What can I take to relieve heartburn and indigestion?

Almost all of my patients complain of indigestion during some point in their pregnancies. Antacids, which neutralize stomach acid, are generally safe to take during pregnancy and can be taken as needed to relieve heartburn, but patients should always consult a doctor first, especially if during the first trimester.

If your symptoms are persistent, talk to your doctor about taking an H2 blocker, which are the next step up from antacids. H2 blockers, which block stomach acid production, take about 30 to 90 minutes to take effect and can provide relief for up to 24 hours.

In addition, eating smaller meals more frequently can help prevent indigestion. To avoid nighttime heartburn, don’t eat a large meal within three hours of going to bed.

What can I take to help with constipation?

Constipation is common during pregnancy. It can be caused by the extra iron in prenatal vitamins, hormone changes and pressure the growing uterus places on the colon (large intestine). It can also be caused by not drinking enough fluids; this causes the stool to harden in the large intestine, making it more difficult and painful to go to the bathroom.

The first thing you should do to prevent and treat constipation is to drink more water. Eating more fruits and vegetables will help increase your fluid intake and up the amount of fiber in your diet which will help keep you running smoothly.

Even when you’re farther along in your pregnancy and need to urinate more frequently, don’t cut back on the amount of water you drink. It may be annoying to go to the bathroom so often, but drinking lots of water will help keep you and your baby healthy and help prevent constipation.

If those measures don’t work, a stool softener may help. In fact, some prenatal vitamins include a stool softener, but talk to your doctor before taking any stool softeners.

If I catch a cold, what medicine can I take?

You should always talk to your doctor before taking any OTC cold or cough medicine. Some medicines contain alcohol or other ingredients such as aspirin, NSAIDs or phenylephedrine that aren’t safe for your baby.

I often advise my patients to drink plenty of fluids and make sure they receive extra rest when they feel cold symptoms coming on. Humidifiers and saline nasal sprays also provide ways to help relieve congestion. If your cold symptoms do not go away within seven to ten days or you feel you need to take an over-the-counter medicine to feel better, talk to your doctor. If you do take something, treat symptoms individually rather than taking multi-symptom treatments to avoid taking medicines you don’t need.

What can I take to help with seasonal allergies?

Being pregnant can be a wonderful experience but it also brings a bit of suffering to expectant moms. If patients suffer from severe allergies and need relief, they should always talk to their doctor first. He or she may point to the American College of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology (ACAAI) guidelines which note that antihistamines may useful during pregnancy to treat symptoms of hay fever and other types of allergies. ACAAI also says that chlorpheniramine and diphenhydramine have been used safely for many years during pregnancy, but be careful — they may cause drowsiness. Loratadine and cetirizine are two newer, less sedating, antihistamines that are also safe to use during this time.

Although they are minimally absorbed in the blood stream, avoid taking decongestant nasal sprays for more than three days as they can cause a “rebound” effect, making your symptoms worse.