Heartburn in pregnancy? You’re not alone.
Pregnancy is full of surprises—some magical, some less so. If you’re dealing with that telltale burn in your chest or throat, welcome to the oh-so-common world of pregnancy heartburn.
It’s especially common in the second and third trimesters, and can feel like a fiery sensation creeping up your chest, behind your breastbone, or even into your throat. It’s frustrating, uncomfortable, and unfortunately, very common.
Your growing baby is pushing up on your stomach and hormonal changes are relaxing the muscles that usually keep stomach acid in check. Add in slower digestion and voilà: heartburn. In fact, 50–80% of pregnant women experience heartburn during pregnancy at some point.
The good news? You’ve got options. In this post, I’ll break down why heartburn happens during pregnancy, why antacids might not be your best first step, and — most importantly — my favorite natural remedies for pregnancy heartburn that you can do right now to find relief.
Ah, the pregnancy heartburn struggle — so real, so common! Let’s look at why it happens, because understanding the why can help you feel more empowered to manage it.
As your uterus grows, it starts to push up on your stomach and other digestive organs. This physical pressure increases intra-abdominal pressure, making it easier for stomach acid to get out of the stomach and creep up into your esophagus (where it doesn’t belong). Hello, heartburn.
Progesterone — the relax-all-the-things hormone — ramps up during pregnancy. While it’s essential for maintaining your pregnancy, it also relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter (the muscle that usually keeps stomach acid from going the wrong way). When this muscle gets a little too relaxed, acid reflux becomes more likely.
The placenta produces gastrin, a hormone that increases your stomach’s production of hydrochloric acid. This can make your stomach contents more acidic than usual — so if even a small amount leaks upward, you’ll feel the burn.
Progesterone also slows down your gut motility (how quickly food moves through your digestive tract). This helps your body absorb more nutrients for the baby — but it also means food sits in your stomach longer, increasing the chance for reflux.
So, basically, pregnancy heartburn is a perfect storm of pressure, acid, hormones, and slowed digestion. Add in big meals, trigger foods, or lying down too soon after eating, and it’s easy to see why so many mamas deal with it.
It’s tempting to reach for an antacid when the burn gets real, but here’s the deal: your stomach acid is there for important reasons.
The acid in your stomach:
When you suppress that acid too much (especially regularly), it can interfere with digestion, mess with nutrient absorption, and even increase your risk for foodborne illness. On top of that, some antacids contain aluminum, a toxic heavy metal that crosses the placenta and may not be safe for your baby.
And, believe it or not, some heartburn is actually caused by too little stomach acid, not too much.
The bottom line is lifestyle changes are often safer and surprisingly effective.
pro tip: some women swear by a small amount of diluted raw apple cider vinegar in water or ½ of a fresh squeezed lemon in water to stimulate proper digestion and reduce reflux. It’s counterintuitive, but often effective!
If you’re ready to ditch the antacids (or at least give your body a break), here are my favorite home remedies for heartburn during pregnancy:
Instead of eating three big meals, aim for 4–6 smaller meals throughout the day. Keeping your stomach less full = less pressure = less reflux.
Flooding your belly with water at mealtime can dilute your digestive enzymes and overload your stomach. Try drinking liquids 30 minutes before or at least an hour after you eat.
Besides filtered water, think coconut water, herbal teas, and ginger tea (½-1 tsp freshly grated ginger added to 8 oz water).
A splash of lemon juice or raw apple cider vinegar in water might help your digestion — just be careful if acidic foods are one of your triggers!
Avoid eating sugar and refined carbohydrates (this includes all standard breads (white, wheat, and whole wheat), pasta, bagels, tortillas, crackers, cereals, pretzels, doughnuts, cookies, cakes, pastries, pizza crusts, waffles, pancakes, croissants, baked goods, English muffins, hamburger buns, hot dog buns, muffins, sodas, sweetened beverages, and chocolate).
Refined grains and refined sugars are shown to exacerbate heartburn and indigestion in a big way. These foods increase blood sugar and research shows that elevated blood sugar levels can cause your esophageal sphincter to relax, allowing stomach acid to more easily enter your esophagus. This means more heartburn.
I suggest removing all refined grains and sugars for a minimum of two weeks and see if you notice relief. Instead, focus on eating whole, unprocessed grains like gluten-free oats, quinoa, rice, millet, buckwheat and spelt, as well as starchy root vegetables like sweet potatoes and plantains. Use real food sweeteners like raw honey, pure maple syrup, and coconut sugar.
Try to eat at least 2 hours before bedtime to allow food to digest. If nighttime heartburn is your nemesis, this one can be a game-changer.
Prop yourself up with extra pillows or a wedge. Gravity can help keep stomach acid where it belongs.
Avoid eating the following aggravating acidic foods. It can be helpful to keep a food journal for a few days to see if patterns emerge.
Eat potent, fermented foods like raw sauerkraut, kimchi, and kefir. They are brimming with enzymes and good bacteria which support healthy digestion. These are especially important to include when eating a high protein meal or eating too close to bedtime.
pro tip: drink the juices from the jar of raw sauerkraut or kimchi anytime you’re experiencing heartburn for quick relief!
Eat more of these alkalizing foods that work to soothe and help prevent heartburn:
Slouching compresses your belly and pushes acid upward. As babe grows, mama has less and less room in her torso, which is problematic for mamas who slouch or sit for too long. Expanding and straightening your posture can create a little more wiggle room for your baby and your internal organs. Sit tall, especially while eating AND after meals, and avoid slumping when resting.
For quick relief, add ½ tsp baking soda to a small amount of water and drink.
Supplementing with digestive enzymes can be hugely helpful for alleviating pregnancy heartburn. These digestive enzymes contain hydrochloric acid and potent pancreatic enzymes, which helps boost our own reserve of hydrochloric acid and is extremely helpful for indigestion or heartburn.
Make sure you’re also supplementing with a high quality potent probiotic. Probiotics are critical for reducing heartburn and indigestion.
The P6 point (inside your wrist, about three fingers down from the palm) is often used for nausea — but many women find it also helps heartburn.
Aiming to eat more frequently throughout the day with smaller meals or snacks, instead of 2-3 very large meals can be helpful to reduce pregnancy heartburn. Here’s a few of my favorite pregnancy snack ideas:
Remember — some women are super sensitive to specific foods, while others are totally fine. Try experimenting and listen to your body.
You don’t need to eat bland food forever — just get a little strategic. 🙃
Mama, you’ve got this! With a few easy tweaks, you can find natural remedies for pregnancy heartburn that turn down the burn and provide relief. And hey — if nothing helps, reach out to me to schedule a one-on-one consultation. Let’s figure out what we can do for your body to find lasting relief for pregnancy heartburn. You deserve to be comfortable!
Have a go-to heartburn remedy or snack that works for you? Drop it in the comments—I’d love to hear what’s worked for you!
Dealing with heartburn during pregnancy? Here’s a quick recap of what can help:
Skip the antacids if you can. Sometimes heartburn is actually caused by too little stomach acid, not too much.
Keep meals small and frequent. Instead of big plates, go for mini meals throughout the day and tune into your hunger cues.
Sip, don’t chug. Drink liquids between meals instead of with them to keep from overloading your stomach.
Watch the carbs — especially sugar and refined grains. They can spike your blood sugar and make reflux worse.
For nighttime heartburn, try eating dinner earlier and keep your head propped up while you sleep.
Track what you eat. A food journal can help you spot your personal trigger foods.
Avoid aggravating acidic foods.
Eat more alkalizing foods.
Sit tall! Good posture can actually make a big difference.
Try probiotics or fermented foods, like yogurt or sauerkraut (if they work for you), or even digestive enzymes.
Take digestive enzymes.
Take probiotics.
Consider gentle therapies like acupressure or acupuncture for extra relief.
Sometimes, despite our best efforts, heartburn just shows up because, well, baby’s taking up all the space.
But the good news? If your heartburn started during pregnancy, there’s a really good chance it’ll vanish after you give birth.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease during pregnancy
Interventions for heartburn in pregnancy
Alterations in physiology and anatomy during pregnancy
Aluminium in over-the-counter drugs: risks outweigh benefits?
Reproductive and developmental toxicity of aluminum: a review
Early-life exposure to aluminum and fine motor performance in infants: a longitudinal study
Effect of liquid meals with different volumes on gastroesophageal reflux disease
Effect of hyperglycemia on triggering of transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxations
A very low-carbohydrate diet improves gastroesophageal reflux and its symptoms
Gastroesophageal reflux disease: Update on inflammation and symptom perception
Inhibition of transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxations by electrical acupoint stimulation
The Fertility Code is the best-kept secret of women who want to take the guesswork out of conceiving, and give themselves every possible chance of getting, and staying, pregnant successfully.
Bringing together a personalized & custom approach, evidence-based information, science-backed protocols, and nurturing practices, this course is for anyone who is struggling to get pregnant, or thinking about getting pregnant soon. The course is a one-stop-shop for getting your body, mind and soul prepared for conception.
In less than 3 months, you will learn exactly what you need to do now to get pregnant successfully and have a healthy full term pregnancy with The Fertility Code.
Sarah Jane Sandy is a certified nutrition therapist, and a fertility and women’s health expert. She has helped hundreds of women increase their fertility naturally and go on to have healthy full-term pregnancies. She has been working with women and couples trying to get pregnant for over 16 years and over 90% of the women who work with her get pregnant and have healthy babies.
She also works with women trying to fix their hormone imbalances, as well as supporting women through pregnancy and the postpartum period. Learn more about her own fertility and hormone journey here. To send Sarah a message, complete her Contact Form.
Curious about your fertility health? Take this simple quiz to find out what factors may be harming your fertility, and learn what you can do about it!
