9 Ways To Treat Cold And Cough During Pregnancy

A cold or a cough is never a welcome ailment, but it is especially uncomfortable in pregnancy when you cannot safely take the usual over-the-counter (OTC) medications to relieve the symptoms. To make matters worse, the infection-associated discomfort seems far more taxing when you are already in such a vulnerable state than it would otherwise.

During pregnancy, when your protective maternal instincts kick in full throttle, it’s quite natural to stress about every minor inconvenience and health hiccup that you may face in terms of its repercussions on your unborn baby’s growth and well-being.

However, expecting mothers can heave a sigh of relief after knowing that the case of their sniffles will have no bearing on fetal development as the baby is cocooned inside the womb, which is beyond the reach of the virus.

Colds and coughs are common viral infections of the upper respiratory tract that affect your nose, throat, sinuses, and upper airways. There are over 200 viruses that can give rise to cold symptoms, of which the rhinovirus is perhaps the most usual suspect.

This infection is easily transmitted from person to person, and the symptoms usually persist for a week, although an accompanying cough can go on for about 3 weeks.

Unlike in a bacterial infection, regular antibiotics are rendered ineffective against viral infections. Thus, a common cold is one such mild infection with no established cure or antidote. Many times, you have to wait out the duration of the cold, using home remedies to relieve your symptoms.

* Cool Bath

To reduce your fever when suffering from a cold and cough, you can take a cool or lukewarm sponge bath. This is one of the safest, easiest, and all-natural ways to bring down and normalize a high body temperature.

- Take a sponge bath two or three times a day. Soak a washcloth in room-temperature tap water, wring out the excess water, and then sponge your armpits, feet, hands, and groin to reduce your body temperature.
- Take a cool bath or shower.
- Another option is to place a cold, damp washcloth on your forehead and change it every few minutes.

* Salt Water

Blocked nasal passages easily take the cake when it comes to the discomforts that come in the wake of a cold and cough, particularly so during pregnancy. One remedy for this symptom that rarely misses its mark is salt water.

Salt water acts as a nasal decongestant by moistening your nasal passages, clearing the built-up mucus from your nostrils, and soothing your inflamed nasal tissue. This, in turn, helps make your breathing easier and more comfortable.

Experts agree that a saline nasal irrigation can be safely used to relieve nasal congestion in pregnancy as they are completely unmedicated.

- Mix ½ teaspoon of salt into a cup of warm distilled, sterile, or previously boiled tap water. Use a dropper to put a few drops of the solution into your nostrils, one at a time, with your head tilted back. Then, gently blow your nose to remove excess mucus and solution. Use this remedy up to no more than three times a day.
- You may also gargle with this solution two or three times a day for sore throat relief.

* Homemade Chicken Soup

Sipping on a hot bowl of chicken soup is one of the tastiest and most comforting ways to treat a cold in pregnancy.

Homemade chicken soup is rich in anti-inflammatory properties as well as nutrients and vitamins that help fight the infection from within.

Aromatic seasonings enhance the opening of upper airway passages, facilitating removal of the mucus trapped there. Along with hot tea, chicken soup helps improve the functioning of protective cilia in nasal passages, further protecting the body from unwanted viruses and bacteria.

Researchers have found that traditional chicken soup contains a number of substances with beneficial medicinal activity, supporting faster healing for upper respiratory tract infections.

The ideal homemade recipe includes organic chicken combined with celery, onions, carrots, parsley, mushrooms, and parsnips for their medicinal and antioxidant properties.

Adding spices such as sage, thyme, salt, and pepper strengthens the body’s ability to inhibit neutrophils; neutrophil’s chemotaxic activities are associated with your body’s response to viral infections.

* Ginger

Ginger is another time-tested remedy for colds and coughs during pregnancy.

Ginger soup, comprising hot water with dried ginger powder or grated raw ginger, works as the perfect comfort food for people in the throes of a cold attack, as it helps them keep warm.

What makes ginger all the more preferable for pregnant women is that it poses no health risks to them or their child and offers the added bonus of relieving their morning sickness to some extent. Some have even found ginger helpful for alleviating mild heartburn, a digestive distress that expecting mothers are quite familiar with.

- Add 1 tablespoon of grated ginger to 1½ cup of water. Boil and then let it simmer for 10 minutes. Strain and add honey and lemon juice. Drink this herbal tea no more than three times per day.
- Alternatively, you can chew a small piece of ginger sprinkled with sea salt two to three times per day.

* Turmeric

Turmeric has long been used to soothe the common cold and cough and is another safe alternative during pregnancy.

The properties found in turmeric can boost your immunity and can be effective at easing a sore throat and nasal inflammation.

- Add 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder and a little crushed black pepper to 1 glass of warm milk. Drink this twice daily.
- Add ½ teaspoon each of turmeric powder and salt to a glass of warm water and mix them well. Use this mixture to gargle twice daily to get relief from a sore throat.

* Fluids

When dealing with a cold or a cough, many people don’t drink enough water. Keeping the body adequately hydrated is especially important during pregnancy, for the health of both the mother and the baby.

This necessity becomes all the more profound when the mother’s immune system is busy fighting an infection such as a common cold. Staying well hydrated helps to thin the body’s secretions, making it easier to expel mucus and reduce congestion.

- Drink lukewarm water at regular intervals. You must drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water a day to maintain proper hydration.
- You can also drink decaffeinated tea mixed with raw honey.
- Fruit juices, vegetable soup, clear broths, or any other liquid diets help maintain hydration and soothe your symptoms.
- Avoid caffeine, as its diuretic properties can have a dehydrating effect on the body.

* Vitamin C

Vitamin C enhances the body’s natural immune response to infection by supplying the body with a heavy dose of disease-fighting antioxidants. A daily intake of vitamin C may help keep the common cold away, but the evidence is unclear if it reduces the duration or severity of a cold.

You can increase your vitamin C intake by eating foods such as Indian gooseberries, cantaloupes, oranges, grapefruit, limes, lemons, kiwis, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cranberries, spinach, Brussels sprouts, and bell peppers.

Vitamin C is also available over the counter in the form of a supplement.

* Humidifier

It is important to get enough rest in pregnancy, which can be particularly difficult when you are grappling with respiratory congestion.

Try using a humidifier, which adds moisture to the air to ease stuffiness and helps thin your mucus secretions to facilitate their smooth elimination from the nasal passages.

- Use a commercial humidifier and put it in your bedroom to use while you rest.
- You may also add a few drops of essential oil, such as peppermint, menthol, or tea tree oil, to enhance the humidifier’s soothing effects.
- Alternatively, place a bowl of hot water on your bedroom floor at a safe distance to increase the moisture in the air.

* Rest

Rest is crucial when you are pregnant, and more so when suffering from an illness while pregnant. It is the best way to give your body the time and energy to fight off the infection.

Napping two or three times a day is a good habit to provide your body with a good amount of rest and recuperation. Getting the much-needed shut-eye also helps keep your blood pressure and stress levels in check.

- Attempt to go to bed earlier than usual to allow more time to sleep.
- Elevate your head with pillows to help you breathe easily and reduce nasal drip.