Heartburn does not just affect those who are high stressed or love their spicy foods. Pregnant women suffer from heartburn too. You may find as your pregnancy progresses you experience more and more heartburn. However, there are changes you can make in your pregnancy diet to decrease the amount of heartburn you have.

Heartburn happens when the acid from your stomach leaks up into the esophagus. Heartburn is very common during pregnancy. In fact, one in four women experience heartburn during their pregnancy usually during the third trimester. During the third trimester your baby has grown a tremendous amount and your uterus has moved up and is now putting pressure on your stomach. This crowds the digestive tract and allows acids to travel back up the esophagus.

There are ways you can help prevent heartburn during pregnancy. You can start by taking your time while you eat, eat mindfully and chew thoroughly. Not only will you enjoy your food more but your stomach will not have to work as hard to digest your food. You also want to try eating early and eat at least two hours before you go to bed at night so your body has plenty of time to digest your food.

Keep your meals small. Stick with eating six small meals through out the day. Large meals fill your stomach, which adds more pressure and will increase the likelihood of heartburn. A full stomach makes it that more likely that some of the food along with stomach acid will make its way back up the esophagus.

Also, make sure you keep your fluids and solids separate. Too much fluid mixed with too much food can distend the stomach which can aggravate heartburn. You also want to eat sitting up. Don't eat while lying down, and if you are having a bed time snack make sure you are propped up by pillows.

Your weight plays a part in how much heartburn you may experience. The heavier you are, the more pressure you are placing on your esophageal sphincter. This is another reason why you should to stay within the recommended weight gain guidelines. Eating a healthy pregnancy diet can help you stay within this framework.

Be mindful of what you are eating, and you will be able to figure out what foods are causing your heartburn. Once you figure out what foods cause heartburn, you can cut them out of your pregnancy diet. Some foods you might want to steer clear of are highly seasoned spicy foods, soda, tomatoes sauce, chocolate, and some citrus. Greasy foods are also a big contributor to heartburn. Cutting out greasy, fried food is going to help with your heartburn prevention.

When all else fails, take something for your heartburn. Tums and Rolaids are perfectly safe to take during pregnancy. If you are not comfortable taking any over the counter medicines try some natural ways such as eating a handful of almonds. Almonds are a stomach settler and might help with your heartburn. Another natural remedy is a tablespoon of honey mixed with milk is a favorite for preventing heartburn. You can also try eating pickles.

Like with some pregnancy discomforts, heartburn is one that can be avoided as long as you take the steps and eat properly. Make sure to keep your pregnancy diet healthy and well rounded, filled with fresh fruits and vegetables and you will find you have less heartburn than you expected.