Acid reflux at 34 weeks pregnant

You may notice a sour or bitter taste, burning behind the breastbone, burping, throat irritation, or liquid rising toward the mouth. Meal size, timing, and body position can influence symptoms. Persistent reflux should be discussed because pregnancy-suitable treatments are available.

Reflux means stomach contents have travelled back into the oesophagus. Symptoms often follow eating or appear when bending and lying flat. Reflux can also irritate the throat and trigger hoarseness or cough, but a new cough, breathlessness, fever, or chest tightness should not automatically be attributed to the stomach.

Record when symptoms occur, what you ate, whether fluid or food returns to your mouth, and whether swallowing is uncomfortable. This helps distinguish an occasional episode from a pattern that is disrupting meals or sleep.

Choose smaller meals spread through the day, chew slowly, and avoid lying down soon after food. Reduce only the foods that clearly trigger you; common possibilities include rich, spicy, acidic, or caffeinated items. Loose clothing around the abdomen and an elevated upper body during sleep may also reduce pressure and nighttime symptoms.

Speak with your maternity clinician or pharmacist if lifestyle changes leave you uncomfortable. They can check whether an antacid, alginate, or acid-reducing medicine is suitable and explain spacing from iron, prenatal vitamins, and prescriptions. Avoid using baking soda or someone else's medicine as a home remedy.

Call emergency services for chest pressure or severe chest pain, particularly with breathing difficulty, faintness, sweating, or pain spreading into the jaw, arm, shoulder, or back. Vomiting blood, passing black stools, or being unable to swallow also requires urgent care.

Contact your maternity unit promptly for strong upper abdominal pain with headache, visual disturbance, sudden swelling, vomiting, or feeling very unwell. Ask for a review when reflux repeatedly wakes you, causes ongoing cough or hoarseness, makes eating difficult, or continues despite appropriate self-care.

Bring a list of medicines, supplements, and remedies along with a short symptom record. Ask which treatment is compatible with pregnancy, when to take it relative to meals and iron, and what change should prompt follow-up. Report any swallowing problem, cough, vomiting, abdominal pain, or sleep loss.