Managing Heartburn at 38 Weeks Pregnant

At 38 weeks pregnant, heartburn often results from relaxed digestive muscles and pressure from the uterus pushing stomach contents towards the oesophagus. It may feel like warmth or burning rising from the upper abdomen into the chest, sometimes with an acidic taste or food coming back up. Symptoms commonly follow meals or appear when you recline.

A reflux pattern is linked to eating, position, and a burning or sour sensation. It may settle when you sit upright. However, not every pain high in the abdomen or chest is heartburn. Pain that is severe, persistent, associated with breathing difficulty, or accompanied by pregnancy warning signs needs prompt assessment even if you have experienced reflux before.

Reduce the amount in your stomach at one time by having modest meals and snacks rather than a heavy plate. Stay upright after eating, avoid tight clothing across the abdomen, and notice whether rich, spicy, acidic, chocolate-containing, or caffeinated items aggravate your symptoms. At night, support your shoulders and upper torso rather than adding pillows beneath only your head.

Your maternity team or pharmacist can recommend an antacid, alginate, or other reflux treatment that suits pregnancy and your medical history. Tell them about every medicine and supplement you use because some products need spacing apart. Avoid borrowing another person's medicine or repeatedly taking an unchecked over-the-counter product.

Call emergency services for crushing, tight, or severe chest pain, or chest discomfort with shortness of breath, sweating, collapse, or pain travelling to the jaw, arm, shoulder, or back. Do not drive yourself if you feel faint or seriously unwell.

Contact your maternity unit promptly for severe pain beneath the ribs or in the upper abdomen, particularly with headache, blurred vision, flashing lights, sudden swelling, nausea, or vomiting. Also call for reduced baby movements, vaginal bleeding, leaking fluid, or regular painful tightenings. Seek clinical review for trouble swallowing, black stools, blood in vomit, dehydration, or heartburn that continues despite recommended measures.

Describe when the burning begins, its exact location, foods or positions linked to it, and what you have already tried. Useful questions include whether your current supplements could worsen symptoms, which medicine is appropriate before delivery and while breastfeeding, and what change in symptoms should prompt another assessment.