Cough & Cold During Pregnancy: Ways To Treat It Safely

When you are pregnant, any medicine that you would normally use to treat common ailments such as cough, cold or even a mild topical skin rash becomes questionable. In keeping with the old adage of 'You are what you eat, you now have to be extra mindful of each little thing as your growing baby depends on you for nutrition. The developing fetus sucks in all the required growth factors for its development through the placenta. Just like the placenta is permeable to these nutrients, it is to drug molecules, too. And you don't want to be feeding your baby those chemically manufactured syrups and pills so early in life, do you?

Pregnancy & Illnesses

Pregnancy does mark a roller coaster ride in your life along with the hormonal and physical changes, it also impacts your overall physiology. With a new member to take care of, the immune system can no longer provide its undivided services to you, making you more susceptible to infectious germs. You're very likely to pick up at least one cold during your pregnancy. Although this will not affect your little bundle of joy in any way, it is important to take the necessary precautions to avoid contracting a cold or a cough and treat it well. Treating a cold or a cough during pregnancy can be tricky. Just like it is not safe to drink or smoke if you're carrying a child, doctors caution expectant mothers over the use of OTC pills. Most cold and cough medicines are multi-symptom remedies that contain more than one drug antihistamines for alleviating allergy symptoms and helping you sleep, antitussives for suppressing coughs, expectorants for loosening up mucus, decongestants for relieving stuffiness, and analgesics for easing aches and pains. However, these medicines may not be safe for use during pregnancy. Always talk to your doctor before taking any medicine. And please do not self-treat yourself, especially while you're pregnant.

Tackling Cold & Cough Naturally During Pregnancy

You can combat the nasty flu and protect yourself from its miserable symptoms by keeping up with your immune system. As mentioned above, it feels more responsible towards your growing baby than for you. In such situations you can keep up with your immunity by doing the following things:

- Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet supplemented by immunity-boosting foods.

- Limit on caffeine and sugary drinks. Instead, load on water, fruit juices, and pregnancy-safe herbal teas to keep you hydrated.

- Break free from stress and rest as much as you can. Do not tax your body too much.

- Keep up with exercise as it will strengthen your immune system. Prenatal yoga can be a good choice to stay fit.

In case you already fallen prey to the lunacy of the infectious bugs, try improving your symptoms through natural means:

- Cycle moisture through the air by using a humidifier. This can keep your throat and nasal passages moist. Humidity can loosen the mucus so that you can cough or blow it out.

- Keep your head elevated on your pillow while sleeping. This will prevent congestion and help you sleep better.

- If you have a blocked nose, put two drops of eucalyptus oil to a bowl of hot water and inhale the steam.

- For a sore throat, you can use honey and lemon. Squeeze half a lemon in a cup of hot water, add one teaspoon of honey. Stir and drink.

- Ginger tea can be effective in soothing a sore throat. Always talk to your doctor before consuming and herbs, especially during pregnancy.

Soure: http://www.zliving.com/moms/pregnancy/cough-cold-during-pregnancy-ways-to-treat-it-safel