7 Useful Home Remedies to Cure Cough and Cold during Pregnancy
The frequent changes in the Indian weather along with air pollution make cold, cough and allergies a very common problem. Also, during pregnancy, your immune system isn’t at its best and so, you’re very prone to infections. If you’re pregnant and catch a cold, your gynecologist will advise you to steer clear of antibiotics in order to avoid any side effects to your baby. During pregnancy, you need to be extremely careful with the medications that you take. You can only take vitamin, calcium and folic acid supplements as prescribed by the doctor. Taking any other medicines during pregnancy can cause certain defects in the baby and can also cause damage to your liver.
If you catch a cold during pregnancy, you don’t need to worry about the infection being passed on the baby. Luckily, a common cold doesn’t pass the placenta and so it cannot affect your baby. With that said, you can opt for some easy home remedies that can sail you out of this situation without causing any side effects to you and your growing baby. Home remedies do not cause any side effects and are completely harmless for your baby.
Here are some home remedies for curing cough and cold during pregnancy:
- Drink warm liquids – Soothe your sore throat with hot water, homemade soups and herbal teas. Sip on some ginger tea with basil and honey and it will do wonders for your throat and also help to reduce nasal congestion.
- Inhale steam – Steam inhalation is the best cure for a cold. Just take some boiling water in a pan and inhale the vapors while covering your mouth covered with a towel. Do this twice a day for 10-15 minutes and you’ll find the stuffy nose clearing fast.
- Take ample rest – Your body is already fatigued due to the baby bump and the cold makes you feel even more fatigued and weak. Take ample rest and a good night’s sleep since it helps to rejuvenate the body.
- Gargle – Gargling with warm salt water is a great way to cure a sore throat. It helps to remove the mucus from the throat and thus reduces the swelling and pain in the throat.
- Eucalyptus oil – If you have a stuffed nose while going to bed, just apply a few drops of eucalyptus oil on your pillow and breathe in the smell. Eucalyptus oil helps to clear your nose and get you a sound sleep.
- Suck on throat lozenges – You may keep some ginger flavored throat lozenges in your mouth. Before buying them, just ensure that they are non-medicated.
- Cover yourself – If the weather is cold, keep yourself covered aptly. Covering your head and feet is of utmost importance since those are the places that come in maximum contact with the cold.
In case your cold is accompanied by high fever and doesn’t get better with the above remedies in a couple of days, it is best to visit your gynecologist since he/she will then prescribe some safe medicines to make you feel better.
Ways to avoid a cold during pregnancy
- Eat a healthy diet – Eat a nutrient dense diet to keep your body away from infections.
- Avoid foods that cause congestion – Various foods are known to cause and/or increase the congestion. Make it a point to avoid such foods.
- Drink herbal teas – Herbal teas not only soothe a sore throat, they also give you relief from pregnancy fatigue. Ginger tea, chamomile tea, and green tea are good options.
- Take Vitamin C supplements – Boost your immunity by taking Vitamin C supplements after asking your gynecologist.
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