Pregnancy has lots of lovely side effects, like gorgeous hair and that special glow. But one that no one wants is heartburn.
Sadly, many women deal with heartburn throughout pregnancy and it can cause mild discomfort or worse. Heartburn can start during any stage of pregnancy. It’s caused by – what else – hormones! and other bodily changes.
So, what can you do? There are things you can try to alleviate the symptoms of heartburn but generally, the only “cure” is to give birth. Here are three things you can try. As always, ask your doctor or midwife for his/her advice before trying anything.
Food
Many women swear by papaya to help alleviate heartburn. You can get papaya enzymes or even dried/freeze dried papaya to try. Some women swear by drinking milk or eating almonds.
Prevention
Skip the spicy meals while you are having issues with heartburn. Also, some foods can trigger heartburn, like chocolate, fried foods, caffeine, carbonated beverages, tomatoes and citrus.
Eating smaller meals can also help, and also eating slowly. Don’t eat before bed, either. Allow a few hours to let your food digest.
Stay upright
After you eat, stay in a sitting or standing position. Stay upright for a few hours after a meal or snack, trying to avoid slouching, bending or slumping as well. This can help move the food through your digestive track and keep the stomach acid where it belongs!
The good news is, if you have pregnancy heartburn, it usually ends when you give birth, so it won’t last forever. If you are having extreme symptoms, talk to your doctor or midwife about other things you can try.
And no, this isn’t a predictor of how much – or how little – hair your baby will have.
Everything Birth
At Everything Birth, we love supporting pregnant people and their partners!