Heartburn What Is the Best Thing to Do with It?

I found this website that better says what I was going to.

http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/pregnancy/prenatalhealth...

I basically lived on Tums with both of my pregnancies.

I, too, am dealing with this problem. With my 1st baby, milk & apple juice worked. Even though everyone said that they shouldn't. But, with this baby, they didn't work. The only thing I found was Tums Smoothie. I was afraid of the chalky taste. No problem, they dissolve easily & don't taste so bad.
Good luck.

Hi B.
When I was prego with my daughter I had heart burn fron 2 months on, it was horrible, I did the whole tums thing and that worked I also got a prescription of nexium and that worked the best. I have a gallbladder prob and chose not to have it removed. when I found out I was preg. I went off it not knowing what it would do. I talked to my doc after a few months and she said it would be fine. Alos, a little useless info: ald midwives tale say that if you have heart burn your child has alot of hair! It was true in my case, a head full that never fell out, it went from black to me now haveing a little blondie! Def. ask for the nexium! It's your best bet.

I never had heartburn until I got pregnant with my first son. I invested in a bottle of tums since they dont hurt the baby. It works wonders. When I found out I was pregnant with my second son, the first thing I did was buy more tums!

I had it really bad while pregnant.Apllesause helped,chewing gum,Gaviscon liquid and caps and at the end it was also Ok for me to tak ePepcid AC-check with your doc-that stuff worked GREAT!

Hi B.,
I suffered horribly with heartburn when I was pregnant with my son. It wasn't a problem prior to my getting pregnant and has not been a problem since I gave birth. I bought Tums in the economy size and kept that big bottle in my purse at all times! It was awful.At any rate, about the only thing I can offer you is sympathy and the assurance that it will end. One thing that helped was small, frequent meals, rather than large meals. Even with the bland diet I ate at that time, the heartburn persisted! I wish you relief and of course, a healthy baby for your family!

Looks like you have gotten lots of advice but I haven't seen any on prescription Protonix. It's in the category that is safe for pregnant women. It's a one a day pill. I ate tums like they were chocolate but it didn't really help completely. My dr did say that I could take as many tums as I wanted and it wouldn't hurt. At the very end of my pregnancy I discovered Protonix and thought I was in heaven...let your dr know and he/she can tell you his opinion on these types of meds. My sister is a drug rep and new mom and has done lots of research.

HI B.,
I never even had heartburn once until I was pregnant, and I got it really bad. I took TUMS, it helped every time and pretty fast. I mostly got it at night time, and I remember them working really fast and lasting all through the night. I have never heard of a real reason for the cause of it. I had heard the myth about it being because your baby is growing hair, but my doctor ensured me, it's a myth. However, my little boy had a huge head of hair. LOL. Good luck, although I am sure TUMS will do the trick. Just buy a huge bottle and take them everywhere with you.
J.

Gaviscon! Put in in your refrigerator. When you are in pain, take a big drink. It coats your throat while helping the heartburn at the same time. I had heartburn with both of my pregnancies and I have tried everything. I had it so bad that it did not matter what I ate. Gaviscon saved me on many occasions. I hope that you can find some relief! Have a good day.

I had nearly constant heartburn with our baby.
I would go and take my prenatal vitamins and then the heart burn would start.

I would start 2 hrs later and take some generic tums. It was a calcium that I needed and it stopped the pain.

The pediatrician with my oldest told me this. And it has worked great every time.

Its caused by the rearrangement of your internal organs (everything is squished upwards and backwards) and also the 'stomach valve' that normally prevents reflux, weakens a bit with pregancy in order to slow digestion. Digestion slows to allow for better absorption of vitamins/minerals in the food you're eating. (this is why preg woman get constipated-that and extra iron)
Avoid typical triggers-acidic foods and carbonated beverage. Small meals-avoid reclining after meal. Also avoid tums or any other antacid that is calcium carbonate based-they temporarily reduce acid in stomach (a little too well!) After they wear off the stomach works extra hard to replace its 'acid balance' and often overdose it causing worse acid indigestion. Magnesium based prodocts work great. I used Gaviscon and found it to be the best for my preg-induced indigestion. Things like chewing gum can also trigger it-as the chewing action causes an involuntary salivation and acid response in your stomach (it thinks food is coming down the pike) so if you're in a pregnant state-you might be more prone to it.

You have to be careful with popping Tums all the time, as it can lead to calcium kidney stones. Make sure to drink lots of water.

Papaya capsules or fresh papaya is a natural remedy for it. Make sure you don't lie down immediately after eating either as that can make it come back up. Once the baby drops, the heartburn should mostly go away.

Hi B.,

Congratulations on your pregnancy! I am on my second child, due Feb. 1. I did not have any heartburn with my first and I love spicey food! The second one is a different story. I don't have any great advice other than I usually pop two extra strength Tums and that works for me.

Good luck!

CZ

I have actually watched a special on heartburn and why it happens. There is a lack of needed acid in your stomach and your body tries to make up for this. Tums and Zantac reduce what is already in your stomach and makes your body produce excess acid. A natural way to fix this problem would be to provide your body with the acid it needs instead of making your body work extra hard to make it. Look it up on the internet - natural cures for heartburn. You can drink a capful or tablespoon of vinegar or maybe take a vinegar pill. Of course since you are pregnant, check with your doc before taking any pills, but vinegar itself won't hurt you. My husband has tried it for heartburn and it does work. Like I said, it sounds painful, but look it up - what actually causes heartburn? You would be surprised!

You can take a Zantac once a day pregnant. And Pomagande juice cut with water also helps.

Hi B.-
I have four children and had heartburn with my sons and tried papaya enzyme tablets from the health food store and they worked better than tums usually I am not a health food store kind of person but my sister said they worked for her so I thought I would give them a try. My sister also says that drinking a shot of distilled vinegar(if you can stomach it) immeadiately neutralizes the acid that causes the heartburn I have not been desperate enough to try that one yet but she says it works the best. Let me know if you try the vinegar and it works.

N.

the Dr told me to just eat tums like they where candy...lol...but my friens is due this month and she said that a heartburn medication has been cleared for pregant women, but i'm at a loss of the name at the moment, but it's a popular one....you might want to ask your Dr about which one it is...i just did the tums thing.

i always had a lot of heart burn will pregnant(rarely when not). the best thing i have found is either tums or rolaids- you just use when needed and it is pretty instant relief! good luck! i always wanted 4 kids!

Hi B....i had terrible heartburn with my first pregnancy...I ate tums like it was candy!! Try that, it helped a bit. Then I found out that my heartburn was caused by a condition called Gastroentestinal Reflux Disease, which is a long term for chronic heartburn. There is a perscription for heartburn called Nexium. It's fantastic and I took it all through my second pregnancy, it's totally safe to take. Ask you Dr. Good luck!

HI B.!
First congratulations on the baby!!- I didn't have heartburn too much while I was pregnant but I do now and I've learned a few things about it I thoutght might be helpful. Everyone else advised the Tums - they are great and also provide valuable calcium. The other things to remember are to try and figure out if there are triggers- like spicy foods, or sweets- sometimes certain things make it worse and if you can figure out what they are you can just avoid them. Also if it is worse at night try not eating for a couple of hours before you go to bed ( I know with late night cravings that is easier said then done:) and sleeping on an incline- like a recliner or prop yourself up with a few pillows- it really helps. Also milk and bannanas both reduce the acid level in your stomach so they make a good snack. OK - thats my 2 cents - good luck with the rest of your pregnancy and your new baby!!!

i have (and had during my pregnancies) severe heartburn. i took gaviscon (per doctor's recomendation) and it works wonderfully, and is safe during pregnancy. :) hope it gets better :) ~A.

I am 43, also have 4 children, all boys. Just had my first grand daughter who is now 5 mos. What a doll! I'd also love to be your friend, penpal?
The only thing I can suggest for heartburn, well a few things... tums which are good for you at this time but I used to put baking soda, a tsp, in water and drink it down quick. Always works but isn't real tasty. My favorite was the Brach's peppermints, red and white striped. My heart burn wasn't bad but it always seemed to help. Let me know if it helps:)
When is your baby due? S.

Zantac - off brand - twice a day. My doctor said not to woory about the baby. They give the same stuff to premmies as they are very prone to reflux.

With my first child I had very little heartburn but it was mostly in my last few months of pregancy then with the second child I had it from 3 months on. One thing that worked for me was to not eat after 6 not even drink water other than to take my vitiman and Tums. I also had to cut out the pop, coffee, tea completely. It did help a little but not a whole lot. Also sleep elevated almost straight up. It might be a little uncomfortable at first but it helped with the heartburn. I do remember one night I had it so bad that nothing worked. Hopefully these ideas will help. Also if it gets really bad call your doctor. They may have some ideas to help.

B.,
Congratulations on your new baby-on-the-way!
Try to avoid acidic foods, eat smaller meals more frequently, do not recline immediately after eating, drink a little milk.
I hope you have a wonderful pregnancy, and enjoy your family!
K.

Hi B.,

I had horrible heartburn while pregnant. I started suffering from it at around 5 months. My doctor said it is caused by 2 things during pregnancy. A hormone that is released during pregnancy that causes muscles to relax. She says it also can relax the muscles in between the esphogus and stomach. The other cause is if you are short waisted the baby can push up on the stomach causing acid to be pushed up into your esophogus. You can treat this with over the counter Zantac and tums and rolaids. She perscribed me to take Zantac every 12 hours and to us tums or rolaids as needed. The tums made me sick because of the texture after a few weeks. Rolaids starting making these soft chews that were great and I think they worked better. Please do not use any of these products until you speak with your doctor though. Everyones situation is different. I hope this helps!!!!!

try rolaids the chewable ones and drink milk thats what i did and it helped me

When I had heartburn when I was carrying my little girl I had to take a couple sips of coke, it made me burp and got the heartburn out. It worked really well. My heartburn was horrible I had to sleep sitting up otherwise it killed.
Coke seemed to do the trick.
I hope this helps!