Cold symptoms
(runny nose, scratchy throat, congestion, cough)
Colds seem to be more common and more prolonged during pregnancy.
q Increase humidity in the air with a cool mist vaporizer or humidifier. (A vaporizer is invaluable for treating baby's stuffy nose so you might as well buy one now).
q Drink lots of extra fluids: juices, broth, decaffeinated beverages, ice pops, etc.
q Chicken soup has been scientifically shown to decrease congestion.
q Rest as much as you can.
q Relieve nasal stuffiness with saline drops or Ocean spray: a weak salt solution you can buy at the pharmacy, or make by adding 1/4 teaspoon of salt to 1 cup of boiled water. You can apply this with a nose dropper or inhale it directly to help loosen nasal secretions. Use as needed. If these measures aren't helping and you are very uncomfortable, try:
q diphenhydramine (Benadryl) 25 mg to relieve stuffiness, and rest.
q guaifenesin (Robitussin) can help to make secretions more watery and thus easier to clear from sinuses or cough up.
q after 12 weeks, you can try pseudoephedrine hydrochloride for stuffiness or facial pressure. You can get this at the pharmacy counter without a prescription. Do not take any of the Sudafed brand products that contain phenylephrine.
q oxymetazoline hydrochloride (Afrin) nasal spray for a stuffy nose. However, use this sparingly: it's very habit-forming.
