How can I alleviate heartburn during pregnancy?

Chances are you’ve experienced heartburn once or twice in your life, it’s never fun at the best of times, but can be extra uncomfortable during pregnancy. 

Dr Andrew Thompson from InstantScripts says it’s common for women to suffer from heartburn during pregnancy. 

“It’s caused by the increased pressure within their abdomen from the growing baby as well as hormonal changes that affect the muscles usually preventing reflux.

Read on to find out what you can do to ease the pain.

What does pregnancy heartburn feel like?

Despite its name, heartburn has nothing to do with the heart. It is generally caused by stomach acid and leads to a burning pain and discomfort in the chest just below the breastbone and sometimes the throat. 

It will often occur after eating, with the indigestion and discomfort lasting anywhere from a few minutes up to several hours.

Sometimes lying down can exacerbate the pain and discomfort, and can also bring with it reflux and often food regurgitation. 

At what stage in pregnancy does heartburn start?

Studies have shown that up to 45% of women will experience heartburn at some stage in their pregnancy. While heartburn can happen at any point during the pregnancy, research has shown that it will often increase from 22% in the first trimester to 72% in the third trimester. * It varies from pregnancy to pregnancy but for some women heartburn can appear as early as month two in their first trimester.  For others it will be the second and third trimester, whereas some women sadly will suffer heartburn throughout their entire pregnancy. 

How to get rid of heartburn during pregnancy

There are many things a pregnant woman can do to try to avoid getting heartburn in the first place. As the baby grows and takes more room up in the uterus, it presses on the mother’s stomach leaving less room for food. Therefore, smaller food portions can help.

Once heartburn strikes however there are various remedies that can help alleviate the pain.

Dr Thompson says you should always talk to your doctor or a medical practitioner about what is right for your pregnancy. 

“I would recommend any woman who is experiencing troubling reflux talk to their doctor about treatment options as it is important to be cautious whilst the baby is still developing.”

If reflux and regurgitation are hindering sleep, then raising or adding another pillow at night can often help.

Foods to avoid

As well as decreasing food portions, especially later in the pregnancy, avoiding certain foods and drinks that can trigger heartburn is also recommended. 

Some of the main culprits are listed below, and you can also try removing acidic foods such as citrus and tomato-based items as they increase the amount of acid in the stomach.

• Chocolate
• Spicy food
• Carbonated beverages
• Fatty foods
• Caffeine
• Acidic foods

If you need to speak to a doctor about your symptoms, we can help. We have Australian-registered doctors available 6am to midnight seven days a week.

This story is written by Cathrine Mahoney, she is a Sydney-based writer with a particular interest in women’s health, mental health and living well. Cathrine holds a Bachelor of Media Studies and is a columnist with Body+Soul.