Experiencing Heartburn During Pregnancy?

If you are experiencing heartburn during pregnancy, you’re not alone. It’s a common problem that many women face and one that you can better combat when you understand what causes it. In this guide, you will learn the reasons why you might be suffering from heartburn, as well as some safe and effective methods to help reduce its symptoms.

What is Heartburn?

Also referred to as indigestion or acid reflux, heartburn is a burning sensation that starts in your chest and sometimes works its way to your throat. This feeling can range from minor to excruciating. Most often, heartburn is at its worst just after eating. However, other factors can affect the severity of heartburn, such as the time of day (heartburn tends to worsen in the evening) and when you lie down.

For the most part, you haven’t anything to worry about if heartburn strikes. But if it’s happening to you frequently or is preventing you from accomplishing everyday tasks, there could be something more serious going on that needs medical attention.

Symptoms

There are telltale symptoms of heartburn that you may experience. As mentioned, you might be more likely to get heartburn in the evening or after eating. These symptoms can worsen when you lie down or even by bending over.

When heartburn strikes, a burning sensation starts in your chest, directly behind the breastbone. What’s more, you’re often left with an acidic or bitter taste in your mouth.

In some instances, you might feel bloated, which can be accompanied by burping. And if this becomes persistent, you may even bring up food in the process.

Heartburn During Pregnancy

If you are currently pregnant, you can get heartburn at any time during your pregnancy. However, heartburn symptoms are far more common once you hit the 27-week mark.

There are a few reasons why you might get heartburn while you’re pregnant. Some women experience heartburn symptoms due to the hormonal changes taking place in their bodies. As such, heartburn can come on even if you’ve seldom experienced it prior to becoming pregnant.

And since there is a growing baby inside you, the pressure against your stomach can lead to heartburn. Thankfully, you don’t have to suffer the uncomfortable symptoms of heartburn while you’re pregnant. There are a few key things you can do to lessen the symptoms of heartburn.

What You Can Do to Fight Heartburn

In many cases, altering your diet and making changes to your lifestyle are enough to effectively control heartburn symptoms. When you’re pregnant, it’s understandable if you feel like you want to eat more than usual.

After all, you’re not only trying to replenish the energy needed to carry a child but also to sustain the nourishment that your new baby needs. But as tempting as it might be to consume a higher volume of food, it isn’t always healthy for you or your child.

Filling up on foods is an easy way to develop heartburn. Even if you’re trying to eat healthily, the amount of food you’re consuming can lead to heartburn.

Change Your Diet

Also potentially factoring into your heartburn could be the type of food you’re eating. That’s why you might need to make adjustments to your diet. Instead of eating large meals, try switching to smaller ones.

You can still stick to the three-meals-a-day format; just try to work on reducing the sizes of your meals. What’s more, you should make an effort to avoid eating anything within 3 hours of bedtime. Try to cut down on foods that are overly fatty or spicy. In doing so, you notice a big difference in the frequency and severity of your symptoms.

Foods are only one part of the equation in trying to prevent heartburn during your pregnancy. Drinks are also heavily responsible for the onset of symptoms. You are likely to see noticeable changes in how you feel when you actively cut down or avoid caffeinated or acidic beverages.

Sit up Straight

When you eat, make an effort to keep your body straight and upright. When you do this, it helps to take off pressure from your stomach, which can play a hand in your heartburn. Try implementing this into your sleep schedule, as well.

Whenever you go to bed, prop up your shoulders and head. This is an effective way to help keep your stomach acids from coming up in the middle of the night.

Avoid Alcoholic Beverages

It has long been known that consuming alcoholic beverages contributes to heartburn, not to mention the risks you are putting both you and your baby at. You may have been told that it’s OK to have an alcoholic drink every once in a while during your pregnancy.

The truth is that it’s safest to avoid it altogether. The potential risks simply aren’t worth it.

Avoid Smoking

Equally dangerous is smoking while you’re pregnant. Not only that, but it can cause indigestion, too. If you smoke while you’re pregnant, you are putting your baby’s health in serious jeopardy. What’s more, you’re also putting your own health at risk.

This isn’t likely to be anything new. Everyone has heard how unhealthy and harmful smoking is, but it’s worth repeating. You might feel like it’s impossible to quit. You want to, for the sake of your baby, but you just can’t find the strength to do it.

If you’re in a similar situation, know that you are not alone. There are many helpful resources available that can assist you in stopping smoking. Plus, if your heartburn is consistently causing you discomfort, avoiding smoking can reduce or even eliminate symptoms.

Whenever you smoke, you inhale chemicals that cause indigestion. Due to the relaxing effect smoking has on digestive muscles, it’s easier for stomach acids to come back up, thus causing acid reflux symptoms to strike.

When to Seek Medical Care

Again, most heartburn while you’re pregnant is completely normal and nothing to worry about. However, there are some signs and symptoms you need to be aware of that could mean you require medical assistance.

For one, if you’re unable to keep food down or you have trouble eating, it’s definitely time to make an appointment for an evaluation. If you notice that you’re losing weight while you’re pregnant, you should speak with your doctor, as this could mean something serious needs to be addressed.

And if you are having stomach pains along with your heartburn, you need to call your doctor right away to eliminate any potential concerns.

What’s more, you shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help if you’re having trouble managing regular heartburn symptoms. Your doctor can assist in getting relief.

Choosing the Right Medication

Heartburn relief medication can work wonders in reducing or eliminating your symptoms. However, being pregnant means that you’re limited in the types of medicines you can safely take. If you aren’t aware, many of the over-the-counter medications you see on the market today are filled with artificial additives.

So, what are you supposed to do when you need relief from heartburn or other medical conditions? Fortunately, you have a safe alternative, thanks to Genexa.

Genexa is the first clean medicine company, offering medications with the same active ingredients as the other traditional OTC medicines but Genexa is different. You won’t find any artificial inactive ingredients in Genexa medicines. No synthetic dyes, no parabens, no common allergens.

If you are experiencing heartburn during pregnancy, and your healthcare provider thinks an antacid is a good idea, try Genexa’s Antacid Maximum Strength. It is real medicine made clean that provides you with powerful protection against heartburn, acid indigestion, sour stomach, and upset stomach associated with these symptoms.

In fact, Antacid Maximum Strength is made with the same active ingredient that you find in TUMS®. However, Genexa’s formula doesn’t contain artificial inactive ingredients.

Whenever heartburn symptoms strike, simply chew 2 to 3 of the convenient chewable tablets for necessary relief.

Summary

Genexa is committed to providing families everywhere with clean medicine. Not limited to just adult formulas, Genexa offers a wide variety of children’s and infant’s products, as well. You’ll find homeopathic remedies and real medicines for the flu, common cold, headaches, and much more.

With more people moving away from artificial medications and looking for organic alternatives, there’s no better time to join Genexa’s mission.

After your baby is born, there’s no reason not to continue taking Genexa’s heartburn relief medication when you need it. This is true for other symptoms, too, so be sure to explore Genexa to see what the first clean medicine (medicine made with same active ingredients you need, but without the artificial inactive ones you don’t) company has to offer you and your family.