With David working in campus ministry, we're generally pretty used to picking up the occasional bug -- college campuses are notorious incubators for disease, and Princeton is certainly no exception. The way it usually works is that David gets something from one of his students, I make sure he gets plenty of Dayquil/Nyquil and fluids and rest, it clears out of his system, I come down with whatever he had, I dose myself up right, I get better, and we move on.
But this time around, I'm pregnant. And while there are some over-the-counter cold medications that some organizations have deemed safe for pregnancy, none of them are without their risks. Robitussen, for instance, is a Class C drug.
I do know that even the most benign over-the-counter meds carry risks. (Believe me, as a products liability defense attorney, I know.) But I've really been trying to limit the amount of medications I take during this pregnancy, just to err on the side of being over-cautious, so taking my normal cold meds will be my absolute last resort. And I'm not quite there yet -- I've been coughing for days, and I've worked from home most of this week, but I'm not too miserable yet...
So do any of you out there have any sure-fire, pregnancy-safe methods for dealing with a cough? I've been chugging orange juice and decaf tea, and sucking on peppermints -- any other useful tips?
Comments and sympathy would be much appreciated. :)
Thursday, October 29, 2009
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4 comments:
Some ideas:
- Some herbal remedy-type tea, I love the pregnancy tea, you can either buy what is labeled "for pregnant moms", or just buy the nettle leaf and raspberry leaf teas separately (that's what I did because a lot of the other have mint, which I'm not a fan of). Anyways, those will help your immune system.
- Menthol - vics vaporub - rub it on your chest/nose, or do a menthol bath. Menthol is a natural cough suppressant.
I'm in a similar fix here with two coughing babies with sore throats- they can't take anything other than tylenol (no cough suppressants for little ones because it causes them to quit breathing - "SIDs"). So my two little girls are hacking away, Lily is currently sleeping in her carseat, which is propped up on her bed, with her dog, blanket, and orange juice. Such a sad (but still cute) picture! Love ya'll!
Honey. Seriously. Put a some honey in a mug with a bit of lemon juice, and warm it in the microwave (only a few seconds). If it's gross, adjust the mix. But basically you're looking for warm, lemon-flavored honey that you can sip. It coats the throat and suppresses coughs surprisingly well.
I'm not generally a "home remedy" person, but if it's a non-productive cough that is self-perpetuating, heat up a bit of honey and lemon juice in the microwave until you can mix it. If you drink it, it coats the back of your throat and can help. Feel better!
Honey in tea and humidify! And remember, this too shall pass :) Oh, and saline nasal spray if you get stopped up to help flush things out.
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