To avoid pregnancy heartburn, say bye to drinking water with meals
Around 25 weeks pregnant, the heartburn started with a vengeance. It usually flared up towards the end of the evening — right around when RookieDad Alec got home from work — and lasted until bedtime. Whine whine whine. Squirm. Complain. Wah.
I remember this symptom keenly from before. I once read that having a lot of heartburn meant your baby would be born with hair. When my second son was bald until about 18 months, I threw that theory out the window. This time around, rather than being a martyr waiting for a furry child, I did a lot of reading and research on the topic. I found a lot of websites willing to let me cut out my favorite foods. I also bought a big supply of regular strength Tums so I could pop them as needed.
Then I read the very best advice and tested it out! It was so awesome, I didn’t even want to blog about it for fear of jinxing my success. This amazing tip — Don’t drink during meals — allowed me to go one week with no heartburn and no Tums and still eating pretty much whatever I wanted. Sweet.
Not drinking was completely counter-intuitive to me because it seems like having lots and lots of water would dilute the acid and soothe the burn. Apparently, drinking with meals distends the stomach further and causes the nasty acids to reflux (or whatever it’s called, I’m pregnant, not a doctor!).
After eight days of great success, I got a little cocky. Last night, I drank a big glass of orange juice right before dinner. Misery.
So, I’m back on the wagon drinking lots of water between meals and letting myself getting a little thirsty while eating. Other advice I liked? Get calcium (AKA ice cream) and wear loose-fitting clothes.
Have you found any good solutions for heartburn pregnancy? I’m all ears (and throat).
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