I've got a cold - what to do?

[Calcifer]

Hi all, I hope everyone is feeling well! I've developed a cold (lots of sneezing, blowing my nose and vague headache) - it's not the flu but it's still annoying.

I don't really know about my temperature, I don't have a thermometer maybe I should get one? Anyway my question is: what to do with it?

Should I do nothing and let it run its course? Should I just pop paracetamol (doctor ok-ed it) and rest? Should I worry about my temperature spiking? Anyone else catch colds in the first trimester and if so how did you handle it?

THANKS! And Happy New Year to you all!

 

[bundle4me]

Hi cal, paracetamol, vicks, hot lemon water, lots of fluid and put your feet up and relax.
Hope your better soon

 

[Sarah Lou 80]

I've had one and ended up caving and taking a paracetamol even though with number 1, I managed to avoid them throughout pregnancy. It got so bad snd I felt so awful but I only took the one instead of 2.

I think if I were you, I'd drink lots of water and get some vitamin c in you. I seem to find orange juice makes me feel better when I've got a cold. I think the main thing that will help is to rest. Big time! Just try and put your feet up as much as you can. Maybe even go back to bed and try and sleep through it.

It's rubbish feeling ill when you're pregnant! Hope you feel better soon.

Edit to add- if you really dont start feeling better and you feel like it would help, I ould take the paracetamol, especially if the dr okayed it.

 

[mummytobe_93]

Take a few paracetamol have a bath and a nap and hopefully you'll start to feel better. I've had one recently and felt awful I always find eating healthier and drinking orange juice makes me feel better x

 

[Calcifer]

Thanks guys! Ok good, nobody seems too worried about temperature spikes - I don't feel like I have a temperature mind you but I worry about that as I read it was bad.

I may have to pop paracetamol as we are due to go somewhere tonight but orange juice it is, will send the OH to the shop for me

 

[pgfairy]

I get sick ALL THE TIME so while I haven't actually had a cold yet this pregnancy I have been reading tons of stuff everywhere I can find it on the subject. Here's what's rung true for me so far, it's my battle plan.

I would get a thermometer. The odds are you aren't running a fever but if you are for a prolonged period of time (read 'more than 24 hours') then it's a good idea to see a doctor. Yes take the paracetamol especially if you have a fever above 100F (which is like 38C I think). Hot steam in the face for congestion (adding lemon is good and supposedly rejuvenating or if you aren't worried about camphor then vicks is supposed to be the way to go). Also rubbing vicks on the soles of your feet and putting socks on is supposed to be awesome, if you try it let me know if it works!!!!

Ginger and lemon in hot water (drink it) is supposed to be good if your throat is sore, with pasteurized honey if you don't mind having honey. Pregnancy vitamins are awesome but you can't absorb more vitamin c than your body can use, so it never hurts to add more vitamin C. If you aren't sleeping at night because of your symptoms then stay home and sleep whenever you can. Nothing helps the body heal like plenty of rest and while I admire anyone who can warrior woman through a cold, it'll only prolong the illness and I would much rather run at 20% for 3 days than 60% for 2 weeks personally.

Hope you feel better soon

 

[Catiren]

as long as you dont run a temperature, you'll be fine treating yourself at home with some natural and easy remedies. the others listed some nice ones but honestly i never really changed my daily routine even when sick. i currently have a sore throat and ive had it for 7 days just about. i did not ever run a temperature since the sore throat began and no one around me has sore throat, not even my fiancee. OB told me if im not running a temp i dont need to go to the doctor because they wont give me any medicine even if its strep throat. she told me to just rest at home because its not harmful to baby unless i have a fever.

 

[Calcifer]

ok thanks ladies - will seek out a thermometer and will try those home remedies. Have to confess to eating non pasteurised honey (we buy it from the local beekeeper), yikes! Oh well...

Catiren congratulations on your engagement I've just noticed your ticker!

 

[pgfairy]

ok thanks ladies - will seek out a thermometer and will try those home remedies. Have to confess to eating non pasteurised honey (we buy it from the local beekeeper), yikes! Oh well...

Catiren congratulations on your engagement I've just noticed your ticker!

Just between you and me the evidence for honey causing issues with pregnancy is um....not exactly compelling. If the honey you ate before pregnancy didn't give you botulism it's not very likely it's going to just because you're growing another person now! But I have had people jump down my throat before (not here thankfully) about things like that so better to reply on the side of caution

 

[hivechild]

ok thanks ladies - will seek out a thermometer and will try those home remedies. Have to confess to eating non pasteurised honey (we buy it from the local beekeeper), yikes! Oh well...

Catiren congratulations on your engagement I've just noticed your ticker!

Just between you and me the evidence for honey causing issues with pregnancy is um....not exactly compelling. If the honey you ate before pregnancy didn't give you botulism it's not very likely it's going to just because you're growing another person now! But I have had people jump down my throat before (not here thankfully) about things like that so better to reply on the side of caution

Pasteurization doesn't kill botulism spores anyway so just keep on with eating your honey if you're so inclined!

 

[pgfairy]

Pasteurization doesn't kill botulism spores anyway so just keep on with eating your honey if you're so inclined!

You know I'm embarrassed I didn't look that up myself when investigating honey. Jeeze it never ceases to amaze me how over the top food standards agencies and healthcare providers are about things like this. And I really hate feeling like a hyper paranoid freak about everything I put in my body lately, I'm a biochemist I should know better.

 

[hivechild]

Pasteurization doesn't kill botulism spores anyway so just keep on with eating your honey if you're so inclined!

You know I'm embarrassed I didn't look that up myself when investigating honey. Jeeze it never ceases to amaze me how over the top food standards agencies and healthcare providers are about things like this. And I really hate feeling like a hyper paranoid freak about everything I put in my body lately, I'm a biochemist I should know better.

Heh, I looked it up when my son was still a baby. I honestly didn't even give it a second thought to eat pretty much anything I wanted when I was pregnant first time around. Not much has changed this time around yet either, especially in first tri!

 

[Calcifer]

Haha I'm so glad there are others out there who think like that. To be honest I've tried very hard to apply all the rules about eating and have broken tons of them unintentionally... I've had sandwiches from sandwich bars, I've had thai food (not cooked in front of me) and very nearly had some soft serve ice cream before I miraculously googled it and realised, when it was in my hand, that I could not have it.... real tears were cried that day I tell you lol - and not because of the near miss but because I really wanted that ice cream!

The honey is just something I'm not willing to give up - it's perfectly healthy, never made me sick and actually is better nutritionally (no antibiotics) than commercial honey... I think we can't live in a bubble but I do understand that others have a different limit to what risks they'll take.