If you have regular heartburn the first thing you should do is stay away from regular use of antacids. Antacids can relieve the pain of occasional heartburn, but because they are designed to neutralize the acids in your stomach they can cause the stomach to create MORE acid – a cycle called ‘acid rebound’. Some medications can also cause diarrhea or constipation or even increase the risk of food poisoning by inhibiting the growth of good bacteria.
Watch out for trigger foods such as caffeine, alcohol, citrus, chocolate, minty, spicy or tomato-based foods as well as fatty or fried foods, onions or garlic.
Being overweight or smoking also increases the risk of GERD and lifestyle changes may help to control the symptoms.
Activities such as lying down after a meal, bending forward, lifting heavy items or eating large meals can bring acid reflux on. Avoiding these activities after a meal, eating smaller portions and raising the head of your bed several inches may help.
Some natural products such as orange peel extract are being researched for their abilities to curb heartburn.
I feel for you! Have you tried taking Rolaids? They work for me, and they’re not too expensive. At first they’re icky, but you get used to them. They don’t do any harm to the baby, and are just fine to take. I try not to drink too much of any fluids before bed, either. That seems to help. Good luck!