The flu is a highly infectious virus. It tends to occur seasonally, and is usually around during the winter months. During pregnancy, your weakened immune system means you have an increased risk of catching flu. The weakened immune system also puts you at a greater, though still very small, risk of developing complications if you do contract the virus.

Flu vaccine during pregnancy

Pregnant women are offered the flu vaccine each year. Usually offered in the fall, it takes a couple of weeks for you to develop an immunity after the shot. The flu vaccine is considered safe to administer at any point during pregnancy. There is no need to wait until your second trimester, as the vaccine is considered safe even during early pregnancy.

If you have not been offered the flu vaccine, speak to your healthcare provider to find out why. It is not possible to catch flu from the vaccine, although you may experience some mild side effects that mimic flu symptoms. As with all vaccines, there are a number of possible side effects, please ask your healthcare provider about these before being vaccinated. There is a nasal spray flu vaccine available, but this is not suitable for use during pregnancy.

Symptoms of flu

If you contract flu, you will experience a fever of over 38C/100.4F, and at least two of the following symptoms:

• runny nose
• headache
• sore throat
• tiredness
• loss of appetite
• muscle aches
• cough
• shortness of breath
• diarrhoea or vomiting

The potential complications of suffering from flu during pregnancy include pneumonia, dehydration and difficulty breathing. If you think you may be suffering from flu, contact your healthcare provider for advice.

Treatment for flu during pregnancy

The following tips may help you to manage your flu symptoms:

• get plenty of rest
• increase your fluid intake
• eat little and often
• use cold flannels to lower your temperature
• speak to your pharmacist for advice on which over the counter medications are safe to take during pregnancy

When to call your healthcare provider

Pregnancy puts you at a slightly increased risk of a number of complications. For this reason, it’s important to seek immediate medical help if you notice any of the following symptoms:

• difficulty breathing
• shortness of breath
• coughing up a bloody mucus
• turning blue
• pressure or pain in your chest or abdomen
• dizziness
• severe vomiting
• reduced foetal movements
• a high fever that cannot be lowered with over the counter medications

Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2018. All rights reserved.

You’ve probably already noticed that your immune system is at an all time low during pregnancy. Perhaps you have previously gloated that you ‘never get ill’, and now seem to be constantly fighting the sniffles. You may feel like all it takes is someone to sneeze in the same town as you, and you’ll spend the next two weeks in bed with a head cold.

It’s important to check all medicines are safe to use during pregnancy, and sadly with a cold, you may find that many aren’t. You should always check with your healthcare provider before taking a medicine during pregnancy. Sadly, you may find many of your go-to cold medicines are not suitable for use in pregnancy. Decongestants are considered unsafe for use during the first trimester, and experts disagree over whether they are safe later in the pregnancy.

To avoid using decongestants and other drug-based treatments altogether, give the following natural cold treatments a try:

• Natural decongestants – to try getting rid of your stuffy nose without reverting to hard drugs, you could use eucalyptus as a natural decongestant. Try placing a few drops of eucalyptus oil in an oil burner to help you breathe more easily. You could also try soaking in the bath, or having a nice hot shower, to let the steam work its magic on your sinuses.
• Natural throat soothers – to rid yourself of your raw, sore throat, try a soothing hot drink. Boil the kettle, and add about one teaspoon of freshly grated ginger to a teapot. Add the water, and let it sit for a couple of minutes. Decant into your favourite mug, and add a teaspoon of lemon juice and about a teaspoon of the sweetener of your choice (for example, honey, syrup or agave).
• Natural remedy for a cough – if your scratchy throat is keeping you coughing through the night, try gargling with salt and water. This may help to relieve the soreness in your throat, and prevent more coughing fits.
• Speed up recovery – to give yourself a fighting chance of being better by the weekend, make sure you get plenty of rest. You should also be sure to eat healthily and drink enough water to increase your chance of a speedy recovery.

If you are suffering from a fever, you may want to use medication to try and bring down your temperature. Check with your pharmacist or healthcare provider to find out which medications are safe to use during pregnancy.

What are your tried and tested natural cold treatments during pregnancy?

Written by Fiona, proud owner of a toddler, @fiona_peacock

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2017. All rights reserved.

If your baby does not feel well and has a cold or the flu, you probably can’t rest easy. Tiny noses that are all stuffed up can make both of you feel miserable. But it’s helpful to know when to take your little one to the doctor and how to ease symptoms at home.

As soon as your baby starts showing signs of a cold, you might wonder if you need to go to the doctor. If your baby is younger than three months, a trip to the pediatrician is needed as soon as symptoms start.

For babies older than three months, some signs to see your baby’s doctor include a cold that does not improve in five days. Also, if your baby’s mucus is green or yellow or he is pulling at his ear, it’s also a good idea to visit the doctor.

If your baby is older than three months and continues to be active, is feeding well and does not seem to be bothered by symptoms, you may not need to run to the doctor. Of course, regardless of your baby’s age if you have concerns or questions, a trip to the doctor will not hurt.

Cold and Flu Symptoms

Symptoms of a cold may include loss of appetite, a runny or stuffy nose and red eyes. Some babies also develop a cough, fever and become irritable. Since your baby’s nose may be stuffed, breastfeeding may be more difficult.

Although cold and flu are terms which are sometimes used interchangeably, they are not the same thing. A cold is a viral infection that affects the upper respiratory tract (nose, mouth and throat). The flu is also a viral infection, but symptoms may come on faster and may be more severe than a cold.

Either way, you want to do what you can to make your baby feel better. One thing that may help is easing your baby’s nasal congestion. Since babies can’t blow their nose, you’ll have to help remove the mucus. Consider using saline drops and a bulb suction to clear mucus. Put a few drops of saline in each nostril and suction the mucus with the bulb syringe. Saline baby drops are available at most pharmacies.

Placing a cool mist vaporizer in your baby’s room may also help loosen congestion. Just be sure to clean the machine regularly to prevent mold growth. Also, encourage extra feedings to prevent your baby from becoming dehydrated.

Don’t give your baby any medication without first talking to your pediatrician. Over the counter cold meds are not recommended for babies under six months.

Written by MaryAnn DePietro @ writerlady34

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

If you’re feeling unwell, you may be worried about whether it’s safe to continue breastfeeding your baby. Many mamas worry that perhaps they shouldn’t feed their baby when they’re ill. However, in reality, there are very few instances in which illness may require you to stop breastfeeding your child (e.g. HIV, active tuberculosis, HTLV-1, HTLV-2).

Assuming you aren’t suffering from any of these conditions, you should be fine to continue breastfeeding your baby for the duration of the illness.

Will breastfeeding make my baby sick?

If you’re suffering from a cold or flu illness, you may worry about whether your breast milk will contain the virus. It won’t, so don’t worry. Not only that, because your milk contains the antibodies your body is busy producing to fight the infection, your baby will actually get this extra boost of immunity to protect her from the illness.

Do I need to take any precautions?

If you are prescribed medication to treat the illness, make sure you tell the doctor that you’re breastfeeding. Your doctor will need to check that the medication he or she prescribes is suitable for breastfeeding mothers. Most medication is suitable for breastfeeding mothers, but it’s always worth checking just in case.

If you have a sickness and diarrhoea bug, you need to make sure you’re drinking plenty of water. It’s easy to become dehydrated, especially when you’re breastfeeding, so make sure you keep your fluid levels up.

To minimize the risk of your baby getting ill, take the usual precautions. Wash your hands often, cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough, and try not to kiss your baby near the mouth.

If you’re feeling rubbish, it’s important to take care of yourself and allow yourself time to rest. If you’re really unwell, you might need somebody else to stay home and help with the baby. That will give you the opportunity to get some sleep between feeds, and put someone else in charge of diaper changes for a little while. If your partner is unable to take the day off work, ask a family member or friend to pop round for a few hours and help out.

Remember to keep breastfeeding on demand, a drastic reductions in the number of feeds each day could begin to affect your supply.

Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.