Are you having problems with heartburn while you're pregnant? You are not alone. Pregnancy causes many hormones in your body to change, which can make it so that the ligament that keeps acid down in your stomach no longer functions as effectively.http://heartburn.about.com/od/preventingheartburn/a/pregnancyhrtbrn.htm This causes uncomfortable pain up your esophagus and into the back of your throat. Luckily, there are tips that can help prevent this uncomfortable feeling from occurring. Read on to learn how to prevent heartburn while pregnant.

Your body can become very sensitive to different foods while you are pregnant, so it's important to pay closer attention to what you eat. Here are some tips to prevent that painful heartburn from hitting you when you least expect it.

Foods to avoid - There are several foods that are known to cause heartburn.

• Completely avoid alcohol - There are many reasons why alcohol is a very bad idea while pregnant, but a minor one is that it is a leading cause of heartburn.

• Avoid acidic foods - Tomatoes, fruits, fruit juices, pickles, vinegar foods. These cause heartburn.

• Avoid spicy foods - Mexican, Italian, highly seasoned foods are prone to heartburn.

• Caffeine and chocolate

Recommended Foods - Some foods can help your body combat heartburn. These include:

• Yogurt and milk - Drinking a glass of milk after a meal can really help you prevent heartburn.

• Small sips of water (large amounts can actually increase the likelihood of causing heartburn)

• Chewing gum after eatinghttp://www.adorablepregnancy.com/how-to-prevent-heartburn-during-pregnancy.htm

Also, try to avoid smoking. Smoking can increase the odds of heartburn while you are pregnant.

There are a couple tips that can help the acidic food stay down in your stomach where it belongs so that you do not end up with heartburn. Make sure to always bend from the knees rather than the waist so that your stomach stays straight and food stays where it belongs. You should also make sure to sit up straight in chairs rather than slouch. You should wear proper fitting clothing as clothes that are too tight can cause heartburn as well.http://www.buzzle.com/articles/tips-prevent-heartburn-pregnancy.html

It is also important to not lie down right after you eat. Laying in a prone position will cause the acid to tend to not stay down. Make sure to allow at least 3 hours before sleeping after eating a large meal.http://www.ehow.com/how_2054967_prevent-heartburn-during-pregnancy.html

You should always check with your doctor before taking any over-the-counter (OTC) medication. Generally speaking, most OTC medications are just fine for you to take while you are pregnant. These include: Tums, Maalox, Mylanta, or Rolaids.