Heartburn is a relatively common symptom of pregnancy, particularly later in pregnancy. In fact, many women who have not previously experienced having heartburn may very well experience heartburn for the very first time during pregnancy. Adding to the problem is that there are some sorts of heartburn medications that are available over the counter that aren’t particularly healthy for the pregnant woman to take. Fortunately, there may be things that you can do in order to deal with heartburn during pregnancy.

One thing that you can do to deal with heartburn during pregnancy is to eat several small meals throughout the day, as opposed to three large meals. This may also help you with some of your morning sickness, as it will keep you from feeling either too full or too hungry, either of which can trigger your morning sickness.

You might also be able to deal with heartburn during pregnancy by avoiding certain foods and certain activities. The sorts of foods that tend to cause heartburn include acidic foods, tomatoes, processed meats, spicy foods, fatty foods, caffeine, chocolate, and carbonated drinks. Here again, avoiding some of these foods may help with morning sickness, as well.

Another thing you can do to deal with heartburn during pregnancy is to try to chew gum after you eat. Chewing gum tells your body to produce more saliva, which in turn does its part to help neutralize the stomach acid that is causing the heartburn.

Avoiding smoking is another way to deal with heartburn during pregnancy. In addition to the various birth defects and other problems that smoking can cause, smoking also boosts stomach acid production.

If you are having a hard time trying to figure out how to deal with heartburn during pregnancy and none of these tips has helped, you should speak with your health care provider. There may be certain prescription or over the counter antacid medications that are relatively safe for use to deal with heartburn during pregnancy.

This entry was posted in Pregnancy.