Heartburn is a type of indigestion in which the acid juices from your stomach leak back up into your gullet. This causes a burning feeling in your chest.

Heartburn is very common in pregnancy, affecting around two in three women. This is because the pregnancy hormones relax the valve at the entrance to your stomach so that it doesn’t close properly, allowing the stomach acid to escape. The problem tends to get worse as your uterus gets bigger and puts pressure on your stomach, particularly when you are lying down.

Heartburn is most common in the last three months of pregnancy, though some women start to get it as early as 20 weeks. Relief is almost instantaneous after the birth of your baby.

What can I do about it?

• Try sitting on a stool or an upright chair, leaning forwards slightly with your arms resting onto a firm surface – instead of lounging back in an easy chair. (This may encourage your baby to lie in a good position in your womb, too.)
• Sleep slightly propped up on firm pillows – and don’t eat just before you go to bed.
• Avoid bending from your waist or stooping. Bend your knees and crouch. (Better for your back, as well!)
• Eat frequently – 4 or 5 small meals rather than two or three large ones.
• Try to identify which foods and drinks that give you heartburn. Rich, fatty and spicy foods are common culprits, as are alcohol and coffee. Oddly enough, raw garlic (or slow-release capsules) may help.
• Drinking milk may help, as may fizzy water or peppermint tea (the latter bought packaged in supermarkets or health food – avoid herbal 'home brews' unless you have consulted a qualified herbalist).
• Take an antacid. Your doctor will advise you on a suitable one. If you buy one over the counter, don’t forget to tell the pharmacist that you are pregnant.

Indigestion Alert

Consult you midwife, doctor or maternity unit urgently if you experience severe pain under your ribs. This may feel like indigestion, and you may also feel sick. Pain of this kind may be caused by inflammation of your liver – one of the complications of pre-eclampsia.