Ideal Bite

Pregnancy Heartburn

Is your chest blazing hotter than a four-alarm chili?

06.08.2009

Submitted by alara on Sun, 06/07/2009 - 11:00pm.

The Bite:

Might be that bun in the oven. Lots of pregnant women experience heartburn from hormone flux and a crowded tummy (can = acid reflux). Squelch pregnancy heartburn with food and bevvies straight from your pantry, instead of dousing it with OTC meds. They'll rescue you and baby from synthetic chems and side effects. Siren off.

The Benefits:

Putting out the flames. These foods and drinks neutralize stomach acid to give you quick pain relief.
Extinguishing side effects. Though it's likely safe, the heartburn drug Zantac has never been studied on pregnant women, and with side effects like headaches, vomiting, and constipation, why bother?
Cooling off with cleaner water. Improperly disposed of meds often end up in our water, since even the most advanced water treatment plants can't remove all traces.

Wanna Try:

Dried Papaya - papayas contain papain, a digestive enzyme that soothes the stomach by dissolving protein and fat; dried works quickly and it's easy on the go ($3/pound).
Organic Apple Cider Vinegar - ACV contains acetic acid, which stabilizes stomach acid and prevents heartburn; mix 2 teaspoons in a glass of water and sip while eating or when heartburn surfaces ($3/16 ounces).
Clear soda - the carbonation in clear natural sodas like Jones Lemon Lime helps relieve acid buildup in the stomach; sip slowly once or twice a day; some dark sodas contain cinnamon, which may aggravate the problem.
DIY Bite - eat small meals, steer clear of spicy foods and excess sugar, and try not to lie down for at least an hour after eating.

Timeout

Elina Syriani of Temecula, CA, mom to 4-month-old Raja, felt the burn throughout her 3rd trimester. All things papaya did the trick for her.

Bang For The Bite

If 10,000 Mama Biters rely on apple cider vinegar to stop the burn instead of an OTC medicine for 1 month, we'll keep the weight of 40 fire helmets in synthetic chems out of our water systems and bodies.

4 comments

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Rashmi on June 08, 2009 at 06:17 AM 1

This is a fabulous natural tip for health and safety during pregnancy. I had quite a bit of heartburn during my pregnancies. I would chew on a few pods of cardamom and swallow everything and within minutes (if not seconds), my heartburn was gone. If it came back (which was rare), I would just pop a few more. I would start with one and then increase. Cardamom is a common spice for deserts and completely safe. Good Luck!

Valeria on June 08, 2009 at 06:55 AM 2

I just wanted to add a comment about this advice to eat papaya...I read in one of those popular pregnancy magazines that some studies showed that raw papayas have been known to cause miscarriages in rats. So just to err on the side of caution, I avoided papaya during my pregnancy.

MB on June 14, 2009 at 12:31 PM 3

ACV works great, just be sure to rinse very well after using, otherwise you can really damage the enamel of your teeth. My dentist suggested swishing with baking soda water to neutralize the acid.

jack on November 12, 2009 at 04:27 AM 4

.I read in one of those popular pregnancy magazines that some studies showed that raw papayas have been known to cause miscarriages in rats. So just to err on the side of caution, I avoided papaya during my pregnancy. free games

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Is your chest blazing hotter than a four-alarm chili?

Timeout

Bang For The Bite

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