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Table 1 Recommended lifestyle, dietary and medicine intake modifications for heartburn relief in pregnant and breastfeeding women

From: Review of recent evidence on the management of heartburn in pregnant and breastfeeding women

Lifestyle modifications

 Avoid eating within 3 h of going to bed [19, 68]

 Elevate the head of bed by 10–15 cm [19, 69]

 Lie down on the left side, rather than the right side or supine [24, 70]

 Avoid tobacco use [19, 71]

 Weight loss is recommended for overweight breastfeeding mothers [28, 72]

 Maintain an upright posture, especially after eating [8]

 Chew gum to neutralise acid [12, 73]

 Increase physical activity to help with gastric motility [12, 14]

Dietary changes

 Abstain from alcohol intake [19, 72, 74]

 Avoid trigger foods and beverages (e.g. fatty or spicy foods, chocolate, mints, caffeinated beverages, citrus juices, tomatoes and carbonated products) [8, 19, 72, 75,76,77]

 Consume frequent small meals [10, 14]

 Drink fluids between meals, and limit fluid intake with meals [7, 12, 14]

 Keep a food diary to identify trigger foods [12, 14]

Medicinal intake modifications

 Avoid medications that decrease LOS pressure [24]

 Avoid potentially harmful medications (e.g. anticholinergics, calcium channel antagonists, theophylline, antipsychotic agents, antidepressants) [24]

  1. LOS lower oesophageal sphincter