what does acid reflux feel like? at7️⃣months pregnant
chapters:
what does acid reflux feel like?
why do we get acid reflux in pregnancy?
is acid reflux dangerous in pregnancy?
what are the worst symptoms of acid reflux?
how to make my acid reflux better?
I am currently 7 months pregnant, and have come across one of the most COMMON and typical third trimester symptoms in pregnancy, which is ACID REFLUX.
YES.
That one right there.
Except, I didn’t actually know I was having it…
Yeah, might sound ODD, but I might also not be the only one on this!
So, let’s talk about it, so you can know whether you are having acid reflux in pregnancy, and if there is anything we can do?
what does acid reflux feel like?
Before even getting into WHAT it is, what does acid reflux actually feel like in pregnancy?
Of course, it depends on your symptoms, but it can feel like ANY of the following FEELINGS:
feeling like you have a lump in your throat
backwash of food or sour liquid in the throat
chest pain
sore throat
trouble swallowing
TO ME, it felt like:
a lump in my throat
extreme heartburn
backwash of acidic liquid coming up from my stomach, to my throat
chest pain when laying down
Which made me wonder at some point:
“Am I just having REALLY bad heartburn?”
After googling away, I searched whether there was a difference between heartburn and acid reflux?
TURNS OUT, HEARTBURN is a symptom of acid reflux, so it kind of goes hand-in-hand sometimes (depending on your symptoms).
However, to be more specific: WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED TO ME…
I went to sleep one night, already feeling the strongest heartburn I had EVER felt
I woke up in the middle of the night, and felt as if I had something stuck in my throat…
When I breathed, it felt like I had something was stuck or in the way, and my chest started hurting a lot!
I OBVIOUSLY started panicking, but had no absolutely idea this was a pregnancy symptom…
I immediately resorted to thinking it was heart-related, or that maybe I had eaten some crisps, or something sharp had gotten stuck in my throat!
YOU CAN IMAGINE THE DESPAIR AT THIS POINT.
I genuinely thought I might die or something!! (not even being over-dramatic - it’s exactly how I felt ahaha).
I was about to go to the closest hospital emergency, but thankfully I started feeling slightly better as I rubbed my chest AND BURPED, A LOT!!
At this point, it was clear that it was more to do with my stomach but I was still feeling quite nervous.
I sat up-right on my bed, and continuously rubbed my chest and simultaneously burped for 1-hour STRAIGHT. (I know, does not sound the MOST lady-like, or aesthetic, but us pregnant girlies got to do what we got to do to make ourselves feel better! ahah).
I eventually was able to fall asleep, and the next morning, the feeling of chest pain, and something stuck in throat, was mildly there, but WAYYYYYYY BETTER.
I, then, wondered whether to Google it and see what actually was happening in my body, since Googling can make things, like this, a lot scarier but I felt better than the previous night, and wanted to know whether I needed medical attention or not…
To my surprise…DAH DAH DAHHHHHHH….it was acid reflux…
TO.
THE.
T.
I felt way more reassured to hear it was common, and normal in pregnancy, specially in the THIRD TRIMESTER.
However, also shocked since I thought the sounds of “acid reflux” was a lot more to do with feelings of acid and heartburn, than lumps OR feeling like having something stuck in your throat!
I really didn’t know it could feel THAT BAD.
Just shows how much we don’t really know, or give attention to, until we are in it!
why do we get acid reflux in pregnancy?
SPECIFICALLY, in pregnancy, because I’m not too sure outside of it!
Well, from my research online, it is a combination of:
your organs moving to make space for baby, which means your stomach is much closer to your throat, making backwash and acid reflux more common
the foods you eat being high in acidity
To be honest, for me, I remember having A BUNCH OF SKITTLES, and downing a bottle of quite acidic-tasting juice before sleep that night, which must have contributed…
Now, I am a lot more conscious, since I don’t want to experience that again, if possible!
Acid reflux in pregnancy can also just be because of (GUESS WHAT) hormone changes from the growing baby also! Surprise, surprise, I know right…
Hence why it is a lot more common to have acid reflux in the third trimester, since that is when baby’s growth places the most pressure on our organs.
FASCINATING RIGHT?!…Hahaha not when you are experiencing it though; girl I feel you.
is acid reflux dangerous in pregnancy?
Now, that we know WHAT acid reflux feels like (and common symptoms) and WHY we get acid reflux in pregnancy, you might be wondering whether it can be dangerous or not…
Well, simply put: NO.
When it does happen, you may be wondering things like:
should I go to the hospital for acid reflux while pregnant?
can severe acid reflux be dangerous in pregnancy?
However, it is USUALLY not dangerous; just very uncomfortable to feel and go-through in pregnancy.
Therefore, if you are having acid reflux in pregnancy, and it is very uncomfortable or severe, then it may be best to speak to your midwife, or doctor, to ask what you can do to reduce this sensation or avoid it entirely, where possible.
FOR ME, personally, I asked my midwife, just so I could be prepared IF it was to happen again.
She advised me on a particular medication that I could actually take, while pregnant (to my surprise! since it’s so hard to find anything I CAN ACTUALLY take ahah). I won’t put the name here, just because this was what was specifically recommended to me, and might not be for everyone!
So yeah, in a nutshell, you shouldn’t worry!
Acid reflux is not concerning in pregnancy, and is actually BECAUSE OF your pregnancy. But always seek out professional medical advice if you would like that extra layer of reassurance!
what are the worst symptoms of acid reflux?
With everything said, you might still feel quite uneasy if you are having a really rough time with acid reflux.
In which, I would always recommend to speak to a doctor, or midwife (if in the UK)! This is simply my personal experience, and learnings, and definitely NOT medical advice - I am NOT a trained professional in any capacity, whatsoever. I’m just a girl, a pregnant girl ahaha.
However, in all of this, you might want to know how to differentiate, or gage, when it might be something to look further into, if you are hesitant about it up until now.
In which case, you might be wondering what the WORST symptoms feel like in acid reflux, and from my research, the most severe acid reflux symptoms in pregnancy look something like:
If you do end up taking medicine for acid reflux, that was advised for pregnant women, and the symptoms don’t go away, then it is something to DEFINITELY get checked, just to be safe (not to alarm).
However, anything that feels too uncomfortable or unbearable is always worth checking, in or out of pregnancy even!
Listen to your body, and intuition, even if the internet says something else; you ALWAYS know what is best for YOU.
how to make my acid reflux better?
The ONLY thing missing now, in our pregnancy girl chat here, is the ACTIONABLES.
We are all about taking control of our narrative over here, so: how can we do something about our acid reflux whilst pregnant?
Well, FOR ME, I started by waiting to see if my acid reflux would go away on its own, which it did after a day, and then I was mindful with what I ate (like my truly-beloved skittles, for example!).
So, those are 2 tips in itself.
However, more PRACTICAL TIPS to reduce acid reflux would be (not personally tried-and-tested but seem to be quite common):
any medication advised by your midwife, or doctor, that is SAFE during pregnancy
sleeping with your head slightly elevated (like doubling up on pillows!)
eat smaller meals, and more frequently
drink lots of water!!
avoid eating too close to when you sleep
avoid foods and drinks that are known to be high on acidity (grapefruit, orange, tomatoes, coffee, fried foods)
There is a lot more advice online on home remedies to stop acid reflux fast at home, however, I wouldn’t PERSONALLY experiment with anything that sounds a bit too wild or different (like baking soda) since you never know too well how that will react in your body…
Sticking to natural, healthier tips are always a safe option, in and out of pregnancy!
And as a last resort, always go to a midwife or doctor, if you are in need of medication!
♡
NEVER did I think I would have SO MUCH to say about something like acid reflux, as a symptom in pregnancy, and of more typically, the third trimester.
I had heard about it before quite a lot, but never had the AWARENESS or insider knowledge of how intense and severe it could actually feel!
So, I hope this helps any other girlie going through acid reflux in pregnancy, in knowing a bit better how to navigate the severity of your symptoms, to hopefully ease you, or encourage you, to just get a quick check with your mdiwife, if necessary!
Always better sleeping at night, knowing it’s just another common pregnancy symptom, after having that chat with my midwife!
Sending all the pregnant girlies (and not!) the MOST love and strength on your journeys, YOU GOT THIS, you superwoman!
And as always, remember…
Own your Time. Own your Womanhood.
♡
I’ll be logging updates throughout this whole journey as a mother-to-be, working to be an entrepreneur, but to also still preserve the girlhood within, to try and be her best self, and live her happiest life, so keep-up with me through the blog!
I release a new blog post every Friday at 1pm! (UK-time)
Let me know if you’re in a similar headspace (pregnant or not), being in our 20s is confusing, and taking control of our story is the only way we can take ownership of our happiness and live out our dream life.
I document my unwanted pregnancy journey at 25, taking control of my narrative, figuring out being a girl in my 20s, chasing my dream life, and conquering my boss babe dream of becoming a self-employed, entrepreneur / Blogger!
