It’s normal for heartburn and pregnancy to happen together, even if you have never gotten heartburn before.  The growing baby is pressing on your internal organs so all of your plumbing is a bit upset.  You’ve probably also noticed a need to run to the bathroom a lot more.  But even when the little tyke is really little, just the hormonal changes your body goes through during pregnancy can be enough to trigger a heartburn attack.

Symptoms

Heartburn and pregnancy feels like any other kind of heartburn, acid indigestion or alcohol heartburn.  You feel a tremendous burning up your throat and sometimes in the back of your moth.  Often, you might vomit a little.  Often the burning will go all the way down to where your heart is, hence where the name heartburn comes from.  Both heartburn and pregnancy last up until the baby is finally born.

Things You Can And Can’t Do

Although heartburn and pregnancy related discomfort like morning sickness and swollen ankles are normal, you are not held completely at its mercy.  There are many things you can do to ease the discomforts of both heartburn and pregnancy.  Please do not use this article in place of your doctor’s instructions.

If you haven’t already, you must stop drinking alcohol and smoking – for the benefit of your heartburn and pregnancy.  Both alcohol and smoking (alone or in combination) act as muscle relaxants, even with your digestive system, causing the stomach to spill acid back up your esophagus.

You also need to bend at your knees instead of bending over at your waist.  The former position doesn’t put any pressure on your belly.  Keeping that in mind, you need to wear looser clothing, too.  Try not to gain more weight than your doctor recommends, as the extra fat will press on your innards.

Some pregnant women helped ease their heartburn by chewing gum after they ate.  The theory is that the saliva made by the gum chewing helps push the stomach acid down.  This doesn’t work for everyone, but it’s certainly worth a try.  If you could not eat two hours before lying down, that helps the gum work even more.

What About Drugs?

Any medicine – over the counter, prescription or even alternative therapies like aromatherapy – must be approved by your doctor before you can take them, less you risk harming your baby.  The over the counter antacid Tums is generally recommended for pregnant women, but again, you need to check with your doctor to be sure.

Although heartburn can attack at any time of the day, when it’s nighttime heartburn, it’s particularly painful and bothersome.  Most people who are diagnosed with heartburn or with acid reflux disease have nighttime heartburn.  This only makes sense as lying down can encourage your food to come back up.  For some, the loss of sleep is more dangerous to health and sanity in the long run than the actual heartburn.

When To Go To Bed

Part of avoiding nighttime heartburn is knowing when it’s safest to lay down.  The last time you should eat is two or three hours before going to bed.  Your want your stomach (and the digestive acid inside of it) to be as empty as possible before going to bed.  You also really need to avoid alcoholic beverages in this time, too, if not give it up altogether.  Some people like to have a “nightcap” to make them drowsy, but you won’t be doing much sleep when nighttime heartburn hits.

Pillows

Many people get some relief from nighttime heartburn by making sure their pillows are stacked up and that their head, neck and shoulders are on an incline.  If you move around a lot in your sleep, then you’ll slip off of this incline.  There are special acid reflux pillows and wedge-shaped foam to help you stay in place.

Antacids And Medications

There are many antacids to choose from to take when nighttime heartburn wakes you up.  As well as over the counter medications in tablets, liquids and pills, there are also prescription medications.  With heartburn and pregnancy, you do not just want to pop pills.  Many drugs – even over the counter drugs – can harm your baby.  You need to talk to your doctor about safely dealing with nighttime heartburn.

If pregnancy isn’t an issue with you, then it’s usually safe to try an over the counter antacid for a week.  If you’re still getting nighttime heartburn at least twice a week, you really should see your doctor.  Heartburn and acid reflux isn’t something that goes away by itself.

Wear Loose Clothing

Tight clothing – even that really expensive frilly lingerie – can press on your body and aggravate your nighttime heartburn.  You might also want to not tuck in your blankets, if they press in on you.  And try never to sleep on your stomach.  If you roll over in your sleep, you may have to stick a pebble on the front of your pajamas to wake you up and get you  back into a proper position.