Allergies Going Haywire This Season. Help Please.

Claritin is safe while pregnant and nursing. Neither of my kids had an issue and I took it daily. You could even try a prescription steroid nasal spray such as Rhinocort. This should help immensely.

I know you don't like to take medications but if you don't control your allergies you are going to have more asthmatic episodes. Look at it as taking care of yourself so that you can take care of your little one. On the other hand I do hope you find something that will not cause your little one diaper rash. It sounds painful :-( I can understand why you do avoid the Zyrtec!

I hear you, Katrina – I hate using drugs, too, unless I have no other alternative. Let me make 3 suggestions that you might find helpful:

1. First, learn to use a neti pot (or even do as I do, and simply sniff saline water directly from your hand) to clear out nasal irritants. It's also good for head colds. Just about everybody from my 5yo grandson to aging people like myself get fabulous results from this.

2. Ask your doc about using cortisone mists or sprays locally – the nasal sprays and bronchial sprays are tiny doses that pretty much stay where they land (almost none is absorbed into the bloodstream), and they can be wonderfully effective at reducing your body's reactivity to allergens. I've used Pulmicort for decades for my lungs and almost never have an asthma attack since, even though I can not tolerate Albuterol. I use the nasal sprays seasonally when certain pollens are at their worst, also with very good results. I believe these are safe to use while breastfeeding. At least inquire about them.

3. Consider consulting a doctor of homeopathy. I've found a couple of homeopathic remedies that instantly begin to reduce reactions, and usually I get enough relief that I don't even have to consider using an additional drug (beyond the cortisone inhaler that I rely on). About 80% of users are responsive to homeopathy, and it is considered absolutely safe and generally completely free of side effects.

You can learn to use homeopathics yourself if you have the time and patience to do a bit of reading. A more direct route would be to visit a practitioner. The first visit is a very extensive interview, and may cost a couple of hundred bucks (ask when you call), during which the doctor finds out ever possible detail about you and your symptoms. This guides him/her to recommend the best of (usually) several remedies. If this remedy doesn't give good results, follow-up visits or phone consults are usually inexpensive, and the remedies themselves generally cost under $10 per try.

I wish you well.

I don't know what to tell you to take but I just wanted to assure you that my allergies have been the worst they have ever been and I am 52 years old! grrrr, it has been so frustrating, and my twins (18 years old...theirs have been super bad this spring too....)...normally I try to get through the season not taking anything, but not this spring! My eyeballs have just been aching, watering, my nose, my sinuses, my head, migraines, etc. I could just go on. I feel your pain! Hang in there.

Ask your doctor about Singular. It works really well for me. I had to take it during my pregnancy because I was having so many asthma attacks. My OB told me that being able to breathe was the most important thing. I don't like to take meds either but this has made a huge difference for me. It controls both asthma and allergies and I barely need the albuterol anymore. Good luck to you and your little one. I hope you find something that works for both of you!

Don't know if it is safe for breastfeeding but my doctor swears by Singulair and it has helped me quite a bit. I was having extreme coughing fits brought on by allergies (I have allergy-induced asthma).

To help w/ a diaper rash, we used Little Bottoms spray. It cools and protects and it was THE best when our daughter had a rash.

I have been told that the best thing for seasonal allergies is RAW LOCAL honey. However, I do not knkow if you can have it while BF. I know kids are not supposed to have it until the at least reasch age 1 but IDK if it is OK for BF. Please check with your doc on this. It is supposed to help your body fight it internally. About a teaspoon should do it. If you can't now, maybe when you have finished BF, so at least something for the future...

I have been taking a nutritional supplement since March of 2010, and because of it, I have not needed any allergy meds since May of 2010! It is safe for nursing moms and babies. When I started it, I was still nursing my daughter. Let me know if you'd like some info on it. :-)

My allergies are not so bad anymore. I am under the care of a homeopath. I no longer take any asthma medications though I had the illness for 29 years. It is over and done with.
Zyrtec is not the only medication for airborne allergies. It works for me. I took Allegra for a couple of years but it was hard on my kidneys. It might not be bad for you. You need to consult a physcian and your pediatrician about your nursing baby getting allergic reactions to medicines that help you.
If you are using throw away diapers switch to cloth ones as these often are better for your baby. You have to wash them in Planet or some other detergent without perfume or chemicals that irritate a baby's skin.
Get a NETI Pot. Put warm water and a tspn of salt in it and wash out your nose and sinuses several times a day. Get Similisan #2 eye drops and place them in your eyes four or five times a day. This will reduce the flow of pollen into your system.
Sabidilla 30c 4 x a day will reduce your allergic reactions to airborne pollen and other things. You can take Sabidilla for long periods of time. Buy it at the health food store.

Try Benadryl for your allergies. If it makes you too sleepy for regular use during the day, you can take it at night even if you've taken Zyrtec or Claritin. I find Claritin not quite as good as Benadryl, but good enough so I can deal with the remaining allergy symptoms -- and my asthma stays in check.

Hi Katrina,

Elderberry syrup does wonders for allergies. It builds the immune system so that your body can fight off the problems. It's also safe for infants so it's fine during breastfeeding. You can pick it up at a local health store. Since you are breastfeeding make sure you get it at a store that carries pharmaceutical grade products. You can also ask if it is standardized. That's not really necessary but it will help you track how much you have taken and how much you need.

Also revisit your prenatal vitamin. If your nutrition is really absorbing most, if not all, of your allergies should go away. I can recommend a good one if you find youres is not good enough. Allergies, as well as asthma, as well as asthma can be triggered by the simplest things. I know many people that have gotten rid of both. If you'd like more info let me know and I can PM you.

God bless,

M.