Kaboutjie SA Mommy Blogs by Lynne Huysamen
Baking soda for heartburn is a very popular home remedy for heartburn. During pregnancy one of the most common pregnancy symptoms is heartburn, especially as your pregnancy progresses.
But we need to know if it is safe to use baking soda for heartburn during pregnancy. As you well know anything that you ingest during pregnancy can effect your baby and many things that are considered safe before pregnancy may not be the best thing when expecting.
What Causes Heartburn
Heartburn (also known as acid reflux) occurs when the stomach acids come up the esophagus which irritates your throat and creates a burning sensation which can happen anywhere from the abdomen to your throat.
During pregnancy heartburn is very common and can be caused by the hormone progesterone which relaxes the valve between the stomach and the esophagus which normally prevents the stomach acid from passing through.
Heartburn also often increases during the later stages of pregnancy when the growing baby puts pressure on the intestines and stomach pushing the stomach contents.
Common Symptoms Of Heartburn Include:
- A sour taste in your mouth
- A burning sensation in your throat or abdomen
- Bad breath
- Nausea and vomiting
- Sensitive teeth
- Painful or difficulty swallowing
- Pain in your abdomen or chest
Baking Soda For Heartburn
Chances are good that you have baking soda in your kitchen and if you don’t you should really be aware of all the fantastic uses for baking soda and keep it on hand all the time. It is brilliant for household cleaning, for beauty and for health remedies too.
Making use of baking soda for heartburn is fantastic because it is highly effective, you probably always have baking soda in your kitchen, it is a natural remedy and it is inexpensive.
To get rid of heartburn mix in half a teaspoon of baking soda in a cup of water. Make sure to stir it until the baking soda is completely dissolved. Drink it slowly. You can repeat it every 2 hours.
The key ingredient in baking soda that helps to relieve heartburn is sodium bicarbonate. The sodium bicarbonate quickly neutralizes the stomach acid which relieves the symptoms of heartburn temporarily.
It is important not to take more than 7 doses in a day (ie 3 and a half teaspoons) and if you are over 60 years old keep that down to 3 doses daily.
Taking in too much baking soda can result in acid rebound where more acid is produced making your heartburn problem even worse.
Taking Baking Soda During Pregnancy
There is no evidence that sodium bicarbonate is harmful for your unborn child during pregnancy, however it can cause fluid buildup which causes water retention.
If you have Oedema (swelling during pregnancy) taking baking soda can exacerbate the problem.
Although there are some concerns about taking baking soda for heartburn during pregnancy the benefits are that it is a natural and very effective remedy for heartburn if taken in limited amounts.
It is best to check with your doctor before taking baking soda for heartburn during pregnancy.
My last pregnancy I had really bad heart burn and used baking soda like crazy lol. It helped me sooo much and I always tell expecting moms to try baking soda. It’s a lifesaver!
Yes it is a fantastic remedy for heartburn! I also love using baking soda for heartburn.
I didn’t know this been struggling with it for days now, I’m going to try it
I wish I read your article when I was pregnant. I had terrible heartburn and I never knew it was safe to take bicarbonate of soda. such a cheap easy and effective remedy and who doesn’t have it in their cupboard.
Brilliant helpful advice I’m sure many mothers to be will be thanking you for.
There are loads of things I have learned since being pregnant that would have been so helpful Amy. With my second baby I was told by someone that chewing gum helps for heartburn during pregnancy and it really worked! It’s just a pity I didn’t know about that during my first pregnancy when my heartburn was so bad I would vomit all the time.
Although I’m not pregnant I still suffer from heart burn constantly can this be an underlying disorder
Shireen if you are constantly suffering from heartburn I recommend that you see a doctor and find out what the cause is!
I had no idea that baking soda could have this effect! There are so many things that we must be careful of when being pregnant. It is amazing that we survive through it at all. I have not been pregnant yet but I will definitely try to remember this. A friend of mine is pregnant so I will share this with her.
Yes it is so important to be careful of everything you take in while pregnant!
Wow what an amazing natural remedy ! I just love kaboutjie’s newsletters .
THE BEST ADVICE AND TIPS HERE , always on my toes for any notification from kaboutjie
I’m so glad to hear that Inshaaf 🙂
Interesting article
I was so lucky I didn’t have heartburn when I was pregnant. I had my gall bladder out when I was younger maybe that played a part in no heartburn
That could very likely be why Shaigh 🙂
Hi, thank you for this informative post. I get heartburn and although not pregnant, I never thought to use bicarb for it! I normally go for a glass of water with lemon and a pinch of salt but next time, I will try the method you suggest. Thanks again 🙂
It is a fantastic heartburn remedy Susan! Let us know which works better for you, the baking soda or the lemon with salt. I would love to know.
This is such an amazing product on so many levels, I remember many years ago when my Grandma used it!
Yes, it is incredible to keep on hand, not just for heartburn but for many different cleaning uses too! I have actually written a post that I still need to publish about the many uses of vinegar and baking soda for cleaning. It will go live this week.
Oh wow I’m pregnant and now atleast I know what to do if ever I get heart burn
Congrats on your pregnancy Noxolo! Another cool thing you can try is chewing gum for heartburn during pregnancy.
Wooow…i am pregnant and heartburn is killing me…now i know what to do..thank you
I also had awful heartburn during both pregnancies – another awesome remedy for heartburn during pregnancy is chewing gum – seriously give it a go Ennie!
Just before I found out I was pregnant I had the worst heartburn I’ve ever had, I took some bicarb and it helped a lot, but after finding out I was pregnant I was advised not to, rather to take gaviscon. On a side note, I struggled with gallbladder attacks through my 2nd pregnancy and 10 days post partum I had my gall bladder removed. So yes maybe they are related.
I also used Gaviscon during my first pregnancy and it worked for a while but towards the end nothing worked and the Gaviscon cost a bomb! That is terrible having surgery so soon after birth, it must have been terribly hard on you and your family!
I used it, at first I didn’t know I was pregnant.
When I was 5Months pregnant I found out.
Lucky for me baby is safe.
I used to drink alot ogmf Baking soda
Very interesting.
Hmmm its good to know…
This is an old remedy. But i use this for bladder infection, 1 teaspoon in a half a glass of water, drink and then have another glass of water afterwards. With in 30 mins and less the bladder infection burning and such stops.
Oh yes, it is fantastic for bladder infections! I’ve also made use of that baking soda recipe for bladder infections. Thanks for sharing it.
This is very helpful. I had no idea. So much cheaper than all the medications we are told to use. Thank you
Information was very accurate and helpful