Tender Or Swollen Breasts
It takes a lot of time for your breasts to gear-up and transform into milk-machines, so its no surprise they start as soon as possible! For that reason, tender or swollen breasts is quite often one of the very first noticeable signs of pregnancy. In fact, many women report breast pain as soon as one to two weeks after conception. Also frequently described as a feeling of heaviness or fullness, this symptom is also often accompanied by a tingling sensation.
What Causes Heartburn During Pregnancy
Causes of heartburn during pregnancy include:
- Hormone levels changing: Your hormone levels change during pregnancy, affecting how you tolerate and digest foods. The hormones often slow down your digestive system. Food moves slower, causing bloating and heartburn.
- Esophageal sphincter relaxing: Progesterone, known as the pregnancy hormone, can cause the lower esophageal sphincter to relax. When it relaxes, stomach acid can move up into the esophagus.
- Uterus enlarging: As your baby grows, your uterus gets bigger. It can crowd your stomach and push stomach acids upward, into your esophagus. Thats why heartburn is more common during the third trimester, the last few months of pregnancy. The baby and uterus are biggest then, crowding your other organs.
Symptoms Of Indigestion And Heartburn
Symptoms of indigestion and heartburn include:
- a burning sensation or pain in the chest
- feeling full, heavy or bloated
- burping or belching
- feeling or being sick
- bringing up food
Symptoms usually come on soon after eating or drinking, but there can sometimes be a delay between eating and developing indigestion.
You can get symptoms at any point during your pregnancy, but they are more common from 27 weeks onwards.
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Or Inquire About Proton Pump Inhibitors
If other medications donât help, there are also proton pump inhibitors , such as Prevacid. These have a more powerful acid-suppressing effect than H2 blockers, and most are available over the counter.
Although PPIs are, in general, safe for pregnant women, animal studies have raised concerns that omeprazole could harm a developing fetus, Dr. Richter says. âMy recommendation to patients would be to avoid that one because there are about five or six out there on the market, with the H2 blockers,â he says. âAll of them look to be safe during pregnancy.â
Be sure to discuss any medications with your doctor.
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Is Heartburn A Sign Of Pregnancy With Twins
Being pregnant with twins can cause stronger pregnancy symptoms.
Every woman is different, though, and every pregnancy is different.
Being pregnant with twins doesnt always lead to different or stronger symptoms than a singleton pregnancy.
If youre pregnant and feeling heartburn, you cant assume youre pregnant with twins.
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Nausea And Morning Sickness
Nausea is the feeling of sickness that makes you want to vomit. It is sometimes called feeling queasy in the stomach.
The discomfort occurs in the upper stomach but may not always lead to vomiting. Morning sickness may start to occur as early as the first 3 weeks before a missed period.
- It can get heightened during implantation.
- During implantation, the body produces the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin .
- HCG has been linked with morning sickness and vomiting.
Nausea that is caused by pregnancy can occur any time of the day. It is very common in the morning but it can occur at noon and even in the evenings. Constantly feeling like you want to vomit should start to subside by the second trimester.
What Are Some Unusual Signs Of Early Pregnancy
Some of the symptoms of pregnancy that people are less familiar with are:
- Heartburn
- Acid reflux
- Diarrhea.
Something thats often overlooked, or not well known, is the way pregnancy hormones can play havoc with your digestive system.
The reason for this is the hormone progesterone.
Progesterone starts to rise after a woman ovulates.
If she doesnt get pregnant, it drops rapidly around 10 days after ovulation.
If she does get pregnant, it continues to rise.
This is because progesterones job is to support a pregnancy.
Progesterone is responsible for many of the symptoms of pre-menstrual syndrome a woman experiences.
Its also responsible for many pregnancy symptoms.
Thats why it can be difficult to figure out whether youre pregnant or about to start your period.
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How To Know If You Are Pregnant In 2 Weeks
You spend every day checking your body for symptoms. Then, you spend even longer trying to determine if theyre from pregnancy or PMS. It can feel like the longest two weeks of your life. This guide will help you determine if youre pregnant, or not, making the 2ww a little less gruesome. 3.1 What Is Ovulation? 3.2 When Is Ovulation?
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Extreme Sense Of Smell
This is another symptom associated with later pregnancy signs, but some women noticed this very early on!
I know this extreme smell thing was way more intense at the start, and kind of leveled out near the end For me, the smell of goat milk normally was great, then I got pregnant and it made me gag, and at the end of the pregnancy it kind of bothered me but I was alright!
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When To Call The Doctor
If heartburn symptoms are associated withheadaches or swelling of the hands and face, talk with your provider beforetrying these remedies, especially if the symptoms are new and present in thelast trimester of pregnancy.
Heartburn-like paincan be a symptom of preeclampsia, or dangerously high bloodpressure during pregnancy. Preeclampsia puts mothers and babies at risk, andfurther evaluation may be necessary.
As mentioned,heartburn is very common in pregnancy. If your symptoms dont resolve with dietchanges or medication, let your provider know so you can find an effectivetreatment.
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Good Posture Is One Of The Easiest Ways To Prevent Heartburn
Posture is another factor that can positively or negatively affect the lives of people with heartburn. Thus experts recommend straightening your back as much as possible. This is because, by adopting a hunched posture, the stomach area can compress and release acid, causing symptoms such as spitting up or unexpected vomiting.
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Heartburn Symptoms And Pre
If your heartburn symptoms donât go away with medicine, itâs important to see your doctor as it may be a sign of something more serious, such as pre-eclampsia. A pregnant woman with pre-eclampsia usually has high blood pressure and problems with her kidneys. Pre-eclampsia could also seriously affect a womanâs liver, blood and brain. Any pregnant woman can experience pre-eclampsia â almost 1 in 20 Australian women will develop it.
Because pre-eclampsia is dangerous for both you and your baby, you should let your doctor know if your heartburn medicine is not working. This is especially important if youâre also feeling very unwell or you have:
- sudden swelling of your hands, feet or face
- a headache that doesnât go away with simple painkillers
- problems with your eyesight such as blurring or seeing flashing lights or dots
- a strong pain below your ribs
Find out more about how pre-eclampsia is treated here.
Medicines For Indigestion And Heartburn
Medicines for indigestion and heartburn during pregnancy include:
- antacids to neutralise the acid in your stomach
- alginates to relieve indigestion caused by acid reflux by stopping the acid in your stomach coming back up your gullet
You may only need to take antacids and alginates when you start getting symptoms. However, your GP may recommend taking them before symptoms come on for example, before a meal or before bed.
If you’re taking iron supplements as well as antacids, do not take them at the same time. Antacids can stop iron from being absorbed by your body.
If antacids and alginates do not improve your symptoms, your GP may prescribe a medicine to reduce the amount of acid in your stomach. 2 that are widely used in pregnancy and not known to be harmful to an unborn baby are:
- ranitidine a tablet you take twice a day
- omeprazole a tablet you take once a day
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When Can I Expect The Heartburn To End During Pregnancy
Unfortunately, heartburn is a symptom you’re likely to experience throughout your entire pregnancy if you have it at all.
In fact, even if you escaped indigestion early on in your pregnancy, there’s a good chance you’ll have a surge starting around the second or third trimesters, when your uterus takes over your abdominal cavity and forces your stomach upwards.
Fortunately, the burn should clear up as soon as you give birth.
Does Heartburn During Pregnancy Mean My Baby Will Be Born With Hair
Suffering from severe heartburn? You may want to stock up on baby shampoo. Research has backed up the superstition that, on average, the more heartburn you have during pregnancy, the more likely your baby will be born with a full head of hair.
From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When You’re Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.
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Avoiding Indigestion And Heartburn
If your symptoms are mild, its possible that changes to your diet or lifestyle may help prevent indigestion and heartburn. You could try:
- eating smaller meals, more often
- avoiding eating just before bed
- avoiding foods and drinks that you suspect give you heartburn
- not drinking a lot of coffee at the end of the day
- avoiding eating and drinking at the same time, which can make your stomach more full
- sitting up straight while eating, and not lying down after a meal
- chewing gum, which may cause you to produce more saliva to help neutralise the acid
- stop smoking
- raise the head of your bed by 10 to 15cm
- sleep on your left side
If your indigestion is not helped by diet and lifestyle changes, or your symptoms are more severe, your doctor or midwife may suggest that you take a medicine for indigestion that is safe to use during pregnancy. Medicines can neutralise the acid in your stomach, reduce the amount of acid produced by your stomach and stop the acid rising into your oesophagus.
Heartburn And Indigestion During Pregnancy
Once the nausea of early pregnancy wanes, many women look forward to enjoying their meals again. However, around the middle of pregnancy, heartburn and indigestion may spoil the party. These discomforts can happen at any time, but are more common in the second and third trimesters. Fortunately, they’re rarely serious and are easily treatable.
What are heartburn and indigestion?
Heartburn — which actually has nothing to do with your heart — is marked by a burning sensation after meals in your throat or in your chest behind the breastbone. It’s caused by stomach acid coming in contact with the esophagus . A valve at the bottom of that pipe seals off the top of the stomach when you’re not eating, but when valve is overly relaxed, partially digested food and stomach acid sometimes make their way back up into the esophagus, irritating its sensitive lining.
The chief symptom of heartburn is a burning feeling in the chest. You may also experience a sour taste in your mouth or the unpleasant feeling that vomit is rising in your throat.
Indigestion, also known as dyspepsia, is a general term for digestion-related pain or discomfort in the abdomen. Symptoms of indigestion include heartburn, excess gas, bloating, burping, and feeling too full after a normal meal.
Both heartburn and indigestion are common conditions during pregnancy and rarely require medical attention.
What causes heartburn and indigestion during pregnancy?
How can I prevent heartburn?
References
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How Early Are There Signs Of Pregnancy
There is a lot of debate on this one some say its impossible to feel symptoms until you at least have enough pregnancy hormones that can be detected in your blood or urinebut if you scour the Internet, you will find many people who will challenge that.
Personally, I have felt symptoms before I could get a positive at home test most notably, my reflux gets out of control and my breasts/nipples are incredibly tender.
It can be hard to find the difference between early symptoms and symptoms that your period is about to start because many of them are very similar so its best not to get too excited until you get a positive test. However, if you are feeling something different from what youve normally felt, then you could be pregnant.
Many women report feeling extra emotional or crampy during implantation, which can happen as soon as five days past ovulation. Theres not a lot of science to back up feeling symptoms this early but there are plenty of women who will say otherwise!
Cramping And Spotting During Early Pregnancy
From week 1 to week 4, everything is still happening on a cellular level. The fertilized egg creates a blastocyst that will develop into the babys organs and body parts.
About 10 to 14 days after conception, the blastocyst will implant in the endometrium, the lining of the uterus. This can cause implantation bleeding, which may be mistaken for a light period.
Here are some signs of implantation bleeding:
- Color: The color of each episode may be pink, red, or brown.
- Bleeding: Bleeding is usually compared to your regular menstrual period. Spotting is defined by blood present only when wiping.
- Pain: Pain may be mild, moderate, or severe. According to a , 28 percent of women associated their spotting and light bleeding with pain.
- Episodes: Implantation bleeding is likely to last less than three days and doesnt require treatment.
Avoid smoking, drinking alcohol, or using illicit drugs, which are associated with heavy bleeding.
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Pregnancy Sign: Increased Gas
Being gassyor, less eloquently, fartyis no problem when youre chillaxing alone in your threadbare sweatpants, but its next-level horrifying when youre out and about anywhere else. Unfortunately, its one of the more common early pregnancy signs. Expect flatulence during not only the first few weeks of pregnancy but also the next nine months. Inevitably, your unruly gas will strike right in the middle of a work meeting or during a cool-down in your silent yoga class.
Prevention Of Heartburn During Pregnancy
Some tips that may help you cut down on heartburn during your pregnancy include:
- Eat several small meals each day instead of three large ones.
- Eat slowly.
- Avoid fried, spicy, or rich foods or any foods that seem to cause relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter and increase the risk of heartburn.
- Donât smoke tobacco or drink alcohol, which can make heartburn symptoms worse.
- Drink less while eating. Drinking large amounts while eating may increase the risk of acid reflux and heartburn.
- Dont lie down directly after eating.
- Keep the head of your bed higher than the foot of your bed. Or place pillows under your shoulders to help prevent stomach acids from rising into your esophagus.
- Wear loose-fitting clothing. Tight-fitting clothes can increase the pressure on your stomach and abdomen.
- Try to avoid constipation.
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Can I Take Over
Nonprescription heartburn relievers, such as Tums® or Maalox®, can help you feel better. But talk to your healthcare provider before taking antacids. They may contain high sodium levels, which can cause you to retain water. Some also have aluminum in them, which isnt safe to consume during pregnancy. Your provider can recommend an antacid thats safe during pregnancy.
Heartburn During Pregnancy Remedies
Preventing heartburn is the best way to deal with it! Here are some helpful tips for avoiding heartburn:
- Eat five to six smaller meals throughout the day rather than three large meals
- Wait an hour after eating to lie down
- Avoid spicy, greasy, and fatty foods
If you are experiencing heartburn, there are a few natural ways to relieve the symptoms:
- Eat yogurt or drink a glass of milk
- Try a tablespoon of honey in a glass of warm milk
Over-the-counter antacids may prove helpful in relieving your heartburn, but do not take antacids without speaking to your healthcare provider. Some antacids contain high levels of sodium, which can cause fluid buildup in body tissues. Some also contain aluminum, which is not considered safe for pregnancy.
If your heartburn is severe, your healthcare provider may prescribe medication for you.
Want to Know More?
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Understanding The Oesophagus And Stomach
When we eat, food passes down the gullet into the stomach. Cells in the lining of the stomach make acid and other chemicals which help to digest food.
Stomach cells also make mucus which protects them from damage caused by the acid. The cells lining the oesophagus are different and have little protection from acid.
There is a circular band of muscle at the junction between the oesophagus and stomach. This relaxes to allow food down but normally tightens up and stops food and acid leaking back up into the oesophagus. In effect, the sphincter acts like a valve.
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Increased Heart Rate During Early Pregnancy
Around weeks 8 to 10, your heart may begin pumping faster and harder. Palpitations and arrhythmias are common in pregnancy. This is normally due to hormones.
Increased blood flow due to the fetus happens later in pregnancy. Ideally, management starts before conception, but if you have an underlying heart problem, your doctor can help supervise low dosages of drugs.
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