Common pregnancy discomforts

Heartburn after a meal, hard stools and aching hips can make pregnancy uncomfortable. These symptoms are common, and practical changes or treatment can help. Start by telling your midwife or doctor which symptom is interrupting your day.

Heartburn after food or at bedtime

Hormonal changes and pressure from the growing baby can contribute to heartburn. Smaller meals, sitting upright while eating and afterwards, and reducing rich, spicy or fatty foods may help. Propping up your head and shoulders in bed can help reduce acid coming back up while you sleep.

Ask your midwife, GP or pharmacist about suitable treatment if these changes are not enough. Antacids and alginates are options, but some products are unsuitable in pregnancy. Tell the pharmacist you are pregnant and mention your other medicines and supplements, including iron or folic acid, because antacids can affect their absorption.

Do not stop a prescribed medicine without talking to your doctor. If you think it is making heartburn worse, ask the prescriber to review it. Also arrange an appointment for difficulty swallowing, unexplained weight loss or ongoing stomach pain rather than treating everything as reflux.

Call your maternity unit now (UK), your obstetric clinician (US), or your doctor or midwife elsewhere if heartburn does not go away with antacid medicine. Do not wait for a routine appointment.

Constipation and piles

Pregnancy hormones can slow digestion and contribute to constipation. Try fibre-rich foods, such as wholemeal bread, fruit, vegetables and pulses, along with plenty of water and gentle activity. If constipation does not settle, ask your doctor or midwife about treatment.

Iron supplements can make constipation worse. If this is happening, ask your clinician whether a different type would suit you. Do not stop prescribed iron on your own.

Piles, also called haemorrhoids, are swollen veins around the rectum and can cause itching, pain or bleeding. Constipation can make them worse. Fluids, fibre and avoiding straining can help. Ask a clinician about suitable products before using a treatment.

Backache and pelvic girdle pain

Contact your midwife or maternity unit urgently (UK), your obstetric clinician (US), or your doctor or midwife elsewhere for back pain in the second or third trimester, or back pain with fever, vaginal bleeding, pain when you pee or pain in your side under the ribs.

Backache is common in pregnancy. The NHS suggests avoiding heavy lifting and keeping your back supported when sitting. A warm bath may also help. Talk to your GP or midwife if the pain is troubling you a lot; a physiotherapy referral may help.

Pelvic girdle pain can make walking, stairs or turning over in bed painful. Ask your midwife or GP to assess it, especially if getting around is difficult. Supportive shoes, sitting down to get dressed and a pillow between your legs in bed may help. Specialist physiotherapy can include exercises or a pelvic support belt.

Leg cramps and gradual swelling

Cramps are sudden sharp pains, often in the calf or foot at night. Gentle leg and ankle movement may help prevent them. Gradual swelling can be uncomfortable too; resting with your feet up, avoiding long periods of standing and wearing comfortable shoes can help.

Call your maternity team or doctor now for sudden swelling, a severe headache, vision changes or severe pain below the ribs. These symptoms need assessment for conditions including pre-eclampsia. Get immediate medical care for a painful, swollen or red leg, especially when it affects one side, rather than assuming it is a cramp.

Making sleep more comfortable

The NHS advises going to sleep on your side, either left or right. If you wake on your back, turn onto your side to go back to sleep. Pillows under your bump and between your knees can help with comfort. Relaxing before bed and avoiding evening caffeine may help you settle to sleep.

When everyday measures are not enough

Contact your midwife or GP in the UK, your obstetric clinician in the US, or your doctor or midwife elsewhere if heartburn, constipation, pain or poor sleep keeps troubling you. Use the urgent advice above for heartburn that does not respond to antacids or back pain with warning signs. Explain how the symptoms affect your day and what you have tried. Tell the clinician about any medicines you take and ask about treatment.