What do you do when you're pregnant or nursing and have a cold? Are any cold or congestion medicines safe for pregnancy and nursing? Here is a look at safe, natural cold and congestion remedies for nursing moms and moms-to-be!

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There's not much worse than being pregnant and sick. Since pregnancy tends to lower your immune system's ability to fight off illness, pregnant moms, can be especially susceptible to colds an other viral illnesses. And since many medications, including those over-the-counter, are not safe for pregnancy or nursing, it can feel like there's nothing you can do when you get a stuffy nose.
If you've got another little one in the house who brings home germs, it can feel like you're constantly getting sick without much relief. And although there may not be safe medications you can take, there are a few healthier, pregnancy and nursing-safe remedies to help ease congestion.
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Are Cold Medications Safe For Pregnancy or Nursing?
When it comes to pregnancy, many medications are off-limits. One reason is that there just isn't any long-term research to show the effects of exposure to the many medications out there during pregnancy (mostly because it would be unethical to conduct these studies). The problem with many cold and congestion medications is that they are broad range, using multiple medicines to treat multiple symptoms, so you don't know if each component is safe, especially when combined with other medicines. It's also easy to go over recommended dosages. While acetaminophen is widely recommended as the safe pain reliever during pregnancy, I still take caution and prefer to stay away from any medication at all since most of it can pass the placenta, exposing baby.
When it comes to nursing, the problem with medicine is two-fold. Many medications can pass into breastmilk, where they might pose a risk to baby. Other medicines can drastically reduce milk supply, which may be lower during illness anyway. It's better to take cation with medications while nursing to protect baby and your milk supply! Make sure to read labels carefully, since seemingly harmless ingredients, such as menthol, can reduce milk supply.
If you're pregnant or nursing and desperate for medication to relieve cold, congestion, and flu symptoms, it's best to take something that targets only the symptoms you have instead of a multi-symptom medication with multiple active ingredients. And always clear any medication (including over-the counter) with your doctor before taking it.
My Top Picks for Pregnancy and Nursing-Safe Congestion Relief
If you prefer to be cautious and stay away from medication during pregnancy and nursing, you can still try to get a little relief from the annoying congestion and related symptoms that come with colds and allergies with these healthier, safer, natural remedies. Here are my favorites:
1. Nasal Rinse Bottle
This sinus rinse kit uses a safe saline solution, similar to a neti pot, to gently rinse stubborn mucous from your sinuses. But unlike a neti pot, it uses a little more force from the squeezing action, and you don't have to tilt your head - so you don't feel like you're drowning while you wait for a slow drip. I love this thing and use it to clear congestion even when I'm not pregnant or nursing!
2. Steam
When you're really congested, steam will help loosen the mucous in your sinuses so you can blow it out. Take hot showers, breathing in the steam. I pour a few drops of this peppermint and eucalyptus oil blend from Now Foods into the bottom of the steam shower for extra clearing power. (It smells amazing!) If you don't have a hot shower or steam shower, you can add a couple drops to a bowl of hot water and make a tent with a towel over your head while you breathe deeply. There are also many brands of shower steamers available, but make sure you get ones without menthol, since it can reduce your milk supply!
3. Saline Spray
Saline nasal spray is safe for daily use (during pregnancy, nursing, and otherwise!) to help break up some of the congestion in your sinuses.
4. Hot Tea
Drinking hot tea when you are sick is not only hydrating, but also soothing on a sore throat and good for breaking up congestion. The antioxidants in green tea could also have antiviral properties. Be sure to keep the caffeine in check and ask your doctor about herbal teas to be sure they are safe. If you're nursing, Mother's Milk Tea was my go-to for both soothing a sore throat and boosting my milk supply!
4. Menthol-Free Chest Rub
Most traditional chest rubs aren't great for nursing mothers, because they reduce milk supply. I started using my daughters' chest rub when I needed help breathing at night with a cold, since it is made with safe ingredients and no menthol. Tubby Todd is my absolute favorite, but you can also find menthol-free versions on Amazon.
Natural Cold Remedies & Immune Boosters
Help ease your non-congestion cold symptoms and feel better faster with these pregnancy and nursing-safe natural remedies and immune system enhancers:
1. Hydrate
It's always a good idea to stay hydrated to help your body function at it's best (and you're likely having trouble staying hydrated if you're nursing!). But it's especially important to drink plenty of water and other fluids when you're sick to help your kidneys eliminate waste and to replace any fluids that may have been lost with a fever or upper respiratory infection.
2. Vitamin C
Vitamin C helps support the immune system by protecting your body's cells and by increasing the production of illness-fighting white blood cells. Vitamin C can also help reduce the duration and severity of cold symptoms. It's probably not necessary to take a supplement as long as you meet your daily needs through food, which is fairly easy with a glass of orange juice, citrus fruit, strawberries, kiwi, or bell peppers. But if you need the extra help, and want to get more fluids at the same time, a vitamin C electrolyte powder also won't hurt.
3. Honey
I make my hot tea work extra hard for me by adding Manuka honey. Raw honey has antibacterial properties and has been shown to reduce duration and severity of coughs. Since pregnancy and nursing mamas can't typically take cough medicine, honey is the next best thing. If it's in your budget, Manuka honey is even more potent in antibacterial and antioxidant activity than regular honey. But if not, regular raw honey is great, too!
4. Chicken Noodle Soup
It's not just an old wives' tale that chicken soup is healing! Besides being soothing on a sore throat, chicken soup could have anti-inflammatory activity that can actually help ease cold symptoms!
5. Probiotics
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The good bacteria in your gut are responsible for a lot of things, a couple of them being fighting off bad bacteria and strengthening your immune system. Give yourself a little boost by regularly consuming probiotic-rich foods like Greek yogurt, (make sure 'live active cultures' is on the ingredients list), kombucha, and fermented foods like sauerkraut and kimchi. You can also opt for a probiotic supplement. My favorite for women is the daily probiotic by Routine.
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