Heartburn - make it go away! please!!

[GoldenSnitch]

I'm 33 weeks pregnant with DC2 - have at least 6 weeks to go till my ELCS and I have terrible heartburn!

Not just laying down trying to sleep heartburn either. That I was expecting and could cope with. This is heartburn that I get while sat upright on the sofa watching TV too!!

I'm living with it for now and swigging Gaviscon from the bottle (having given up on spoons) at bedtime to try and get some sleep between achey hips and needing to pee but it's driving me crazy and making me miserable.

Obviously, I'd rather not be taking too much Gaviscon or any other medicine while pregnant so while I don't mind at bedtime, I don't want to be taking it all day too but I need to do something!

Does anyone have any tips or natural remedies for heartburn that I could use till this baby drops and quits using my stomach as a football?

Please!!

[GoldenSnitch]

Anyone? Please!

[celebmum]

hi.. i too get awful heartburn (and im only 17weeks!)i find that drinking milk helps, even just a few mouthfuls.

hope it works!
x

[sandcastles]

Is it definitely heartburn?

There is something that you can get called Epigastric pain, which feels like heartburn, only the remedies do not do anything!

This can be an indicator of Pre Eclampsia, this thread explains it well.

[nicefleece]

Don't eat toast / bread, and have Rennies on hand.
Good luck

[GoldenSnitch]

It's like a cold burn at the back of my throat sandcastles. Only seems to come on in the evenings but is getting earlier and earlier. Gaviscon does seem to work but not for long.

I had PE with DS so it's always a worry that it would come back - will check the link.

Will try the milk too - thanks celebmum

[Milliemuffin]

Hey GS, as you know I'm also 33wks and I've had it bad for a while now too but I had it bad with DS aswell.
When I worked on a maternity ward taking photos of the newborn babies I could always tell when the mum had had bad heartburn by how hairy their babies were and it was always a good talking point as alot of them had never heard of the 2 being related.
The only things that worked/work for me are milk/yoghurt and not entirely sure but think its worse when I've had chocolate.

p.s. yes DS was a hairy baby!

[GoldenSnitch]

My DD's going to be a monkey

DS wasn't a particularly hairy child. Can't wait to see if you're right!

[BlueCollie]

I've had heartburn from the start. Bloody awful and sure I am going to give birth to a monkey!!! I've found that only the Gaviscon advance works well for a few hours but better than nothing. Any other stuff just doesn't do anything...... something I keep telling docs but they still prescribe the cheap stuff!!! Mind you works out more expensive for them as I drink about a bottle a day of the cheap stuff LOL

[STIGZ]

i dont know if this theory of mine actually works but u could give it a try....... i started getting really bad heartburn about three weeks ago (im 25 weeks this week) it was really bad somedays & not there at others? found this really wierd......

but have came to the conclusion that drinking yakult keeps it @ bay as i found heartburn really bad the days i never had a yakult..........

but also cut down on the amount of irn bru i was drinking so it could b that....

give yakult a try and let me know .x.x.

[mommymeggie]

I'm 31 wks with my DC2 and I know what your going through!! I never had heartburn with my first and this time its completely the opposite!

What I've had to do is not eat too late at night b/f bed, that sometimes triggers it and then I can't lie down to go to sleep.

I've also guzzled down loads of milk when I first feel it coming on, that only works a few times. I can't even touch yogurts, they seem to make it worse

Have you thought of buying those calcium tablets at the chemist? I bought some called Rennie at Boots. When I'm out in public and I feel it coming on, I chew some of those bad boys and they seem to work. They are peppermint so not too bad tasting...but not the best either! And they are just calcium tablets so they are safe to take ( also says so on the box). Hope that helps you.

[sandcastles]

OK, that does sound different....good!

I second the milk, but I found it had to be full fat. The Dr can give you renitadine, (sp) which is safe during pregnancy.

It sucks, I still have it heartburn after my births & sympathise!

[colditz]

Avaoid all acidic food
no pastry
no spices
tiny tiny meals
drink ice cold full fat milk
do not eat anything after 5 pm

[midnightsun]

Those yoghurt drinks work for me as well but best of all is two or three plain white marshmallows. Honestly. Try it!

[GoldenSnitch]

Ooh, I like marshmallows too

Right, Gavsicon Advance over the regular stuff, Rennie, milk, yoghurt (possibly), yakult and then back to the doctor...

Thanks guys

[sausagesupper]

am off out to buy marshmallows!!
And will try yakult

I had really bad heartburn with both dc's but the second they were born it went and I could eat and drink like a normal person again!!

[Pinkjenny]

GoldenSnitch - our pgs are mirroring each other perfectly. Although it takes me so long to get out of bed because my hips are so sore, that I have taken to wetting myself. Fun, eh! I find a boiling hot mug of Horlicks helps settle my heartburn before bed. The hotter the better. [old git]

[jlo1234]

hi GoldenSnitch, im 33 weeks pregnant too and have awful heartburn that just comes on at random times during the day when im doin nothin!
my dads partner is head midwife at our hospital and said they give the pregnant ladies zantac.
my dad gave me some and its just a tiny tablet that u swallow with some water and u can have 2 a day.
the ones they use at the hospital are 150mg but these ones are only 75mg and they seem to work.
also drinking milk, ive found that the skimmed one actually works the best! hope this helps

[roary]

Zantac, zantac, zantac - in my first pregnancy heartburn was so bad I couldn't sleep, even sitting up. Saw a consultant at hospital for something else and was presecribed zantac and lo, it was a miracle. Heartburn completely gone. it's called ranitidine and your GP can prescribe. They actually give it to newborns so no worries about it at all in pregnancy, especially at your stage. None of the things you were supposed to do worked for me in the slightest, except fo rthis!

[NestaFiesta]

I too am suffering with shocking heartburn at all times of the day and agree with Bluecollie- the cheap peptac stuff the docs describe did nothing at all. After my fourth bottle of Gaviscon/Peptac liquid I told my consultant who kindly prescribed Ranitidine and I have noticed soem improvement.

However, in between, I still pop a few Rennies, especially at night time as my sore hips and SPD prevent me from sitting up to sip from the Gaviscon Advance bottle she also prescribed me.

Good news- with my DS1 (curiously-he had a big mop of hair), the heartburn stopped as soon as he was born.

[ASAPWW]

Hi GoldenSnitch - I have heard that eating fresh pineapple can help ease symptoms of heartburn. It might be worth a try..I hope you feel better. x

[GoldenSnitch]

I thought eating pineapple was supposed to help bring on labour though?

Don't want to be trying that just yet!!

[ASAPWW]

Hmm, not that I've heard. I thought that was curries and raspberry tea!

[GoldenSnitch]

Seems Pineapple can be added to the list too - there is even a Mumsnet thread about it [http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pregnancy/9136-fresh-pineapple-myth-of-fact here]]

They do mention the heartburn thing too though.

I'm due to be booked in for a section but if this carries on much longer I think I'll be on the pineapple curries too before long just to get things moving!

[ASAPWW]

Oh dear - sorry GS! Perhaps I ought not to be giving advice! Though being Indian I can firmly say that pineapple in curry is sacrilege! Whatever you take/try I hope it goes away b/c I know it is really is horrid.

[GoldenSnitch]

All advice is welcome ASAPWW I'm just pleased that so many people have posted on here trying to help!

I will add curry to the list of foods that should not have pineapple added. Pizza is also on that list - it's just wrong!!