Herbal Remedies for Pregnancy Heartburn, Acid Reflux and Indigestion
If you’re pregnant and experiencing pregnancy heartburn, acid reflux or indigestion, you know just how uncomfortable and downright debilitating it can be at times.
While there are some things in pregnancy you simply can’t control — like wonky hormones and a growing baby pushing up on your diaphragm and esophagus, there are many safe and effective natural herbs you can use to help reduce or in some cases eliminate the discomfort from pregnancy heartburn and indigestion.
That’s what we’re going to cover in this article, in hopes that you will find some much needed relief!
Understanding Acid Reflux & Heartburn
There’s a common misconception that acid reflux is a sign of too much acid in the stomach, but that’s actually totally incorrect! We actually experience acid reflux and indigestion when our body has insufficient stomach acid, which is essential for breaking down (or digesting) the fats, proteins and carbohydrates in our food.
So while that nasty burning acid taste in our esophagus/throat is acid, yes, it’s not because we have TOO much, it’s because we suffer from poor digestion with insufficient stomach acid that’s causing our digestive system to work incorrectly.
In fact, in most cases, the solution is to increase stomach acid and optimize digestion through bitter foods and herbs or supplements like digestive enzymes and HCl — this stands for hydrochloric acid, which is literally what our stomach acid is made of.
That’s why medications that stop the production of stomach acid can sometimes exacerbate issues over time and have a negative long term effect with a laundry list of side effects.
In fact, research suggests these medications, including over-the-counter-ones like Zantac, aren’t safe during pregnancy, or for anyone else either. In 2019, many drug stores like CVS, Walmart, and Walgreens, actually pulled these drugs from their shelves over concerns that they contain cancer-causing agents.
Herbal remedies for pregnancy acid reflux, heartburn and indigestion
In a normal healthy pregnancy, especially in the 1st and 2nd trimesters, a mama who is struggling with insufficient stomach acid may benefit from a selection of natural herbs to reduce discomfort from heartburn, indigestion and acid reflux.
And you can rest assured knowing that all of the herbs we’ve selected are completely safe for pregnant mamas.
Chamomile (Matricaria Chamomilla)
Chamomile flower is one of the most ancient medical herbs we have and for good reason. It’s such a healing yet gentle herb that has so many uses for pregnancy (and postpartum).
This herb is most known for its calming effects as well as its anti-inflammatory properties that can ease mild digestive upset, promote relaxation, and help with sleep. It also can help reduce nausea (another big concern in pregnancy) and has even been used for mastitis.
We love enjoying a nice cup of chamomile tea after meals or whenever acid reflux symptoms arise. You may also try it in a gentle tincture form.
Fennel Seed (Saunf)
Fennel seeds have historically been used in Ayurvedic medicine to help with acid reflux. The fennel seed contains antispasmodic compounds that relax gastrointestinal muscles and reduce acid production. Fennel seeds have also been used in those with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD).
Fennel has a sweet licorice flavor to it that has been used in a variety of cuisines for thousands of years. Many pregnant and nursing women swear by chewing up fennel seeds (which also doubles as a breath freshener!). If that sounds too intense, try brewing some fennel seed tea or enjoying it in a pregnancy safe tincture, like our Prenatal Digestive Bitters!
Excessive or frequent amounts of fennel is presumed to lead to contractions. Although there’s not strong evidence to support this, always use in moderation and consult your health provider if you are concerned.
Ginger Root (Zingiber Officinale)
Ginger is a flowering plant that has been used for its spicy aromatic flavor in many cultural food dishes as well as its versatile medicinal healing properties.
Ginger is rich in phenolic compounds, which have been studied to show this herb’s antinausea, antiemetic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. It’s been shown to have neuroprotective and cardiovascular properties, as well as anticancer, antiobesity and antidiabetic activity. What can’t ginger root do?!
Ginger can help with pregnancy nausea, morning sickness and digestive upset and acid reflux. The compounds in ginger root can help soothe an inflamed digestive tract, ease gastric contractions and prevent acid from coming back up into the esophagus.
Ginger root and fennel seed are two of the key herbs we use in our Prenatal Digestive Bitters because of their ability to naturally soothe the digestive tract, reduce inflammation and decrease acid from coming back up. Dandelion root is another bitter herb in our blend that stimulates digestion and supports liver function.
Don’t know what bitters are? They are designed to activate your digestive system. The bitter compounds signal to your stomach to release important digestive juices and chemicals like pepsin and acid to break down food. You can read more about that process here.
It’s also why we created a specific blend of organic herbs that are safe for pregnancy and are effective at reducing pregnancy acid reflux (and nausea, too!)
Slippery Elm Root (Ulmus Rubra)
Slippery elm root is a mucilaginous herb known to coat the intestinal lining, which can reduce inflammation and soothe the digestive tract. As a result, the calming and anti-inflammatory effect of this herb can provide relief for pregnancy-related acid reflux and indigestion.
Preferably you’d drink this as a warm tea, which is the gentlest and safest for pregnancy.
Licorice Root (DGL)
Licorice root increases mucus production that can act as a barrier to acid and can soothe the esophagus and stomach lining in those who are experiencing symptoms of acid reflux or heartburn.
In fact, one 2018 study found DGL was more effective than acid-suppressive drugs.
It’s important that you only use DGL (deglycyrrhizinated licorice) during pregnancy as the standard form of licorice may raise the risk of raising blood pressure and affecting hormone levels.
This is best used in a tincture, tea or chewable tablets before meals or at the onset of reflux.
Oatstraw
Oatstraw is a gentle nerve tonic and tissue soother that’s been known to calm the urinary tract as well as digestive irritation. It also has a rich nutty flavor that is delicious to enjoy in a warming tea.
We love oatstraw for pregnancy and postpartum because it promotes relaxation and provides nervous system support. It’s also high in calcium, which is an important mineral for healthy, strong bone growth in both mom and baby.
You’ll find oatstraw in both our NOA and NORA pregnancy tea blend, which includes other nourishing and digestive supporting herbs for pregnant and postpartum mamas!
Additional Tips to Prevent 3rd Trimester Pregnancy Indigestion
There may be other certain lifestyle and dietary adjustments you can make to prevent pregnancy reflux and heartburn from occurring, or getting worse.
Although we aren’t going to cover those in this article, we did want to mention two things you might try, especially in your 3rd trimester when there just simply isn’t enough space to go around!
The first is seeking chiropractic care from a Webster certified pregnancy practitioner. This can be such a game changer in the 3rd trimester when it comes to pregnancy reflux and indigestion. When baby is growing and taking up more space, this can, unfortunately, push stomach contents back into the esophagus. And so the best thing at this stage is to focus on things that can relax the diaphragm and create more space. Chiropractic care can shift the esophageal value into a better and lower position, alleviating some of that indigestion and reflux. Finding a nervous system focused practitioner can also help ease digestive discomfort.
[Seeing my Webster Certified Chiro to help naturally start up labor!]
This study shows just how effective chiropractic can be for pregnancy-related indigestion — so much so that the woman in the study stopped taking over the counter medications after the 5th treatment! So cool! It would be great to see a larger scale study done on this.
I saw a Webster certified, nervous system focused chiropractor throughout my entire pregnancy and I highly recommend it!
The second is using topical essential oils. This was especially helpful for me in the 3rd trimester! This was when it was the worst at night and laying down was miserable. If you know, you know, mama.
I loved the DigestZen blend from DoTerra but it’s pricey! If we didn’t already have it, I’d likely have found something cheaper. You can look for a similar blend that includes herbs like Anise, Peppermint, Ginger root, Caraway seed, Coriander seed, Tarragon, and Fennel seed. Because of the potency of essential oils, for pregnancy it’s recommended to only use topically and to dilute in a carrier oil like coconut oil. Start with 1-2 drops diluted. Please do not ingest the oils.
You might also try diffusing the oils. Always be sure to consult with your health provider first!
Conclusion
Pregnancy heartburn, acid reflux and indigestion are downright uncomfortable. As someone who has struggled with lifelong digestive issues, nothing was worse than that 3rd trimester indigestion and acid reflux. I would’ve tried any (natural) thing I could’ve to find relief, and I’m sure you feel the same way if you’re reading this article.
I hope you can find a natural solution to ease that discomfort. It’s important to remember that we all have unique bioindividual needs (simply put our bodies are all different!), so one or more of these herbs may be more effective for you and your specific needs during pregnancy.
Try to find what works best for YOU so that you can get the relief you deserve, mama!
References
Criss, D. (2019). Walmart, CVS, Walgreens pull Zantac and similar heartburn drugs because of cancer worries. [online] CNN. Available at: https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/30/health/cvs-zantac-pulled-cancer-trnd/index.html?no-st=1570196398 [Accessed 12 Apr. 2025].
Gupta, S. (2010). Chamomile: A herbal medicine of the past with a bright future. Molecular Medicine Reports, [online] 3(6). doi:https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2010.377.
Setright, R. (2017). Prevention of symptoms of gastric irritation (GERD) using two herbal formulas: An observational study. Journal of the Australian Traditional-Medicine Society, [online] 23(2), pp.68–71. Available at: https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/INFORMIT.950298610899394 [Accessed 11 Apr. 2025].
Peterson, C. (2012). A Case Study of Chiropractic Management of Pregnancy-Related Heartburn With Postulated Fetal Epigenome Implications. EXPLORE, 8(5), pp.304–308. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.explore.2012.06.001.
