24 Weeks Pregnant Chalkboard + Pregnancy Heartburn Tips
By Kate Horney
How far along? 24 Weeks, 2 Days
Maternity clothes? Still holdlin out!
Best moment this week: Daddy finally got to feel a nice strong kick from his 2nd little guy! I love love LOVE feeling baby #2 move and it’s fun now that everyone on the OUTSIDE of the belly can feel as well.
Miss Anything? I did notice a little bit of heart burn this week, so I’m hoping that doesn’t become a more frequent thing (blah), but aside from that, I’m feeling great. I can still see my feet, I’ve yet to develop the dreaded kankles, so that’s good news at least! 😉
Movement: Love it! So fun when daddy can feel the kicks too! (Jackson clearly isn’t thrilled about this yet)
Food cravings: We picked fresh blueberries last weekend, and I have to tell you- I went nuts. I have been a berry eating machine- from berries + oat bran to blueberry pancakes, blueberry lemon mugcakes, and even some blueberry yogurt oat cookies… I can’t get enough berries.
Looking forward to: LABOR! (whaaaat?!) I know, you can call me crazy, but I told Patrick the other morning that I’m actually getting a little bit excited for labor. The ultimate goal is to get baby H #2 here safe & sound in whatever way necessary- but if the Lord allows me to do so naturally, I’m excited for the challenge and the experience again. I had a fantastic labor with Jackson and although it hurt (DUH) I liked the mental challenge and I think it’s really cool to see the AMAZING way the Lord designed our bodies and what we, as women, are able to accomplish.
Biggest struggle: Pregnancy heartburn…. ugh!
Ok, so here’s the thing: although it’s common and is generally pretty harmless…
Heartburn during pregnancy can be super uncomfortable!
I don’t typically experience heartburn when I’m NOT preggo, so this is a new symptom that comes every once in while when I’m pregnant. It’s that burning sensation that tends to come from the chest up into the lower throat (typically after eating) and it actually caused by some of the hormonal changes in our bodies when we’re pregnant.
During pregnancy, the placenta produces the hormone progesterone, which relaxes the smooth muscles of the uterus. This hormone also relaxes the valve that separates the esophagus from the stomach, allowing gastric acids to seep back up, which causes that unpleasant burning sensation.
Progesterone also slows down the wavelike contractions of your esophagus and intestines, making digestion sluggish. Later in pregnancy, your growing baby crowds your abdominal cavity, pushing the stomach acids back up into the esophagus.
Solution: Generally pregnancy heartburn doesn’t start until the second half of the pregnancy (aka now) so enjoy the burn-free feeling of the first trimester, and if you do experience some occasional heartburn as you progress, try some of these natural tips to help ease pregnancy heartburn.
5 Tips to Ease Pregnancy Heartburn:
- Eat small meals. Instead of eating 3 big meals, spit your meals up into smaller meals/snacks throughout the day. I generally eat about 4-5 times throughout the day and notice that this does help minimize the heartburn significantly.
- Chew gum. It sounds crazy, but chewing gum stimulates your salivary glands, and saliva can help neutralize acid. So find some good sugar free gum (I love xylitol gum) and chew that after you eat.
- Stay upright. Sleep propped up with several pillows- or my favorite, the snoogle, and try to stay upright after meals as well. Elevating your upper body will help keep your stomach acids where they belong and will aid your digestion.
- Avoid certain foods. Everyone will be different, but pay attention to how your body responds after eating certain foods, and avoid anything that causes you gastrointestinal distress. The usual suspects are carbonated drinks; alcohol (which you should avoid anyway during pregnancy); caffeine; chocolate; acidic foods like citrus fruits and juices, tomatoes, mustard, and vinegar; processed meats; mint products; and spicy, highly seasoned, fried, or fatty foods.
- Try Magnesium + calcium. An over-the-counter antacid that contains magnesium or calcium may ease discomfort, but check with your prenatal caregiver before taking one, because some brands contain aluminum or aspirin or are high in sodium.
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P.S. Are you a fellow pregnant mama?
Healthy babies come from healthy moms!
Your baby is a REASON to make a healthy choices priority… not an excuse for why you can’t!
If you’re not sure where to start when it comes to a FIT PREGNANCY, join us over at the BeyondFit Life Club where I upload all of my personal workouts (100% safe during pregnancy) and share all the best fit mom recipes, tips & tricks!