Killer heartburn - any home remedies?

[EmilyD2012]

Hi all,

Just thought I'd start this on the off-chance that someone might have some tips I haven't come across yet on how to relieve heartburn. I've had it throughout pregnancy but it has now got to the 'waking me up in the night' stage and is literally so painful it makes my eyes water!

I'm due tomorrow(!!!) but as I'm not convinced this baby is going to be punctual I wondered if anyone had any advice to make these last few days less uncomfortable?

Have eaten all the Rennie in the local area, Gaviscon makes me sick, and cold milk doesn't seem to do it for me. Anyone else have any thoughts?

Don't know the answer but will be watching with interest.

Try eating a slice of bread, it didn't really work for me but heard it has worked for others. Something to do with soaking up acid. I feel your pain though, I had it so bad in my last few weeks that it was making me sick and gaviscon didn't touch it. As soon as DD was born it was gone!

Gaviscon tablets are not as bad as liquid, nothing works though, except giving birth, sorry!

Staying upright for at least 30 mins after eating in the evening helped a bit, meant I had to wash up though.

Not being pregnant is ace!

Love hearts, Parma violets, or refresher sweets, anything with that chalky consistency! I was dubious but it really worked for me! Much cheaper than gaviscon & tastes better!

I've suffered from heartburn ever since pregnancy (not as bad as when pregnant!). Two things I tried recently which seemed to help were cucumber chunks and also tea made with a spoonful of fennel seeds (not the best cuppa you'll ever have, but not unimaginably bad!!)

Hope these help!

Right, I'm on a mission, thanks booksandchoc, will give bread a go and let you know. Huge relief to hear it stopped when you dropped as well - don't know how much more of this I can handle!

Tanyaaah and SeventhEverything - I wish I could get over the gaviscon hatred but I don't seem to be able to; they just make me gag which in turn makes it worse! Blurgh, so annoying! :(

Kazriina and PoppadumPreach - your solutions sound much tastier, will try both today, thank you!

Thanks all! :)

Sleeping on your left side, which they recommend anyway, is really helpful for me. I've suffered from heartburn since before pregnancy and swapping sides of the bed so I can sleep on my left side has made a world of difference. I also find anything that really gets me burping helps, as I think a combination of trapped wind and the acid makes it worse. Finally not too much caffeine or carbs. If I've had a really bread heavy day it gets really bad (not to say the one slice thing might not help though!)

yep - can also swear by the love hearts/refreshers etc, also apples...they worked a treat for me, half one before eating and the other half after meal...or as and when you fancy

I'm sure I read on here t'other day someone saying a teaspoon of manuka honey did the trick...will have to go and try that

Was going to recommend Rennies as I much prefer tablets to liquid, but I see you've already tried.

We do some exercises in yoga that are apparently meant to help, if you bring your arms up to shoulder height so they are sticking out in front of your body, then bend them back so that your hands are facing down on your shoulders, then circle your arms lifting up to your head and then down to your sides. Do this a few times then reverse.

The good news is that you're due tomorrow so you have about 2 weeks max of suffering left.

I take Gastrocote for heartburn which seems to help (Gaviscon makes me sick, and Rennies stopped working at around 30 weeks.) It tastes of werthers original sweets and is quite thick. I remember from my last pregnancy that I used to eat a couple of rich tea biscuits before bed, that helped too. Milk is a big no-no for me as it comes back twice as bad about 20 minutes later!
Fx you're not waiting too long!

Have you tried the tablets www.gaviscon.co.uk/gaviscon_product_range/gaviscon_double_action.php

Heart burn is really horrible, I had it so bad in my first pregnancy that I took to carrying Gaviscon bottles in my handbag and swigging it straight from the bottle ! Then I discovered the Gaviscon tablets and moved onto them, bit chewy and less chalky than Rennie.

Worth a try ?

I must admit I like the double action tablets. Unfortunately, they aren't available on prescription.

Some cold milk before your meal is supposed to work....apart from that like its been mentioned give birth, it just disappears....

Ice lollies! Only thing that works for me. I should've bought shares in tiptops!

my heartburn was so bad i got over my gaviscon hate pretty quickly (i'd been so ill and had such bad heartburn i'd lost over a stone by 20 weeks) i also drank milk and sipped water all day long, i even ate toothpast because it's alkaline to neutralise acid on your teeth so when i was desperate i did anything!

Those fromage frais tubes for when rennies/gaviscon didn't go down... Handy as you don't have to even dirty a spoon

I'm 23 weeks with dc2 and can feel it sneaking up on me again.

Have just sent DP a shopping list to pick up all of the above on the way home from work! Thank you thank you thank you!

I am 34 weeks with extremely bad nighttime heartburn, it wakes me up every 30 minutes and it doesn't make one jot of difference which side I lay on or how many pillows I prop myself up with. Nothing by god, nothing, has helped me - I eat ice and ice lollies by the bucket too.

Peppermint tea, works for me every time!

Pineapple is brilliant, I had evil heartburn with all three of mine and there is some sort of enzyme in there that really helps. I know it seems counter intuitive but it does work.

Peppermint tea helps me.

Milk.
Vanilla ice cream.
Vanilla milkshake!!