Foods to ease acid reflux during pregnancy

Pregnancy hormones can relax the muscle between the stomach and oesophagus, and the growing uterus can increase pressure on the stomach. Symptoms may include burning, a sour taste, or food coming back up. Fatty meals, chilli, tomato, citrus, chocolate, mint, caffeine, and fizzy drinks bother some people, but individual triggers differ. Keep a brief diary so you can identify patterns without cutting out nutritious foods unnecessarily. See [Acid Reflux](/conditions/acid-reflux/) for broader information.

Eat smaller portions more often, chew slowly, and choose baked, steamed, or grilled foods when fried meals worsen symptoms. Remain upright after eating and avoid lying down soon after an evening meal. Select nourishing foods you tolerate, such as oats, vegetables, fruit, grains, and lean protein. Do not begin antacids, herbal remedies, or acid medicines without checking with your obstetric clinician or pharmacist, because pregnancy changes which products are appropriate. Ask for tailored advice if nausea, diabetes, or food restrictions make meals difficult.

Contact your maternity team if reflux is persistent, severe, prevents sleep, or makes eating and drinking difficult. Urgent assessment is needed for chest tightness with breathlessness, faintness, sweating, or pain spreading to the arm or jaw. Seek review for painful swallowing, food sticking, repeated vomiting, blood or black material in vomit, black stools, or severe abdominal pain. A cough can accompany reflux, but ongoing [Cough](/symptoms/cough/) may have another cause.

Which reflux medicines are suitable at my stage of pregnancy? Are my symptoms consistent with reflux or a [Hiatus Hernia](/conditions/hiatus-hernia/)? How can I protect nutrition if many foods trigger symptoms? Could [Difficulty Sleeping](/symptoms/difficulty-sleeping/) be improved by changing meal timing?