Tums is the go-to medicine for most people that have heartburn A great way to relieve discomfort, taking Tums while pregnant poses a lot of questions for mothers-to-be.
Is Tums safe? Will Tums hurt my baby?
Let’s find out.
Can You Take Tums While Pregnant?
Tums is generally safe. According to the official Tums website, 48% of pregnant women will suffer from heartburn. And Tums is one of the most recommended treatment options to alleviate the symptoms of heartburn.
The manufacturer recommends that you consult with your health advisor on whether it’s safe for you to take Tums.
What Causes Heartburn?
If you don’t want to take Tums while pregnant, it’s important to first understand why heartburn occurs in pregnant women. Often called indigestion or acid reflux, heartburn can happen to anyone, but it’s more common in pregnant women.
What occurs is that you’ll feel a burning sensation that can extend from your breast bone to the bottom of your throat.
Pregnant women will suffer from heartburn more frequently as a result of the placenta. The placenta will start to release a hormone called progesterone. The increased production of this hormone is very important for pregnancy because it will relax the muscles in the uterus.
The muscles are relaxed in preparation for birth, so it’s an essential part of pregnancy.
But progesterone will also cause the valve in the esophagus to relax, too. As the valve relaxes, this allows for gastric acids in your stomach to seep back up through the valve. This is the acid that will cause the unpleasant burning sensation in your throat.
In short: the gastric acid that is meant to remain in your stomach will seep into your throat.
Tums and Heartburn
Tums is considered an antacid. These antacids will provide very rapid relief for heartburn. While not specially formulated for women that are pregnant, Tums is found to be safe for usage, according to the millions of pregnant women that use this antacid on a regular basis to stop acid reflux in its tracks.
The good news is that Tums also includes calcium – a needed mineral during pregnancy.
You may also be on an iron supplement and several other supplements. It is recommended that you take Tums two hours apart from other medicines for the best results. If you take Tums according to this recommendation, you’ll ensure that the potency of Tums is not dampened by other medications.
4 Ways to Ease Heartburn While Pregnant
We’ve determined that you can safely take Tums while pregnant, but if you want to go the all-natural route, you’ll find that there are several methods to naturally ease heart burn. And we’re going to be discussing four ways you’ll be able to ease the burning discomfort that you’re sure to experience during pregnancy.
1. Increase Meal Frequency
You want to eat less at one meal, but eat more often. When you overeat, this will cause heartburn to get worse. Since there is less room in your stomach due to the growth of the baby, acid will be forced in the throat if you overeat.
Instead of 3 meals, aim for 5 – 6 smaller meals.
2. Say Goodbye to Trigger Foods
Sadly, some of your favorite foods may be triggering your acid reflux. You’ll need to keep a chart of what you eat and remove foods that seem to make your heartburn worse. A few foods that are often trigger indigestion, include:
- Citrus fruits
- Coffee
- Caffeinated beverages
- Chocolate
- Spicy foods
3. Focus on Fluids
Fluids are far less likely to cause acid reflux. So, you’ll want to increase your consumption of:
- Soup
- Smoothies
- Protein shakes
- Pudding
- Milk
If you eliminate some of the solid foods you eat, you’ll start feeling less “acidy” before you know it.
4. Stop Eating Early
Many women will suffer from heartburn when they lay down to go to bed. The food and acid in your stomach will move, and gravity may be causing more acid to naturally reach your throat – not fun.
A tip that is recommended is to stop eating 3 hours before bed.
When you sleep, try elevating your head and start sleeping on your side to limit the uphill travel of stomach acids into the throat.
If you’re still wary of taking Tums while pregnant, you can follow the four tips above to find relief from heartburn.
