Heartburn during pregnancy is one of the most common complaints we hear from expectant mothers, usually alongside headaches, queasy mornings and the odd stomach upset. Most of these discomforts are a normal part of a body changing fast. A few are signs that you need to see a doctor quickly. This guide goes through the usual culprits one by one, what tends to help, and the red flags that should never be waited out.
The guidance here comes from Singapore’s public healthcare sources, mainly KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH), SingHealth and HealthHub. It is general information, not a diagnosis. Your obstetrician or polyclinic doctor knows your pregnancy, so check with them before trying anything new, and especially before taking any medicine.
We are a maid agency rather than a clinic. We work with many families preparing for a baby, and the practical side of feeling unwell, such as who cooks the small meals and who notices when something is wrong, is where household planning helps.
A rule that applies to every symptom: medicine only with your doctor’s approval
Before the individual symptoms, one rule. Many medicines that are routine at other times are not suitable in pregnancy, and some herbal remedies and supplements carry their own risks. SingHealth’s headache guidance advises pregnant women to avoid self-medicating and to consult a doctor.
KKH’s pregnancy care guide names a few options it considers generally safe for common symptoms, but the right choice and dose still depend on you. Ask your doctor or a pharmacist each time, tell them you are pregnant, and mention anything else you take, including traditional remedies.
Heartburn during pregnancy: why it happens and what helps
Heartburn is a burning feeling in the chest, or a sour taste rising into the throat, that is often worse when you lie down. HealthHub’s A to Z of pregnancy health explains that the growing uterus pushes on the stomach and forces acidic contents back up. SingHealth adds that pregnancy hormones slow down stomach emptying, so heavy, fatty meals and caffeine can make it worse.
Practical steps
- Eat small, frequent meals instead of three large ones.
- Avoid oily, fried, spicy or acidic food, and notice which dishes trigger your symptoms.
- Sit upright while eating and do not lie down soon after a meal.
- Finish eating a few hours before bedtime, which matters if dinner tends to be late.
- Prop yourself up with pillows when sleeping so your head and chest are raised.
HealthHub also suggests a glass of milk may ease symptoms. KKH notes that antacids are considered safe in pregnancy for symptom relief, but ask your doctor which one suits you before buying anything.
When heartburn is more than heartburn
SingHealth’s guide to coping with common symptoms in pregnancy says to see a doctor if you vomit blood, cannot keep food or drink down, or have heartburn that does not go away. It notes that persistent heartburn can sometimes be a sign of pre-eclampsia or heart disease, so do not assume a new, severe burning pain is just indigestion.
Headaches during pregnancy
Headaches are common, especially in early pregnancy, and many ease as the weeks go on. Simple measures the NHS suggests in its guidance on headaches in pregnancy include drinking plenty of fluids, getting enough sleep and making time to rest and relax. In Singapore’s heat it is easy to become dehydrated without noticing, so keep a water bottle within reach and take breaks from the sun.
KKH’s pregnancy guide states that paracetamol is safe in pregnancy and may be used for headaches. Even so, check the dose with your doctor or pharmacist, and do not take other painkillers unless a doctor has prescribed them.
The headache you must not ignore
A headache can be a sign of pre-eclampsia, a serious blood pressure condition that usually develops in the second half of pregnancy. HealthHub’s article on when to sound the alarm on your pregnancy warns that a severe headache with swelling of the hands, feet or face, especially with dizziness, vomiting, blurred vision or upper abdominal pain, could be pre-eclampsia and needs a doctor promptly. KKH adds that you should see a doctor immediately if a headache does not settle with paracetamol, or comes with fever, neck stiffness, visual changes or high blood pressure.
Pre-eclampsia can also develop without obvious symptoms, which is why your blood pressure and urine are checked at every antenatal visit. Keep those appointments.
Nausea and morning sickness
SingHealth says nausea and vomiting affect at least half of all pregnancies, usually starting around six weeks and settling by about 14 to 16 weeks. Despite the name, it can strike at any time of day.
- Eat small, frequent meals and limit fatty, spicy and fried foods.
- Keep dry crackers or toast by the bed for the morning, as KKH suggests.
- Avoid strong smells and foods that set you off. Cooking smells in a small kitchen can be hard to escape, so ask someone else to cook if you can.
- Sip fluids frequently in small amounts, such as water, clear soups or fruit juice.
- Ginger, for example ginger tea made with a few slices of fresh ginger, is suggested by SingHealth.
See your doctor if you cannot keep food or fluids down, feel exhausted, are losing weight, or see blood in your vomit. KKH advises seeing a doctor immediately if you lose more than 10% of your pre-pregnancy weight. Severe vomiting can cause dehydration and may need medication or a hospital drip, and KKH notes there are effective anti-vomiting medicines that are safe for you and your baby when prescribed.
Stomach cramps and abdominal pain
Mild twinges are common. SingHealth describes round ligament pain, a sharp or pulling pain low in the abdomen or groin, as very common and not dangerous. It happens as the ligaments supporting the womb stretch and can be triggered by sudden movements, coughing or sneezing. Changing position slowly, supporting your bump when you cough and resting on your side with a pillow between your knees can help.
Abdominal pain needs more care than other discomforts, because the causes range from harmless to serious:
- Early pregnancy: HealthHub advises seeing a doctor immediately for severe abdominal pain in the first 12 weeks, as it may signal an ectopic pregnancy, which can be life threatening.
- Later pregnancy: regular, painful or persistent tightening or contractions before 37 weeks may be preterm labour. Go to hospital as soon as possible.
- Any stage: SingHealth says to seek care straight away for severe pain, or pain with fever or chills, bleeding, vomiting or difficulty walking.
Diarrhoea in pregnancy
A tummy bug can happen to anyone, and in pregnancy the main worry is losing too much fluid. KKH’s pregnancy guide suggests drinking about an extra glass (around 200ml) of fluid after each bout of diarrhoea, starting with plain foods such as rice and wholemeal bread, and avoiding sugary, fatty, spicy or heavy food until things settle.
See a doctor if you think you are becoming dehydrated, for example feeling dizzy or passing very little urine, if symptoms have not settled after three to four days, or if you pass blood. HealthHub’s general diarrhoea advice also lists a fever above 39°C, very bad stomach pain, and bloody or black, sticky stools as reasons to see a doctor. As with everything else here, do not take anti-diarrhoea medicine without checking with your doctor first. Good kitchen hygiene, such as washing hands and keeping cooked and raw food apart, matters for the whole household.
Red flags: when to go to hospital or call 995
Seek urgent medical care if you have any of the following:
- Any vaginal bleeding, or a gush or steady trickle of fluid.
- Severe abdominal pain, or regular painful contractions before 37 weeks.
- A severe headache, especially with blurred vision, flashing lights, swelling of the face, hands or feet, or pain below the ribs.
- Persistent vomiting where you cannot keep fluids down.
- Fewer baby movements than usual in later pregnancy.
- Fever, breathlessness, chest pain, or painful swelling in one leg.
Call 995 for an emergency such as heavy bleeding, collapse, a fit or severe chest pain or breathlessness. KKH’s Urgent O&G Centre is a 24-hour walk-in centre for urgent problems before 22 weeks, and women at 22 weeks or more are directed to its Delivery Suite. If you deliver elsewhere, keep your own hospital’s emergency number saved in your phone and on the fridge.
How help at home makes a difference
Many of the remedies above are about routine: small meals on time, cooking smells kept away, rest when you need it and someone noticing when things are not right. A helper can prepare small, plain meals through the day, take over cooking when smells trigger nausea, and handle the lifting and cleaning. Tell her the red flags and where the emergency numbers are, but medical decisions stay with you and your doctor.
Planning ahead also helps for the birth itself. Our newborn essentials checklist helps with shopping, our guide to recovering from a caesarean explains the weeks after surgery, and the Baby Bonus and CDA guide covers government support. If you would like live-in help once the baby arrives, see our page on newborn and confinement care.
Related guides: Maid for Newborn Care Singapore: A Practical Hiring Guide and Nanny or Babysitter in Singapore? Why Families Pick a Helper.
Frequently Asked Questions
What helps heartburn during pregnancy?
Eat small, frequent meals, avoid oily, spicy and fried food, sit upright after eating, finish dinner a few hours before bed and raise your head with pillows at night. KKH considers antacids safe for symptom relief in pregnancy, but ask your doctor which one to use. See a doctor if heartburn persists, you vomit blood or you cannot keep food down.
Can I take paracetamol for a headache while pregnant?
KKH’s pregnancy guidance says paracetamol is safe in pregnancy and may be used, but confirm the dose with your doctor or pharmacist. See a doctor immediately if the headache does not settle with paracetamol, or comes with fever, neck stiffness, vision changes, swelling or high blood pressure.
When is morning sickness serious?
See a doctor if you cannot keep food or fluids down, feel exhausted, are losing weight or vomit blood. KKH advises seeing a doctor immediately if you have lost more than 10% of your pre-pregnancy weight. Severe vomiting can cause dehydration and may need treatment in hospital.
Are stomach cramps normal in pregnancy?
Mild pulling or sharp pains low in the abdomen, often from stretching ligaments, are common and usually harmless. Severe pain, pain with bleeding, fever or vomiting, or regular painful contractions before 37 weeks are not normal and need urgent medical attention.
What should I do about diarrhoea when pregnant?
Drink about an extra glass of fluid after each loose stool, eat plain foods and avoid fatty or spicy meals until it settles. See a doctor if you feel dehydrated, it lasts more than three to four days, you pass blood or you have a fever.
Conclusion
Most pregnancy discomforts respond to small, steady changes: lighter meals more often, plenty of fluids, rest and sitting upright after eating. What matters just as much is knowing which symptoms are not ordinary. A severe headache with swelling or vision changes, bleeding, severe abdominal pain or vomiting you cannot control all need a doctor promptly, and an emergency needs 995. When in doubt, call your doctor or hospital, and take medicine only when they have approved it.
If you are thinking about help at home during pregnancy or after the baby arrives, we are happy to talk it through. You can get in touch with the Femme5 team to discuss your family’s needs, read more about how we work with employers, or explore what a good placement looks like.
The Femme5 Team
Maid placement specialists, Femme5 Maid Agency
Our consultants work with Singaporean and expatriate families on helper matching, contracts and MOM compliance, and we verify the regulatory guidance in our articles directly against the Ministry of Manpower’s published requirements.
