Being pregnant is full of crazy little things that happen to your body, including all those nights spent suffering from heartburn. If you leave heartburn alone and don't attempt to nip it in the bud from the start you could be facing something closer to heartfire in a short time. I've experienced the pain of heartburn that felt like I was having a heart attack and here are a few tricks I learned along the way.
Keep Tums or Other Approved Antacid Nearby
Through every one of my pregnancies I kept Tums with Calcium in my purse, in all bathrooms and in the kitchen. I never went anywhere without my bottle of Tums. At the first sign of heartburn I'd chew a few and even if they didn't stop the pain all together they would at least stop the worst of the pain. There are other brands out there besides Tums, so check with your obstetrician if there is another brand you'd like to keep nearby.
Skip Foods that Commonly Cause Heartburn
I am a huge fan of spicy foods, but I could go nowhere near those foods during my pregnancies. The smell of spicy food was enough to cause my stomach acids to start churning and burning. Another food I avoided was fatty food. While many pregnant women love the fact that being pregnant means they don't have to watch their food intake as closely, I was never so lucky. I had to watch everything I ate and heartburn forced me to skip fast food and many restaurant foods.
Eat a Little a Lot of Times
There were plenty of times during my pregnancies when I was famished out of nowhere. I'd sit down to the next meal feeling like I could eat a horse only to hate myself for overindulging a few hours later. Eating large meals can increase the risk of heartburn, so keep it small and eat often to combat hunger.