What food should you avoid for heartburn during pregnancy?

Pregnancy hormones can relax the muscle between the stomach and food pipe, while the growing uterus can increase pressure on the stomach. Large meals, fatty or fried foods, chilli, citrus, tomatoes, chocolate, mint, coffee and fizzy drinks trigger symptoms for some people, but triggers vary. Heartburn is a burning sensation behind the breastbone and may be related to Acid Reflux.

Avoiding every possible trigger can make eating unnecessarily difficult. Notice which foods and timings affect you, and keep a varied diet that meets pregnancy nutrition needs.

Eat smaller portions more often, chew slowly and stay upright after meals. Leave a gap between dinner and lying down, and raise your upper body at night if your maternity clinician agrees. Choose less oily preparations and replace a trigger with a tolerated alternative rather than skipping meals. Keep a simple food and symptom record for several days.

Speak with your maternity clinician or pharmacist before taking over-the-counter remedies. Acid Reflux Medication may be suitable for some pregnant people, but the choice depends on your symptoms and health history.

Arrange a review if heartburn is frequent, interrupts sleep, makes swallowing difficult, or causes repeated vomiting. Seek urgent help for crushing or severe chest pain, breathlessness, fainting, vomiting blood, black stools, or sudden severe abdominal pain.

Could my symptoms be reflux or another condition? Which foods should I trial removing? Is a medicine safe with my pregnancy and current prescriptions? What should I do if swallowing or sleep becomes affected?