Cold Remedies While Nursing?

From one green mama to the next... aren't colds miserable? It sounds like you're doing everything I do when I get a cold too. You can try putting a humidifier in your room at night or propping your head up with an extra pillow, but otherwise just make sure you drink a few extra cups of water every day (because you're constantly thirsty from nursing if you're anything like me, and if you're mouth-breathing at night that will dry things even more) and remember that it will go away soon. As for your baby getting it, she'll get over it soon because your breastmilk contains antibodies for it.

Nasal strips offer some relief. I also used a lot of Vitamin C drops. Maybe have your head upright on some pillows when you go to sleep to help with any drainage.

I guess I'm a hippie too, then! Four times over! I have four children...
Sounds like you are doing well. Try some "over-the-counter" homeopathic remedies as well.:)
Hyland's brand, or Boiron are great.

A great natural tea from Aviva Jill Romm:

About 3 cups of water, 4-6 cloves of garlic, one lemon, honey hot water and cayenne pepper. Slice the cloves, add the juice from the lemon, and honey and pepper to taste. Drink a cup every hour.

This will help clear your head.

It is also a great fever reducer.

Kudos to you, natural woman! Vitamin C, and lots of it! Also, garlic has natural antibiotic properties. Alfalfa is a natural decongestant and anti-histamine. You might really love Shaklee nutritional supplements, which are all natural. Shaklee is a wonderful social networking company that is very environmentally conscious. Shaklee was the 1st company to be certified as climate neutral by the US EPA (meaning they off-set 100% of their carbon emmisions). Check out www.shaklee.net/cpeterson. Hope you are feeling better soon! I also experienced natural childbirth with the help of a midwife!!!

Ok rockstar hippie Mama here's something you should definitely try. The Neti pot. It's awesome! It's a mixture of warm saline solution that you stream through your nose and it clears out your sinuses. It's not pretty but it's amazing how much better you feel after. I use one all winter as a preventative and especially after I get on and off planes.

But nothing beats the relief when you're sick and congested.

They sell them at Walgreens, Whole Foods, etc.

Oh and I totally forgot - try soaking in Epsom Salts (Walgreens again). At night after you've done the Neti Pot, run a very warm/hot bath and put 2 cups of Epsom salts in there. Bring LOTS of water with you to drink - like 64 oz. Soak for 20 minutes and drink all 64 oz of water. The bath will raise your core temperature and help fight off the infections. The water will keep you hydrated and flush out the toxins. Plus you'll get good rest. This is another winter must for me in terms of prevention. But it will feel great sick too. (Also great after hard workouts.)

Good luck!

Forget the towel; rub that Vicks into your chest and back. Put on a teeshirt and rub the chest & back until warmed. Get jammies on quickly and get to bed with a vaporizor with Vicks in the steam dripper so you get the benefit of breathing the Vicks all day and night. Your baby should not be getting sick while you're nursing but the vaporizor can't hurt unless there is an allergy there. Plenty of sleep is of utmost importance.

Another green mama over here, I agree with the other two posts. I would add some probiotics (Florajen 3 is the brand I recommend), anytime I feel a cold coming on, I double up on them, take 1000mg of vitamin C and I get one for a couple of days and lick it in no time. My husband is always amazed, he comes home with these nasty colds and I barely catch them. Steam baths work great b/c it helps clear the congestion in the evening and boost the immune system too.

Just don't put on deoderant right after you shave your armpits...U of Chicago did a study on over 40,000 women and found that those who did were more likely to get breast cancer than not (if you use a deoderant with aluminum in it)

Good luck, you are doing a wonderful job!

J. W. MPH
Lifestyle and Wellness Consultant

Maybe set up a vaporizer in your room during the night, this can help you and safe for babies if she gets the sniffles. Don't use vics in vaporizer just water with some salt (produces more steam)If no vaporizer, run hot shower and sit bathroom to get steam effect.

Good luck, I know the pain!

Have you tried Zicam nasal swabs. They really work to reduce the duration of a cold for me. Not sure about using when nursing...

Ohh, and second that nasal-saline-rinse thing. That helps too, and should definately be safe when nursing. I used it last year when I just couldn't get the congestion cleared and it really seemed to help.

You go A.-welcome to the green mamas!! Yes-sit in a hot hot bath with 1 cup of organic apple cider vinegar, 1 c of epsom salts and 1 c of hydrogen peroxide for as long as you can (60 mins would be preferred). Dip a hand towel in the water and put it over your head-you can do this for baby too but of course not as long. Also oregano oil is awesome for colds. You have to put a few drops on each foot in the middle and massage it in--same for baby.

You can do both and for congestion you can forgo the vicks and use peppermint oil as need be--a drop under each nostril or if you want to really clear it out put a few drops on a q-tip insert up into the nose as far as you can and really take some deep breaths thru the nostrils (this will burn sometimes but it works) followed by hydrogen peroxide and you can put a few drops of the peroxide in your ears as well.

T.
Detox Coach

Congrats to you....I am in the "hippie"-like category too! Hang in there. I would suggest getting as much rest as you possibly can...and pushing the fluids...water primarily ...and orange juice for the vitamin C. You baby is getting immunity boosters from your breastmilk....so don't worry about her getting over the cold. If her nose becomes congested....you can spray...or pump and use a dropper to puts drops of breastmilk in her nose (this also works if she gets a cold in her eye).
A.