You’ve just enjoyed a delicious meal that your partner has cooked for you, but for the third time this week, you notice a burning sensation in your chest. You wonder if it’s normal to be feeling this level of discomfort after you’ve eaten and whether there’s something wrong.

We’re here to tell you there is nothing wrong. You are experiencing what 80% of pregnant women experience at some point in their pregnancy: heartburn!

Heartburn is caused by hormonal changes and the pressure of your growing baby inside you as it pushes against your stomach.

Although heartburn is a normal side-effect of pregnancy, it can be an uncomfortable reality that can keep many women up at night.

The good news is that after you've given birth, your heartburn usually disappears. But we know that doesn’t exactly help you right now! So before we give you some tips on how to treat or manage heartburn, let’s look at the various symptoms you may be experiencing.

What are the symptoms of heartburn?

Symptoms of indigestion and heartburn include:

A burning feeling or pain in the chest.

A burning feeling in the throat.

Difficulty swallowing.

Feeling gassy.

Feeling bloated.

Bringing up food.

You can experience some or all of these symptoms at any point during your pregnancy, but they are more common from 27 weeks onwards.

Now we’ve looked at the symptoms associated with heartburn, let’s explore the things you can do to help.

What can I do to help relieve heartburn?

If your symptoms are severe, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to get rid of heartburn completely, but there are nevertheless a few things you can do to ease the symptoms.

Eat well

When you’re pregnant, it may be tempting to “eat for two”, but you don’t actually need to. In fact, it may not even be good for your baby to eat more than you would normally. Indigestion is usually caused by eating too much too fast and also eating “bloating” foods that your body finds hard to digest. Try to eat smaller meals more often rather than 3 big meals a day. And because heartburn is worse at night, try not to eat within 3 hours of going to bed.

Don’t drink with food

This may seem challenging, but drinking liquids during mealtimes “floods” your digestive fire (acids), preventing you from being able to digest your food properly. It is recommended that you drink 30 minutes either side of mealtimes - 30 minutes before you eat and 30 minutes after. If you absolutely have to drink while you eat then take tiny sips to avoid digestion issues. Also, try to cut down on caffeine, since it also poses a problem for digestion.

Sit up straight while you eat

Sitting upright while you eat takes the pressure off your stomach and helps your body’s digestion. If you prop yourself up using pillows or cushions while you sleep, this helps to keep stomach acids where they should be!

Stop smoking

If you smoke then do your best to stop. Not only is it harmful to you and your unborn baby, but the chemicals in cigarettes relax the valve between your stomach and food pipe, which causes stomach acids to come back up more easily (known as acid reflux).

Avoid alcohol

Drinking alcohol can cause the stomach to produce more acids and also make the tissues more sensitive to acid, which can lead to heartburn. Drinking alcohol is also not recommended while you’re pregnant as it may lead to long-term harm to the baby.

Use medicines for heartburn

Medicines for heartburn include antacids, which neutralise the acid in your stomach and alginates, which stop acid from coming back up. These treatments can be taken as soon as you experience symptoms, however, your doctor may recommend that you take them before symptoms develop.

How do I deal with indigestion and heartburn in pregnancy?

Hormones cause them and Unii can help.