Treating anything during pregnancy can present its own set of obstacles. What can be taken that won?t affect the baby? What can I do to be more comfortable and get some rest? Heartburn can be a common and bothersome problem during pregnancy and finding a solution can be daunting. However, there are several options to stave off heartburn during pregnancy.

1. Prop a few pillows under your head when sleeping. This helps keep acids out of the esophagus and in the stomach where they belong.

2. Don?t eat right before you go to bed. Wait 2 or 3 hours before lying down after eating. Too much food in your stomach combined with lying down encourages acid into the esophagus.

3. Monitor what you eat. Certain foods can trigger heartburn consistently. Common ones can include alcohol, citrus, garlic and onions. Avoid specific foods that set your heartburn off.

4. Relax. Stress is a major producer of stomach acids. Deep breaths, yoga, counting to 10, anything that will help you de-stress can prevent heartburn.

5. Eat smaller meals more frequently. Bombarding your stomach with a large amount of food can cause pressure to build up and acid production into overdrive.

6. Eat slowly and chew thoroughly.

7. Avoid caffeinated drinks. Caffeine relaxes the muscles that control the flow of food to your stomach, which allows acid into the esophagus.

8. Drink a glass of water. It will help dilute acids and flush the stomach out.

9. Drink some milk, but in moderation. Milk can help neutralize acids, but also contains some fats that promote stomach acid production.

10. Try an apple. Some people have found heartburn relief from just one slice.

11. Chew a piece of gum. It causes you to salivate and dilutes acids in the stomach.

12. When lifting, don?t bend at the waist. Gravity is helpful in keeping stomach acids down where they belong. Bending with the knees keeps your alignment the way it should be.

13. Don?t smoke. Aside from a host of serious health problems for you and your baby, it?s shown to increase stomach acid production.

14. Avoid alcohol. Like caffeine, it relaxes the esophageal muscles, which allows acid to flow up instead of staying in the stomach.

15. Don?t wear tight fitting clothing. It can put pressure on the stomach, forcing acid into the esophagus.

16. Over the counter antacids like Tums may help, but always consult your doctor before taking any medications during pregnancy.

For more suggestions for getting rid of heartburn during pregnancy, please see our Reflux Remedy Report.

Heartburn is the uncomfortable result of stomach acids backing up into the esophagus.? While medicines are widely used to treat heartburn, there are a number of inexpensive home remedies that can be tried before rushing out and spending a healthy sum on a month’s supply of medication.

• First of all, try changing your eating routine a bit. Eat smaller more frequent meals instead of a few giant ones. This helps prevent the buildup of acid and pressure in the stomach from too much food. Also, avoid eating before bed. Gravity helps keep acids where they belong, and lying prostrate allows them into the esophagus if the stomach is full.
• Watch your weight. Extra pounds on the chest and abdomen create pressure build up in the stomach causing reflux.
• Try putting a few pillows under your head when you sleep. This will help gravity do its job. In addition, when napping during the day, sleep in a chair or in a semi-upright position.
• Stop smoking. Heartburn is only one of the many health issues caused by smoking.
• Watch what you eat. Certain foods can trigger heartburn. Garlic, caffeine, alcohol, citrus and onion are a few common triggers. Monitor what sets you off and then stay away from that food.
• Don’t wear clothes that are too tight. They put pressure on the abdomen, causing acid to back up into the esophagus.
• Avoid medications known to cause heartburn, like calcium, iron, potassium and NSAID pain relievers such as aspirin and ibuprofen.
• Drink a glass of water. This helps dilute the stomach acids and flush contents through the system.
• Chew gum. Your body responds similarly to drinking water when chewing gum. Excess saliva helps flush your stomach contents and dilute acids.
• Ginger is an effective natural remedy for many stomach conditions, including heartburn. When taken in pill form, as tea, or candied it can help treat and prevent heartburn.
• Fennel or chamomile tea, when sipped warm, can help soothe acid reflux.
• Milk can help absorb stomach acids, but should be used in moderation as it also contains fats that are difficult to digest and causes acid production.
• Papaya contains a helpful digestive enzyme that aides in the breakdown of foods. When taken before meals, it helps prevent the buildup of pressure in the stomach.
• Glutamine, an amino acid, can help heal damage done to the esophagus as a result of frequent acid reflux and eliminate damaged cells.
• Just a few tablespoons of undiluted apple cider vinegar can eliminate heartburn. When diluted in water, it acts as a preventative.
• Just a handful of almonds contain soothing oils that help relieve heartburn.
• Unflavored yogurt has helpful bacteria that aid in the healing process of the esophagus and helps tighten esophageal muscles.

For more ideas on natural heartburn remedies, please see our Reflux Remedy Report.