Feeling the Burn? Acid Reflux... the Pregnant Girl’s Nuisance

Heartburn is one of many symptoms that are common during pregnancy, and it is quite the nuisance! As your pregnancy progresses, so does the burn! I am in my sixth month and it is starting to get extremely bothersome. I remember during my last pregnancy, sitting up in bed almost to the point of tears, so tired and wanting to lie down,  but fearful that if I did, the burn would come back. That scenario is definitely not something I look forward to later down the line.

One thing I did differently this time, is take Tums freely as needed from the very beginning of my pregnancy. Right when the symptom started, I started popping them like candy. During my first pregnancy a few years ago, I thought I wasn’t supposed to take anything, so for the first few months I didn’t. But as it turns out, Tums are safe during pregnancy (within limits of course).

Another thing that helps is to prop yourself up while you sleep. Believe or not, you can become used to sleeping while your are slightly propped up on a couple of pillows. Sometimes, the burn is so bad I must sit on the edge of the bed, but when it starts to subside, I lean back and prop myself up on 2 – 3 pillows and sleep just like that. It’s better than getting no sleep at all! The other day I came across this pillow system that is made for pregnancy heartburn, while being super stylish too…Clever!

I throw caution to the wind and I eat just a small portion of spicy food, about 20 minutes later I am popping Tums and wishing I had just eaten a turkey sandwich! One of my favorite things during this pregnancy has been guacamole, but the onions and peppers are too much for me to handle, so I just make my own mild version at home. See my recipe here.

A few more heartburn tips:

o   Eat small, frequent meals instead of 3 large ones throughout the day.

o   And avoid any citrus juices that are acidic.

o   Avoid rich or fried foods (spicy isn’t the only culprit!)

o   Drink less while eating.

o   Take a short walk to help digest the food, do not lie down right after eating.

Do you have any heartburn tips that work for you? Leave me a comment below…