Feeling the Burn? Get Heartburn Help Now!

November 9, 2022 Women
Destiny loved wearing clothes to show off her baby bump. Her pregnancy was going great, except for the frequent heartburn. What Destiny didn’t know was her skinny jeans and tight tops could actually be making her heartburn worse! Destiny was ready to try anything because it seemed like no matter what she ate or drank, she felt the burn. Heartburn is painful, and it’s a common problem to have during pregnancy — especially in the second half. Luckily, it’s usually a problem that’s easy to solve.
What Causes Heartburn?

Hormones. Like other changes your body goes through during pregnancy, this one can also be blamed on hormones. Hormones cause the muscle between your stomach and your esophagus to relax. (The esophagus is the tube that connects your stomach to your throat.) If the muscle relaxes when it shouldn’t, stomach acid can creep up into the esophagus and throat, which causes a strong burning feeling.

A growing baby. As babies grow during pregnancy, they push up on the stomach, pushing the stomach towards the esophagus.

Too much in the stomach. Eating or drinking too much at a time can cause the stomach to “overflow” and stomach acid to “back up”.

What Causes Heartburn?

What Can You Do?

  • ✓ Avoid tight-fitting clothes. They may be stylish, but wearing clothing that’s too tight can make heartburn worse.
  • ✓ Eat mini-meals. This can also help other pregnancy problems like nausea and lack of energy.
  • ✓ Sip, don’t slurp! Drink small amounts of liquid with your meals and have most of your fluids between meals.
  • ✓ Get in the right position.
  • Lying down causes stomach acid to move up and cause heartburn, so don’t lie down right after eating. It’s best to wait two to three hours after eating before lying down.
  • Avoid bending over after you eat. Leaning over to pick up a child, to pick up toys or to pull weeds can all move stomach acid where it shouldn’t be.
  • Elevate your head when sleeping. Keeping your head four to six inches higher than your body may help.
  • ✓ Eat slowly and chew your food well. Digestion starts in the mouth, so if you chew your food well, your food will have to spend less time in the stomach.
  • ✓ Quit smoking and avoid secondhand smoke. Chemicals in smoke relax the muscle that keeps stomach contents where they belong.
  • ✓ Relax! Take a walk after you eat. This can help with digestion and also decrease stress, which can be a trigger for heartburn.
  • ✓ Know your trigger foods, which can vary for everyone, but commonly include:
  • Caffeinated drinks like coffee and tea
  • Greasy and fried foods
  • Carbonated drinks like soda or sparkling water
  • Citrus fruits like orange juice and lemonade
  • Tomatoes, tomato sauce, ketchup and mustard
  • Salsa and spicy foods
  • Onion and garlic
  • Chocolate and mint

What Can You Do?

  • ✓ Avoid tight-fitting clothes. They may be stylish, but wearing clothing that’s too tight can make heartburn worse.
  • ✓ Eat mini-meals. This can also help other pregnancy problems like nausea and lack of energy.
  • ✓ Sip, don’t slurp! Drink small amounts of liquid with your meals and have most of your fluids between meals.
  • ✓ Get in the right position.
  • Lying down causes stomach acid to move up and cause heartburn, so don’t lie down right after eating. It’s best to wait two to three hours after eating before lying down.
  • Avoid bending over after you eat. Leaning over to pick up a child, to pick up toys or to pull weeds can all move stomach acid where it shouldn’t be.
  • Elevate your head when sleeping. Keeping your head four to six inches higher than your body may help.
  • ✓ Eat slowly and chew your food well. Digestion starts in the mouth, so if you chew your food well, your food will have to spend less time in the stomach.
  • ✓ Quit smoking and avoid secondhand smoke. Chemicals in smoke relax the muscle that keeps stomach contents where they belong.
  • ✓ Relax! Take a walk after you eat. This can help with digestion and also decrease stress, which can be a trigger for heartburn.
  • ✓ Know your trigger foods, which can vary for everyone, but commonly include:
  • Caffeinated drinks like coffee and tea
  • Greasy and fried foods
  • Carbonated drinks like soda or sparkling water
  • Citrus fruits like orange juice and lemonade
  • Tomatoes, tomato sauce, ketchup and mustard
  • Salsa and spicy foods
  • Onion and garlic
  • Chocolate and mint

Destiny was surprised that she was doing a lot of things to make her heartburn worse. Once she changed her diet and other habits, that burning sensation was mostly a thing of the past!

Heartburn-Friendly Menu

BREAKFAST

2 eggs

apple slices

whole wheat toast

½ cup milk

SNACK

yogurt

sliced peach

LUNCH

small tortillas with beans, lettuce, low-fat cheese, bell pepper, and cilantro

watermelon

½ cup milk

SNACK

Carrot and celery sticks with hummus dip

whole grain crackers

grapes

Dinner

spinach salad

grilled chicken

baked sweet potato

½ cup WIC juice

Snack

cereal with milk

half a banana with peanut butter

StarRemember to drink water between meals and snacks.