Heartburn During Pregnancy

Why Didn't Anybody Tell Me? Heartburn

August 13, 2008

Pregnancy books warn of heartburn bouts, but I was shocked and often horrified by the severe burning that ruptured in my chest when I was last expecting. I take some of the blame since I craved hot sauce and Asian food and was not about to deny myself. As a result, I slept with TUMS on my nightstand and downed a Ginger Ale on a moment's notice.

This time around, I've only encountered the pain a couple of times though I still have my last trimester to conquer. And, Tabasco and spicy Kung Pao chicken are on the back burner. Did you experience heartburn while expecting?

19 Comments

isabelle315 4 years 40 weeks

One of the first things I thought of after I gave birth was "no more heartburn!!" It was so awful!! I, too, had Tums in my nightstand drawer... I think I went through like 3 jumbo sized containers in the last 2 months of my pregnancy. I will never complain of a little regular "heartburn" again.... pregnancy heartburn is brutal! I could hardly sleep at night (which is such a cruel twist of fate, given that once the baby arrives, there isn't any opportunity to sleep!)

TMommy 4 years 40 weeks

I have terrible heartburn. I take tums and mylanta but I try to limit my intake because it is possible to have too much calcium. Two things that have also helped are ice cream (yum!) and my mid-wives suggested papaya enzyme. They are minty and you eat them after the meal to actually speed digestion. They have definitely helped! You can find them at a vitamin or health food store.

jel143 4 years 40 weeks

I had heartburn occasionally before I was pregnant. Now I'm 35 weeks and I get it every single day...usually at night, but it has recently started in the middle of the day too. And I HATE Tums - they make me gag!

piper23 4 years 40 weeks

I had to sleep elevated for the last two months of my pregnancy. I also bought out the pharmacy's tums stash. My hips ached, my heart burned - sleeping was out of the question.

Greggie 4 years 40 weeks

Blockers are kinder to your stomach as well. It's better to prevent the acid rather than treat it after it's already eaten at the lining.

fsquaash 4 years 40 weeks

I was getting heartburn during the day and acid reflux at night. It was affecting my sleep and Tums didn't make a dent. When I complained to my OB, she recommended an OTC acid blocker like Pepcid or Zantac. It made the world of difference.

Greggie 4 years 40 weeks

If you have heartburn more than a few times a week, especially severe heartburn, please talk to your doctor about a daily preventative medication. Tums and the like only treat it once it's happened, things like Zantac prevent it from happening in the first place. Heartburn, I was totally prepared for. Everyone always said it was almost a guarantee in pregnancy. With my sons it was mild and I just needed Mylanta here and there. With my daughter, it was so severe that I needed heart monitoring and a twice daily med. I still have to take the medication pretty regularly.

Greggie 4 years 40 weeks

If you have heartburn more than a few times a week, especially severe heartburn, please talk to your doctor about a daily preventative medication. Tums and the like only treat it once it's happened, things like Zantac prevent it from happening in the first place.Heartburn, I was totally prepared for. Everyone always said it was almost a guarantee in pregnancy. With my sons it was mild and I just needed Mylanta here and there. With my daughter, it was so severe that I needed heart monitoring and a twice daily med. I still have to take the medication pretty regularly.

Mystofflyn 4 years 40 weeks

Every night I have heartburn. Tums = Love. Only 20 more weeks of this.

SuzyQ08 4 years 40 weeks

Oh my.. I ate Tums like they were candy! The strange thing is that I didn't really have heartburn, I just craved the taste.

Mommy of Three 4 years 40 weeks

I took Zantac everyday as well as Tums - kept bottles of Tums everywhere. At one point in my first pregnancy I remember asking the doctor how many Tums were safe to take in one day. I had three kids all born with with full heads of hair.

alikat07 4 years 40 weeks

I haven't been pregnant yet, but I'm very nervous about this. I already have heartburn and will have to get off the meds before getting pregnant... yikes! I'll have to be very careful with my diet. Well, I guess not drinking alcohol and wayyy less caffeine from the start will help.

meandtheo 4 years 40 weeks

I too slept with them by tums on my nightstand. It was AWFUL. I had them everywhere, in my purse, in both cars. It didn't matter what I ate. And there is the old wives tale about the baby having a lot of hair...it was true! My daughter came out with a full head of black hair (apparently there is some fact to this old wives tale, something about a protein in the hair).

lorioz 4 years 40 weeks

When I was pregnant I would drink a glass of milk at every meal and it definitely helped with the heart burn!

tina_marie 4 years 40 weeks

Pepcid AC was my saviour. I even took one when I was in labor.

luckyme 4 years 40 weeks

Ditto to katedavis - I never had it prior to pregnancy, so I was definitely taken aback when it stared. Man it was bad! I would have a glass of milk at night before bed (or a yogurt) and that seemed to help out. I would munch on tums when it was really bad, usually at work.

katedavis 4 years 40 weeks

I had never had it before I was pregnant and so every night after I had dinner I would lay down on the couch and watch some TV. After a couple of nights of my chest, well, burning, I said something to my husband who laughed and explained to me that what I was experiencing was heartburn.

keiren63 4 years 40 weeks

my sister-in-law had made a plate of veggies one night...and I had a radish. Worst heartburn ever. I was in agony.

Mishell 4 years 40 weeks

Sometimes the heartburn was so bad I couldn't breathe. I'd wake up several times a night because of it. But, the baby has moved down now and it is no longer a problem.

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19 Comments

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