and can become quite bothersome. If your heartburn continues, talk to your caregiver about medications that are safe to take during pregnancy.

Old wives tale
there's an old wives tale that links heartburn to babies with hair on their heads.

Comments: Heartburn

Comments 1 to 21 of about 21.
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luckynumberseven - 38 days ago.
Try apple cider vinegar. It tastes awful but it works. Just take a couple tablespoons before you eat or when you feel the heartburn starting. I have been using it for a couple years and it has really helped me. To make it sort of fun I put mine in a shot glass, somehow this helps it go down a little easier.lol

sydbabe - 111 days ago.
Lol, i had to laugh when i read the oldwives tale about the babys hair giving you heartburn, with both of my boys had SEVERE heartburn, and they were both bald!!! haha im having bad heartburn with this pregnancy as well, and im expecting a bald baby again

lyssie - 160 days ago.
I take about 4 tums and it really helped me

missyv28 - 161 days ago.
Elenez is there any particular type of almonds like salted vs unsalted? I'm living off of milk now it seems because nothing else works but if try the almonds I just want to know which ones to get or if it matters just as long as they are almonds. Ps I HATE milk haha

elenez - 161 days ago.
Ladies! - you've gotta try this! - I'm now on week 37 and since around week 26 I was the same as many of you, my heartburn got so bad that even water and antacid prescribed by my doctor were giving me heartburn - so horrilbe that the feeling was creeping up all the way up my chest and neck and round the back of my head. I was being sick every night and getting really worried that I wasn't giving the baby enough food. - I looked up all the remedies and tried everything and I've inally found the cure for me - its so simple ALMONDS! ~ I eat a few when I wake up and then munch on them throughout the day - I can even eat meals now without begin sick! - not big ones but small is better than nothing! - I still suffer a bit if I eat late at night but I think thats just because my stomach has shrunk so much - I can't begin to tell you the difference these little nuts have made to my life! - I had to post it on a forum because I know how horrible heartburn can be and wanted to share this little miracle cure with you - hope it works for you too!

goddess27 - 194 days ago.
I have heart burn so bad now it makesbme afraid to eat anything because I know what is coming ! even water gives me heart burn . I've had it with each and every pregnancy and by far this one is the worst! I even Carry tums with me everywhere go at times it is so bad I throw up because of it! well atleast tums have calcium in them that is one possitive thing out of it

WishForOwens - 194 days ago.
I get heartburn the worst when I don't eat for stretches. When it started, it did not even feel like heartburn, just bad chest pains. Strange. Now I'm starting to get it everyday. The only thing that helps is Zantac 75 and Tums. Works great when I catch it in time!

jenakatessa - 204 days ago.
im just over 24 weeks...and i have NEVER experienced heartburn like this in my life...its like an acidy feeling in my throat and chest..and it hurts. When i drink ANYTHING i feel ike its going to come right up, its been constant for like 3 days and I just want it to go away. I take tums,,,,and thats it...i dont trust anything else. I dont even take anything for a headache....too scared it will go to baby

Mama-of-2boys - 230 days ago.
I feel the same way, I can drink milk, eat small meals, take tums whatever and nothing gets rid of it. I cant sleep because I'm up peeing every 5 mins plus with heartburn from the darkest part of hell haha. I have one more week left so I guess I can deal with it. Nothing I have tried has worked for me at all. Guess its just one of those things.

missemma - 231 days ago.
My heartburn is killing me. I'm nearly 38 weeks pregnant and I just can't stop throwing up cause it's so bad. Doesn't matter what I eat or drink or the medications I take. Nothing helps it at all. Hopefully the baby comes like tomorrow so this hell will be gone.

Mama-of-2boys - 235 days ago.
Thats good to know about the gum I think I will try that one. I always get it at night when I'm sleeping. It doesnt matter if I have 19 pillows under my head I still get it. It is way worse this time then what it was with my first son. I have had it the whole time I have been pregnant with this baby, and I dont know if its true about the whole old wives tell thing but my first son had hair, and if it goes the same this time my newborn will need a haircut lol.

msfox53704 - 236 days ago.
I have been chewing on chewing gum when I have heartburn. My mom suggested this and it has truly works! Stomach juices is an acid and salivia is a base so it calms everything down. :) Hope this helps out ladies!!

klo0426 - 247 days ago.
Just wondering 'What did we do wrong to get this thing called HEARTBURN'? I am 34 and never had this problem ever until I hit my 27th week and man I'm making up for lost time. When it first started it was only during the night around 4 or 5 am, now it just pops up whenever it chooses......so not fair. I'm TRUELY hoping this will go away after the baby comes.

emma32uk - 276 days ago.
i have never had heartburn so bad. i have just been so sick. this is happening when im sitting or standing so god knows what its going to be like when i go to bed!!! i have taken every over the counter medicine i know and im drinking loads of milk. can anyone else think of anything else that i can do.

Ajen - 278 days ago.
my heartburn was awful last pregnanyc-- i had to take prilosec ( which was wonderful!!) i had heartburn like 4 times a day. i am petite and shortwaisted, so everything gets jammed up there pretty quick-- i am now 13 weeks and got heartburn last night! i was like NOOOOOOO!!!! but i guess it has to start sometime.

shellshocked - 291 days ago.
I started getting heartburn at the beginning of my 10th week. It disappeared for a bit and came back around week 24. Since week 31 it's been really bad and is now my constant companion and another obstacle for sleep. :(

mrsbradley2b - 292 days ago.
how early does heartburn usual start when you become pregnant?

baby-griffin - 354 days ago.
I was so surprised when I started getting heartburn yesterday night after eating wings. I've NEVER had heartburn before. I'm only in my 10th week. I'm going to try some of the remedies people have posted :) Thanks girls :)

Voncoco - 370 days ago.
OK I had the worst heartburn with my first pregnancy and almost nothing worked to give me relief. Then someone told me to eat half of a raw potato and it worked .... I have been using this remedy ever since... 13 yrs and it has never let me down. Good luck ladies!

Dogcrazymommy - 371 days ago.
Just a little tip for you ladies that really does work!! I get terrible heartburn, usually either late night or about 4-5 AM. My mother heard about this through a friend and I was very skeptical, but when you get heartburn that bad...you'll try just about anything! Swallow a spoonful of regular yellow mustard! It doesnt sound like it would help, but it almost ALWAYS makes my heartburn go away within about 15minutes.....far faster than TUMS or anything of that nature! Give it a try! Just make sure you grab your toothbrush to prevent the taste from lingering in your mouth ;o)

2b - 372 days ago.
ugh, i feel yucky. I was diagnosed with GERD pre-pregnancy but it was totally under control with diet and weight loss. Now, it seems to have come back even worse. I hate that I have something in my throat feeling and the burping and burning. I tried chewing tums which seems to help but it only does so temporarily... :(