My mom is suffering from common cold and flu..yesterday night she was sneezing and sneezing..
Poor mom..she could not sleep only.was tired to the extreme!
I was feeling bad from inside and was just feel her sneezing and coughing..i was counting too how many times she sneezed!! I had nothing to do but jump and swim whenever she sneezed!
As you all must be knowing taking any medicines during pregnancy is not at all desired.hence the main concern here is how to get remedy through natural ways.
I am feeling tired today to write a full story now..hope you all will be able to understand my situation and feel for me..I am trying to give you some basic remedies for common cold and flu.
Here goes the list for the same:
Coughs and Colds
Pregnancy can cause the mucous membranes to swell. This can make it more difficult to get rid of coughs, colds, etc. Prevention is key here. Eat well, and get plenty of rest and exercise. Also avoid people who are contagious if possible.
Suggestions:
Recipes: 4 Cloves Add the spices to the water, bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the lemon and simmer for a further 5 minutes. Strain and sweeten with honey. Drink a hot cup of this every 2 hours. Cold Tea: Peppermint Mix equal parts of the herbs in a container and take a heaping teaspoon into a tea bag. Steep in boiling water for 10 minutes. Sweeten with honey. You can drink this as often as needed for cold symptoms. |
Colds During Pregnancy
Colds are quite common during pregnancy. Pregnant women tend to be more susceptible as their immune systems are lowered and their mucous membranes tend to swell during pregnancy. This can make breathing easy a challenge. Your best measure for treating colds is preventing them from happening. This means religiously washing your hands, eating a healthy diet and getting as much rest as possible.
If you do catch a cold you can increase your consumption of vitamin C rich foods including fruits and fruit juices. Many women find that eating foods high in garlic can help reduce the length of their cold. Sipping teas including lemon and honey tea can help alleviate a sore and uncomfortable throat. If you have trouble breathing at night try using a humidifier to help create more moisture in your atmosphere. This can reduce nasal irritation and help breathe more easily.
taken from:http://www.womenshealthcaretopics.com
Cold Remedies when Pregnant:
Pregnant women are as likely as anyone else to catch a cold. In fact, the slightly sluggish immune system and enlarged mucus membranes during pregnancy sometimes make it difficult to get over a cold quickly. During pregnancy cold remedies should be chosen carefully.
The one cardinal rule with cold remedies when pregnant (as with any other illness) is DO NOT self medicate - not even with over the counter medication that you're otherwise used to taking. Always, always check with your physician or gynaecologist before taking any cold remedies while pregnant at all as it may affect the foetus.
Saline nose drops, which are completely drug-free and easily available also help with blocked noses and are a suitable cold remedy during pregnancy. Steam inhalation, with plain steam or a few drops of eucalyptus or peppermint oil helps relieve a blocked nose and headache.
Pregnant women are usually advised to increase fluid intake, especially during an illness to prevent dehydration. Drink plenty of water as well as juices rich in vitamin C, which helps in fighting colds. Check with your doctor or healthcare worker about zinc and vitamin supplements which are not only essential for your growing baby, but also help you to fight and prevent colds. Drinking hot water with lemon and honey will soothe a sore throat and stuffy nose and is a safe cold remedy when pregnant. Saltwater water gargles are also extremely effective in treating the same. Consuming garlic and onions is also said to help one get over a cold faster (if the flavours don't make you sick).
Finally, remember that prevention is better than cure; particularly when pregnant cold remedies are not as effective as taking some precautionary measures. Colds spread through contact, so your best bet is to keep away from people who are infected. Women who are most at risk are school teachers and health care workers. If you belong to these professions, keep in mind simple rules of hygiene such as washing your hands frequently and especially after handling an individual with a contagious infection. However, most pregnant women do usually come down with a cold at least once, so don't worry about it. If any pregnancy cold remedies do not work for over a week, do consult your doctor to rule out allergies, sinusitis, bronchial infections etc.
taken from:www.home-remedies-for-you.com
Cold comfort:
Of all the things that can slow you down when you’re pregnant, few can be more miserable than having a cold or the flu. Most mothers are uneasy about taking any medicines when they’re
expecting and, as we all know, there’s nothing your doctor can give you to ‘cure’ a cold or flu.
Antibiotics aren’t an effective treatment because colds and flu are caused by viruses. Antibiotics are only effective against bacterial infections. Also, there is a question mark over using antibiotics in pregnancy since it has been associated with a higher rate of low-birth-weight babies.
Equally frustrating is the fact that most cold remedies simply don’t work all that well. That was the conclusion of one of the largest scientific reviews of over the counter cold remedies, covering more than 40 years research.
There is also the largely unanswered question of the safety of antihistamines and decongestants in pregnancy. Even if such medications do not harm your baby, they can make you feel pretty awful. No fewer than 97 side effects have been ascribed to antihistamines, including constipation, blurred vision, and the inability to urinate. And as many as 30 per cent of decongestant users experience side effects such as raised pulse rate and blood pressure, palpitations, dizziness and fatigue.
What can you do to relieve the symptoms of a cold or flu safely?
The good news is that colds and flu are self-limiting illnesses. This means that they run their course fairly quickly whether you take medications or not.
Interestingly, while the symptoms of cold or flu can be uncomfortable and unpleasant, they are also signs that your own immune system is functioning well. Fever is a good example. Viruses are sensitive to heat. A raised temperature stops the virus from spreading and causes the release of natural antiviral chemicals.
taken from:http://www.ivillage.co.uk/pregnancyandbaby
Home Remedies for colds during Pregnancy:
Most natural remedies for colds, such as Zinc lozenges and herbal drops, have not been tested extensively in pregnant women. It is best to avoid medications, both natural and not, as much as possible while pregnant. However, there are non-medical ways to alleviate cold symptoms that are safe for pregnant women.
- Take warm, not hot, showers to alleviate stuffiness. Make sure showers do not last more than 10 minutes so that you don't get tired or dizzy.
Sleep or nap in a recliner or propped up by pillows. Being at least partially upright will help mucus drain out of your nose and not down your throat. This will make breathing easier.
Get extra rest. Your body is already working to grow a human life so taking good care of it by getting enough rest should be a priority anyway. Add in the fact that you have a cold and the importance of rest doubles, especially if you are avoiding medications that alleviate symptoms and give you a false sense of rest. - Keep your body moisturized by drinking lots of fluids. Water is always a good choice, but orange or apple juice can provide extra Vitamin C. Chicken soup and decaffeinated tea are more filling options. Their heat may also help with nasal stuffiness.
A sore throat can be soothed by a salt water gargle. The salt draws out mucus and reduces swelling. Dissolve one-quarter teaspoon of salt into eight ounces of warm water. - Use a humidifier to keep the air around you moist. This will prevent dry coughs and may help with stuffiness. Another way to help stuffiness is to use saline (salt water) drops or spray. Follow directions on the bottle, which will say exactly how many sprays or drops to use in each nostril and how long to wait before blowing your nose.
Help sinus pressure by using a warm, wet wash cloth. Pressing the cloth to your face may help release congestion and thus relieve pressure or pain.
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