Third tri reflux- ouch!

[penstamon]

As if I needed another thing to wake me up every night.  Toddler still wakes 3+ times, I have to pee just as many, I have to wake to flip over and reposition and now I am waking to stomach acid coming up.  Arrghh!  Anyone have any advice on how to deal with this?  My esophagus burns, mostly at night but lately during the day sometimes too.  I have a hard time sleeping propped up so that is not the most feasible solution.  I am almost 35w and the baby dropped at 33w so lightening will not help any at this point...

[Beauchamp]

Right there with you, mama! I get the acid reflux/heartburn thing all day, pretty much whenever I eat anything. I swear it didn't come this early with DD, but maybe it did.

I have no solutions, only commiseration! I do chew two Tums when it gets very bad. And try not to eat too close to bedtime, which is nearly impossible because I am always starving.

[fertilemyrtle]

Papaya enzymes, milk, and raw almonds are all common helpful cures.    I swear by the papaya enzymes.    there's a few yoga moves I teach in prenatal yoga as well that involve standing/sitting up, arms overhead, basically expanding the space for the esophagus.   Heartburn happens b/c the sphincter in the esophagus gets softer/more lax b/c of pregnancy hormone changes.   So less slouching, more elogating helps!  Good luck!

[elonwy]

Almond butter and almond milk are awesome. All the acid fighting bits of raw almonds, but much easier to deal with at 2am, imho. Sometimes I'll do a tablespoon of almond butter with half a glass of cow milk and that double whammy of almonds and calcium will do the trick. I have found in this 3rd tri that finding the combo between eating too much and not eating enough is tricky. If I don't eat, I get heartburn and if I eat too much I do. I've also cut out all spices including black pepper and that has helped a bit too. Hang in there!

[L&K'smommie]

Apple cider vinegar has been what's helping mine...organic and bragg's is what I use. You can take it before meals or after to help. My naturopath also gave me something called zinlori which has helped a ton too.


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[Bird Girl]

I eat ice cream before I go to bed, and I take Tums in the middle of the night. Mmm...Chalk...homer/drool...

[penstamon]

haha, love the ice cream idea!  Actually I did try the bragg's acv in water and it really helped.  I have a bottle of mylanta next to the bed too in case I really really need something.  Last night I went to the acupuncturist and for once did not have to battle reflux after dinner.  I even ate spicy tomato-based pasta sauce and a little chocolate afterwards- wow.  I really like the almond milk/butter idea too because munching raw almonds in the middle of the night is not feasible.

[sagesmothertree]

I like the apple cider vinegar idea. I just hit my third trimester and the heartburn has been killing me at night this past week. I've cut out food two hours before bedtime but even then, sometimes I wake up at 3am nearly vomiting from reflux.  I keep the Tums by my bed. Will have to try the acv tonight.

[L&K'smommie]

Originally Posted by sagesmothertree 

I like the apple cider vinegar idea. I just hit my third trimester and the heartburn has been killing me at night this past week. I've cut out food two hours before bedtime but even then, sometimes I wake up at 3am nearly vomiting from reflux.  I keep the Tums by my bed. Will have to try the acv tonight.

I find that my heartburn is often worse if I haven't eaten in a while, weird I know.  So it seems to be a lose/lose for me on eating or not eating.  ugh.  I can't stomach Tums, at least not the regular ones...I did find ones that weren't as chalky.

Oh and with ACV, it does help heartburn to take it before meals as well. 

[mkmoro311]

Baking soda in water, only thing that worked for me!

[annaconda]

I have many times in 3T been woken up by the DREADED acid in throat - the first time I had it I couldn't believe or express to DH what was going on and he totally freaked.

I second the baking soda in water.  I also, sadly, keep Tums by my bed and in my purse.  I try not to use them but they are sort of a medium solution.  The baking soda (shake the box) is the nighttime real reflux solution.  add a little water swirl, choke it down, and you'll be burping for ages but with sweet relief.  It's allowed me to go back to sleep after the most awful incidents.

[clutterbug]

I do the occasional Tum as well, but I find my most successful nights are the ones where I eat by 6ish and then stay up till 11 or midnight.  Like someone else said, 2 hours doesn't seem to cut it - I have to go hard core on giving my tummy time to empty out!  I drinhk a glass or two of water during the evening, but not too close to bedtime.  It's late to stay up (sometimes I nap sitting up in front of the TV, so that sneaks a bit more sleep in) but the sleep is sweeeeeet....not a hint of reflux and I sleep on my side all night with just the one little pillow under my head.  If I feel a little acidy at bedtime (which can result from going that long without eating), I take a Tum before bed and I'm good for the night. 

I am counting the days till I can have a snack in the evening again, though.  I miss snacks, but I pay for them when I have them!!

[matte]

I've had horrible, wake in the middle of the night thinking i'm having a panic attack, reflux since end of 1st tri. I propped myself up with a ton of pillows, but always ended up getting up in the middle of the night, chugging a glass of milk, and then dozing fitfully on the couch for 4 hrs until finally getting up, exhausted. I thought it would pass, as my leg cramps had. No such luck.

A few weeks into 2nd tri, I started having reflux during the day as well. Horrible pain! After trying milk, acv, papaya enzymes, almonds, ice cream, tums, praying to God for relief, etc, I gave in and started taking (store brand) zantac at my OB's advice. Immediate relief! Sleeping mostly through the night!

Then I got one of those squiggly 'snoodle' pregnancy pillows (second hand) and have been able to sleep through the night almost every night. I've also been able to cut back on the zantac. 

I know a lot of us are wary of this kind of med, I certainly never considered taking it until my OB strongly urged me to. BUT if you are really suffering, perhaps consider it?