My coworker is a sweetheart in her first, almost second, trimester and she has a nagging cough - to the point where she has to excuse herself to the bathroom because it can make her tear up and gaggy :(.
She's been to doctors, consulted an ENT, and I just feel so bad for her becuase she is trying everything! Tylenol Cough and cold, cough syrup, a humidifier at home (I am going to try and remember to bring mine so she can have one at work), tea and honey, nasal spray...all dr. approved meds. If you have any addidtional suggestions as to how to relieve a cough while pregnant since the options are limited, please let me know!
She might try something like this:
http://catherineboley.blogspot.com/2009/08/preparing-for-...
It's a lemon/honey concoction.
sucking on hard candy can help prevent the cough from getting started.
If her nose is causing a drip she might try flushing out her nose with a neti pot or Walgrens carries a nose rinse. She can double check with the pharmacist about the safety for pregnant women.
I don't know how well you know her but...
We've found that the nasal rinse works wonders for our family. We use the rinse vs the netti pot but both have the same effect.
Also, my BFF is chronic infections, etc with coughing spells. Her Dr. told her to gargle with listerine at least 2 times a day if not more. The best time was in the morning right after she got up (it helps tear the yuck out of your throat) and at night for the same purpose.
My hubby was going through a spell with coughing attacks and he tried it and it works. Within minutes of a good gargle.... coughing stopped.
Maybe it is worth a try!
Hylands has a cough syrup that works well or she could do the good old fashioned home remedy : spoonful of honey every 2 hours as needed. No harm to baby and is as effective as cough syrup.
If the cough is productive(has phlegm in it):
Asian pear(sometimes known as an apple-pear)
Golden in colour with the skin the texture of a pear, and shaped like an apple.
Ginger root peeled and crushed
Lemon juice
Honey or agave nectar
Core the pear and place into microwave safe bowl.
Stuff pear with ginger root
Place a tablespoon of lemon juice over ginger
Place a spoonful of honey or agave nectar over ginger
Microwave pear until soft, and eat while warm.
Ginger is a natural expectorant, and also combined with the lemon and sweet and pear juice make a natural cough syrup. My Mother used to make this for me when I was a kid because I had so many allergies to everything.
For a dry cough:
Throat Coat tea by Traditional Medicinals(is doctor and Midwife approved) helps coat the throat and soothe the tickle. I have friends who are singers that swear by it to stop a dry tickle. Thayers Elm Bark Lozenges are good, same ingredients as throat coat.
Also keeping horehound candy drops at the desk for a tickle. They soothe a throat, and the mildly root beer flavour is easy on a pregnant stomach.
Hope she feels better.
My whole family has a cough right now because of allergies. Have her check with her doctor first, but she should be able to take sudafed to help with the drainage.
I have Chestal honey. They sell it at drug stores and it's homeopathic. Son used to cough at night and sometimes during the day. It works.
Hylands has a line of homeopathic "meds"
Tell her to check into horehound lozenges to make sure they are safe while pregnant. She can use Halls cough drops. My Ob and Dr said they are safe while pregnant!
Sweet of you to ask for her :)
neti pot. neti pot. neti pot.
you can get them at Target. they're weird, big mental hurdle to get over the first couple times you use them, but they work for sinus stuff. so even though it appears to have moved into her chest and lower airways, clearing out the upper should help.
hot toddy - minus the whiskey. :(
and my daughter started at 4, so she can "man up" and figure out how to use the neti pot!
