Pregnancy can be a trying time for a woman’s immune system. During this phase in a woman’s life, her immune system is suppressed to keep her body from rejecting the growing fetus, making her more susceptible to illnesses, particularly the cold. That’s why home remedies are a hit during pregnancy, especially natural cold remedies for pregnancy.
Colds are very common during pregnancy. And even though a cold is unlikely to harm the mama-to-be and the growing fetus, the symptoms of a cold can become uncomfortable.
Many pregnant women have turned to natural cold remedies for pregnancy because of the potential dangers and uncertainty of taking almost any over-the-counter or prescribed medications to relieve the cold symptoms.
What is a Natural or Home remedy?
Home remedies are non-medical types of treatments that can be done at home using everyday household ingredients to help relieve symptoms or cure an illness.
Why Pregnant Women Should Use Home Remedies For Colds During Pregnancy
If taken while pregnant, certain over-the-counter medications have the potential to cause harm such as congenital disabilities, miscarriage, and stillbirth to the developing fetus if it crosses the placenta, especially during early pregnancy.
Home remedies are drug-free treatments you can make from home using your everyday safe home ingredients to improve your health. And these home remedies won’t affect your baby in any harmful way.
Natural Cold Remedies For Pregnancy
1) Lemon and honey:
Drinking hot water with lemon and honey is an old but popular home remedy for a cold. Lemon has tons of vitamin C, which can assist in breaking up mucus. And honey not only soothes your throat during a cold but can also suppress a bothersome cough.
For best results, squeeze half a lemon into a cup of boiled water along with 1-2 teaspoons of honey. To get the full benefits of the honey, add honey to your water when it is not boiling.
2) Ginger:
Ginger has many incredible benefits. Aside from its anti-inflammatory properties, ginger help in fighting the cold, cough, and flu. Ginger also reduces congestion and relieves or prevents a sore throat.
If you’re looking to improve the symptoms of a cold or relieve a sore throat, the anti-inflammatory gingerols and shaogals in the ginger root will help do just that.
Drinking 2-3 cups of ginger tea a day is a quick way to recover from a cold or sore throat. Ginger also happens to be a great remedy for nausea if you’re experiencing morning sickness while pregnant.
3) Hot chicken soup:
Chicken soup has been recognized as the go-to for fighting colds for centuries. Chicken soup has anti-inflammatory ingredients that may help relieve a cold and soothe a sore throat. The warmth and salt from the soup alone can help loosen up mucus and break up congestion.
4) Salt water:
Gargling warm salt water helps relieve sinus pressure and clear your congested airway by loosening the mucus in the back of your throat, making it less sticky and easier to cough up. Salt water can also lessen the severity of your cold.
5) Drink lots of fluids:
Drinking plenty of fluids keeps you hydrated and prevents mucus from becoming too thick, which reduces congestion.
6) Get plenty of rest:
Rest is necessary for recovering from any illness. When you give your body time to rest, especially when you sleep, it helps boost your immune system function, which can, in turn, help you get over a cold quicker.
7) Use steam inhalation:
Although steam rooms, hot tubs, and saunas are not recommended during pregnancy because of the danger it poses to the growing fetus, steam inhalation is okay.
Steam inhalation can be used to clear and open up the airways, preventing congestion during a cold while pregnant.
8) Elevate your head:
Nasal congestion or stuffy nose worsens at night because mucus builds up in the back of your throat, and your sinuses aren’t being drained properly. Elevating your head makes breathing a little easier.
Ways to Reduce Your Risk Of Getting a Cold While Pregnant
Due to your compromising immune system during pregnancy, it is important to be mindful and do things to protect yourself from bacterial and viral infections. Below are some things you can do to protect yourself from illnesses:
1) Wash your hands regularly
2) Drink plenty of fluids
3) Avoid contact with sick family members and friends
3) Eat a healthy diet
4) Get enough sleep
5) Decrease the amount of stress in your life
When to Call Your Doctor
It is always a good idea to keep open communication with your doctor. However, you should absolutely contact your doctor if your cold is not getting any better or if you notice your cold symptoms are getting worse. You’ll know via the following symptoms if your cold is getting worse while pregnant:
1) You have a high fever
2) Or difficulty breathing
Remember, you know your body better than anybody. If you feel like something is wrong, call your medical provider immediately.
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