Many women experience indigestion during pregnancy. This can be due to rising hormone levels and increased pressure on the stomach as baby grows. Indigestion during pregnancy rarely causes complications, however, it is important you let your doctor know of any pain in your upper abdomen (even if you think it’s just indigestion).
If you have indigestion, you may experience a number of symptoms, including:
- heartburn – a burning sensation that is caused by acid passing from the stomach into the oesophagus
- regurgitation (food coming back up from the stomach)
- bloating
- nausea (feeling sick)
- vomiting (being sick)
Some changes to your day to day habits can help improve the symptoms of indigestion, such as:
- eating smaller meals and allowing at least 2 hours before bed to digest your food
- cutting out certain foods (chilli, caffeine, chocolate)
- elevating yourself at bedtime so that your stomach is lower than your head
- taking antacids – Dr Chettle can recommend which antacids are safe to take whilst pregnant.
