Suffering with a burning pain in your chest? Help relieve discomfort from heartburn in pregnancy
Starting a family can be one of the most exciting milestones in your lifetime, and while your pregnancy may be full of heart-warming moments, it can also cause heartburn from time to time.
While there’s some factors that can make it worse, there’s also plenty you can do to help ease the discomfort. Read on as we share our advice, top tips and treatment options.
What is heartburn & what does it feel like?
Heartburn is a burning sensation that occurs in the chest when stomach acid travels up towards the throat (acid reflux), which can leave an unpleasant sour taste.
When experiencing heartburn, it’s common to have symptoms such as:
• A reoccurring cough or hiccups
• A hoarse voice
• Bad breath
• Bloating or feeling sick
These can last anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. They’re often worse after eating or when lying down, as it’s easier for the acid to travel up your oesophagus (the food pipe that connects your mouth to your stomach).
What causes heartburn in pregnancy?
Some of us may experience heartburn from time to time – it could come on out of the blue or be something you’ve had before. Factors such as smoking, stress, being overweight and certain food and drink such as coffee, tomatoes, alcohol, chocolate and fatty or spicy foods can trigger or worsen the symptoms of heartburn.
Experiencing heartburn in pregnancy is very common. Changing levels of hormones can cause the muscles between your stomach and oesophagus to relax, making it easier for stomach acid to come back up. This can also be triggered by the baby pressing on your stomach too.
You’re also more likely to get heartburn in pregnancy if:
• You experience heartburn before getting pregnant
• You’ve been pregnant before
Is pregnancy heartburn more common in certain trimesters?
Although it’s possible to experience heartburn at any point during your pregnancy, it’s most common as you enter your third trimester (27 weeks onwards), as the baby continues to grow and press on your stomach.
What are the symptoms of pregnancy heartburn?
Much like the general symptoms of heartburn, those experienced in pregnancy can be similar.
Symptoms of indigestion and heartburn in pregnancy include:
• A burning sensation or pain in the chest
• Feeling full, heavy or bloated
• Burping or belching
• Feeling or being sick
• Bringing up food
These symptoms can span from mild to severe and can come on soon after eating or drinking. They can last anywhere between a few minutes and a few hours.
If you’re concerned about your symptoms, they’re sudden or severe or you’d like help managing them, speak to your GP or midwife.
What can make pregnancy heartburn worse?
There are a few things that can trigger heartburn and indigestion, so skipping foods that are rich, spicy or fatty as well as drinks containing caffeine can be a good starting point.
You might also notice that heartburn can be worse when bending forwards or during the night. Being in these positions makes it easier for stomach acid to pass through. Our top tip? Try to avoid eating anything for at least three hours before going to sleep and refrain from wearing clothes that are tight around the waist, as this can press on your stomach too.
What can I do to help?
There’s some simple lifestyle changes you can make to help relieve symptoms of heartburn.
Make changes to your eating & drinking habits
During pregnancy, you’ll probably find that you’re more hungry than usual. You may be able to control your symptoms of heartburn by making changes to your eating habits, such as:
• Eating little and often, rather than larger meals three times a day
• Avoiding foods that are fatty or spicy and opting for a healthy, balanced diet
• Swapping out caffeinated and fizzy drinks for water
Try to keep upright
Sitting up straight when you eat can help take the pressure of your stomach. If you suffer with heartburn during the night, try propping your head and shoulders up slightly to help stop stomach acid travelling up your throat.
Stop smoking, if you do smoke
Smoking when you’re pregnant can trigger symptoms of heartburn. When you smoke, the chemicals released into your body can cause the ring of muscle at the end of your gullet (oesophagus) to relax, allowing stomach acid to travel back up and worsening the symptoms of heartburn.
Smoking during pregnancy can seriously harm the health of you and your baby and increase the risk of:
• Baby being born prematurely (before 37 weeks of pregnancy)
• Baby being born with a low weight
• Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) known as ‘cot death’
If you do smoke, stopping is one of the best decisions you can make to help give your baby a healthy start to life. If you’re having trouble quitting, consider using the NHS Stop Smoking Service* for extra support or speak to your GP who may be able to advise on using Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) if suitable for you.
Avoid alcohol
Alcohol produces more stomach acid and makes your oesophagus more sensitive to this acid, which can trigger heartburn. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can cause serious long-term damage to your unborn baby, with the more you drink causing greater risk.
When you drink alcohol (if you do drink), it passes from your bloodstream and through your placenta to your baby, increasing the risk of:
• Miscarriage
• Premature birth
• Baby having a low birthweight
• Affecting your baby after they’re born
If you do drink and you’re struggling to cut down or stop altogether, speak to your GP for advice and support.
When should I seek medical help?
If you’re struggling to manage your pregnancy heartburn symptoms or the above lifestyle changes don’t work, speak to your GP or midwife. They’ll ask about your symptoms and may recommend certain medicines to help ease the discomfort.
You should also see your midwife or GP if you have any of the following:
• Difficulty eating or keeping food down
• Weight loss
• Stomach pains
What medicine can I take for pregnancy heartburn?
Medicines can affect the unborn baby. You must always talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking any medicine in pregnancy.
There’s generally two types of heartburn relief medication that may be suitable for you, which can both be bought at your local Boots pharmacy.
• Antacids – these neutralise the acid in your stomach
• Alginates – these stop the acid in your stomach from coming back up your gullet
So what’s suitable for use during pregnancy?
Gaviscon Advance Oral Suspension
• Size: 600ml
• Oral suspension
• Aniseed flavour
• Extra strength formula
Provides fast relief from the pain and discomfort of heartburn and acid reflux. This formula instantly gets to work to neutralise excess stomach acid and forms a protective barrier over the stomach contents to help soothe burning pain.
Dosage: 5-10ml (one to two 5ml spoonfuls) after meals and at bedtime. Shake well before use.
As with all medicines, the treatment duration should be limited as much as possible. Contains sodium alginate and potassium hydrogen carbonate. Always read the label.
Rennie Peppermint Chewable Tablets
• 24 tablets
• Peppermint flavour
These fast-acting tablets get to work within minutes to provide effective relief from heartburn, indigestion and acid reflux. Each tablet contains two antacids that work quickly and powerfully to help neutralise excess acid in the stomach.^
Dosage: Two tablets to be sucked or chewed, as required, preferably one hour after meals and before bedtime. For heartburn, an extra two tablets may be taken between these times. Do not take more than 10 tablets a day. Prolonged use should be avoided.
As with all medicines, the treatment duration should be limited as much as possible. Contains calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate. Always read the label.
Boots Pharmaceuticals Heartburn Relief
• Size: 500ml
• Oral suspension
• Peppermint flavour
• Sugar-free antacid
Gives fast-acting relief from heartburn and indigestion. The easy-to-take liquid forms a protective layer on top of the stomach contents to help prevent stomach acid from escaping.
Dosage: 10-20ml (two to four 5ml spoonfuls) after meals and at bedtime, up to four times a day. Shake well before use.
As with all medicines, the treatment duration should be limited as much as possible. Contains calcium carbonate, sodium alginate and sodium bicarbonate. Always read the label.
*NHS stop smoking services are available at selected Boots pharmacies. Charges may apply. Subject to availability.
^Rennie Peppermint can be used during pregnancy and breastfeeding if taken as instructed. As Rennie Peppermint provides a substantial amount of calcium in addition to dietary calcium intake, pregnant women should strictly limit their use of Rennie Peppermint to the maximum recommended daily dose and avoid concomitant, excessive intake of milk (1 litre contains up to 1.2g elemental calcium) and dairy products.
