Childbirth and Head Cold

Hi--

Just wondering why you have to be induced? In a natural state your body wouldn't go into labor if it couldn't handle it. Forcing labor may not go well if your body isn't ready and you may end up in a c-section. Have you considered pushing the time until you are well? This may not be convenient for your doctors, but you need to take care of you so you can take care of your baby. I would say unless there's a very good reason why you need to be induced, wait until you are better and let her come naturally when your body and baby decide it is time. If you can't wait then breastfeeding will help the baby because of the natural anti-bodies the breast milk will deliver. You may not want to wear a mask initially as the bonding process happens in the first two hours after birth--seeing your face will be important for your baby if you can do it.

I'm not sure that was helpful to you, but just thought I would toss it out there.
Good luck in whatever happens, and may you have a beautiful, healthy baby!!

J.

My sister came down with a cold the day before my home birth delivery. I didn't catch the cold until the day after, but my guess is that all of the adrenaline of childbirth would take care of much of the congestion. I was very congested when my daughter was just a day old, but she never caught anything--all of those great breast antibodies really do the trick. If you are in the hospital anyway, you can trust there are tons of germs floating around and babies are amazingly resilient.

I too got sick about a week before delivery. My midwife said it was fairly common because of the drain on a woman's system at the end of term. I went into labor naturally and to my surprise it happened while I was still sick. In my case the intensity of labor completely eclipsed any sick feelings I had. I did have a home birth and my baby never caught a thing. I would avoid inducing if at all possible. Your body has the wisdom to know when to give birth--even if you are sick!

Drinking a mixture with equal parts vitamin C crystals & baking soda (balances the pH) has worked well for hurrying a cold away. May you have an awesome (and quick!) birth however you do it :-)

There are so many germs flying around in the air everywhere we go, there is no reason to wear a mask with your new baby. How will your baby ever have any immunity fighters in his/her little body if you try to keep him/her away from germs? It's impossible and not expsoing them to life and the germ world we live in could do more harm than good.

I have to say that when a woman is getting ready to give birth, her body must break down in some fashion to be ready to birth the baby. i had head colds about two weeks prior to birthing both my babies, and i know many women who did the same. However, the fact that you are being induced means that your body isn't being given the opportunity to recover from the cold, it is being artificially forced into labor when it may not be ready. Despite that, your baby, if breastfed will be getting all the antibodies that you have already built up against the cold you have. Colostrum is full of great things to prevent babies from getting sick, and breast milk is designed to keep your baby healthy. As long as you are breastfeeding, i think there is absolutely no need to wear a mask at all, i wouldn't worry about it! As for comfort during labor, i have no idea. Could your doctor postpone your induction a few days? If not, remember, it is just a short time and I will imagine you will be so focused on what you are doing, your cold will hardly bother you. Good luck and have a wonderful birth!

I was extremely ill before my daughter's birth. I followed the doctor's advice and still got sicker each day, ended up w/ pneumonia. Three days before she was born (on her due date), I had had enough. I was "sick and tired" of fearing I would die before I had her or that I would give her pneumonia and she would die. I went to the health food store and got all of the herbs that my Naturopathic Dr. had told me he couldn't recommend I take (because they weren't approved for pregnant women). I knew that if his wife had the same symptoms, she would have already taken them and nipped the cold in the bud. I took them all and by the time my water broke, I was so far improved, and my cold virtually disappeared after I had her. I would get NeilMed (a sinus flush--do it gently and don't squeeze too hard), colostrom, olive leaf tincture in juice, echinacea/goldenseal (glycerin form), drink hot teas, take epsom salts baths (1 cup w/ each), use a humidifier, rub Vick's & or essential oils on your chest, feet & spine. AND I would definitely breastfeed 100% (NO FORMULA) so your baby can have the immune boosting benefits and she will be just fine. Last, but not least, try to relax and trust both your body and hers to take care of themselves and eachother!!!

Hi D.! I am a birth doula and childbirth educator. I am wondering if it might be wiser to wait and go into natural labor - and have the chance to get over your head cold and ease into a labor pattern? I'm not sure why you are inducing, but letting your body tell you when it's ready for labor will likely coincide with feeling better - Mother Nature knows best ;)

Best of luck - hope you feel better soon!!

I was SOOO sick when I went into labor with my daughter last year! I was so mad about it and so worried. Luckily, it was fine and I can't remember being sick after she was born. She did not get sick and I started feeling better almost instantly.
You still have a couple days, drink your oj & get lots of sleep. Good luck, Sunday!

Both of my children were induced so I really don't think that was even your question. I was super congested with both my kids, not viral but part of pregnancy, that may just be what is going on with you and excess mucus causing coughs. Your baby is going to get the immunity from breast milk when first born and you may not want to get directly in your baby's face if you are truly sick, however, I would just enjoy every second of the new arrival and not worry much. You are most contagious with a cold before the symptoms start. By the 20th I am betting you will be fine! CONGRATS!

I had a HORRIBLE head cold when I went into labor with my 2nd child. So did my husband and my 1st child (who was 2 1/2 at the time). I was a little worried, but another friend of mine told me that childbirth gets rid of things like colds. Your body is suddenly putting out all these endorphins and hormones that will take care of it. I didn't believe her (she said that was what happened to her and what her doctor told her), but sure enough, once I was in recovery (I had a c-section), I realized that my head cold was completely gone.

The moral of my story? Don't worry too much if it's just a head cold. It'll go away. :)

I had the pleasure of going into labor with the Flu. I was sick for about a week before hand and so tired when I went into labor. I agree, if there is not a medical reason to be induced see if you can hold off for a day or two. I know thats hard to do, you are probably so ready to have this baby. Try, as someone else already suggested Nasel Spray, it will clear you temparary but it will help. I felt like I was on deaths bed when I delivered and my son never caught it.I was released in the 2 day time frame from the hospital but they keep my son for Jaundice and made me stay but released for 3 extra days to care for him. I truely think, looking back, they kept me there to get over the bug! Good Luck

Drink alot of water! And I mean alot! It not only relieves the pressure built up in your head helping to ease your discomfort it will also rapidly flush this out of your system! I have 2 children and am still currently breast feeding my 13 month old and have never in 4 years taken anything for head colds, except the excessive an excessive amount of water! I even have my husband doing it now, he is a firm believer in it as well! It works!!

T.
Homemaker, wife and mother of 2 boys, 4years old and 14 months, homeschooling mom also!

Your baby will be protected by the breastfeeding. And if she gets a cold, it's ok. I don't think it's a big deal. Doctors will let you know what to do. On the other hand, you can also ask them what to take so you don't have to think about your cold during delivery. At this point, I don't believe medicines will interfere with the baby, it's completely formed and I don't think you could cause malformations. But again, talk to your doctor and they will know what's best.

I just read the advice already given and most of it is very wise. A few more things you can do:
1) Colds are viruses - medicine only relieves the symptoms, not the cause. My tried and true cold reliever (give to me by an Oxfam nurse working in a refugee camp in Sudan in 1985, and used hundreds of time ever since..) is taking a hot steamy shower, two or three times a day. Steam up the bathroom as much as possible and then breathe through your mouth as deeply as you can, throughout the shower. This allows the congestion to soften and loosen, permitting your sinus passages and bronchial tubes to heal. Next, take two 500 mg tablets of non aspirin pain reliever (I used generic not brand name medications - but Tylenol is the equivalent) two or three times in 24 hours. This is NOT harmful to the baby (at 9 months gestation) and does not increase bleeding risk as aspirin might. It will fight the inflammation and allow your body to heal from the viral infection. Next, drink, drink and drink some more. Finally, as others have already told you, do a saline rinse (very easy - made at home one teaspoon of salt to one quart of warm water) of your nose two or three times a day. Then, gargle with a teaspoon of salt dissolved in a cup of very hot water. Finally, do some inhalations (Vick's, tiger balm, or just a bunch of rosemary, mint and bay leaves in a basin, covered with boiling hot water), then hold a towel over your head and breathe deeply for five minutes, again, through your mouth, not your nose).
2) Try acupuncunture! My midwife with my second child was also an acupuncturist. When I gave birth, in June, a terrible head cold started to come on with a few hours of giving birth. Contrary to what others say, I believe the pregnancy hormones offer super resistance during pregnancy, but the birth process somewhat lowers immunity for the mother. I complained to the midwife, and she offered me acupuncture that afternoon. I was in France, and gloriously, the hospital stay is a week, so I couldn't do all my home remedies - with the exception of the hot shower. Within HOURS, the cold symptoms had disappeared.
3) Relax! I agree that natural childbirth is the way to go, but assume that you have good reason for the induced labour. If you are stressed about the cold (or anything else) you are bound to have a more stressful childbirth experience. Meditate, sing, walk, laugh, do whatever it takes to relax and heal yourself, and remember the joy of having a new baby soon. It will surely nip put your anxiety in the bud.

HI-
Thought that you might like this tip. Try just some saline nasal spray. It won't make teh head cold go away but you will be able to breath. Very important though, no sprays with decongestents, just plain old saline. It will clear out your sinus' so you can breath.

Hi D.,

You didn’t mention how long you have had the cold but I did want to share with you that there is a nasty viral infection going around that if you don’t get it taken care of it can turn into Bronchitis or Pneumonia. My husband and I both ended up with it around the Holiday’s. Mine started on December 12th and I finally went to see my Dr. on Christmas Eve and begged for a Z-Pak prescription. This was of course after having suffered from 6 straight nights of interrupted sleep due to the continuous coughing spasms. They diagnosed me with Bronchitis / Sinusitis. I also have a 22 month old to take care of and am in my 27th week of pregnancy, so 24 weeks pregnant at the time. Azithoromycin is a level B drug and is supposedly safe during pregnancy so you may want to ask your OBGYN and your primary care physician about it. You will need all the strength you can muster, not only for the labor and delivery but for your newborn’s sake as well. My husband is also a Fireman and I feel so blessed with his schedule and with all that he does for my daughter and I. He has definitely taken care of more than his fair share of responsibilities around the house during this pregnancy. Plus my daughter only has to go to daycare one to two days a week because he wants her home with him when he's not on shift. Good luck and I hope this information helps.

J.

D.,

Can you put off being induced for a few days to give yourself a chance to feel better? Having a newborn is hard enough without having a cold at the same time.

:-)T.

my doc recommended a sinus flush with a hypotonic solution - you can get one at walgreens called sinus med - it's basically salt and baking soda in the appropriate amounts - with a cool bottle that works everytime... worth the trouble if you have a 2 year old.

she swears it wards off any cold or sinus infection and dramatically speeds the healing process - don't see how it wouldn't - it's basically like giving your sinuses a bath.

virtually painless.
definitely use warm water.

you can mix your own at home, but i like this one a lot.
i think it's worth it. not expensive (fifteen bucks or so with a whole bunch of premeasured packets).

ANYWAY
we'll be thinking of you -
we have a 2 year old and a 3 month old.

eventually it gets easier or so i hear :))
enjoy your babies.
s

I am not going to claim that this is safe while you are pregnant, I've done it while pregnant, but it was harder than usual, because I was so hungry! But two to three days of mostly fluids (not sugar drinks, organic juices and mostly water)always flushes out all of the mucus for me. Also cranberry capsules or straight cranberry juice (no sugar or additives) will help to keep anything from sticking to the mucus membranes. I know what it is like to be in labor with a cold, a cough put me into labor with one of my sons! Luckily it seemed to stop during the intense part and delivery. But the coughing started up soon after delivery again. It was not fun! Now I just do this minor cleanse and the cold goes away. Good luck to you!

Just to add a note, I induced 3 of my children with castor oil. It started labor within a few hours the first time, a half an hour the second time, and 10 min. the third time. (these were pregnancies 3,4,and 5). 2 Tablespoons (warmed) did it for me, although my midwife reccomended 4 tablespoons. I was dialated to a 3 or a 4 and definitely ready anyway.

When pregnant (or otherwise) I clear up head colds by doing nasal rinsing with warm saline 2-5 times a day. Between now and Sunday you can get much better. You can read about the method here: http://allergies.about.com/od/noseandsinusallergies/a/nas...

I had a minor head cold when I delivered. It wasn't a big deal. What I recall is that it was pretty hard to hold my breath and push for as long as they wanted me too. The nurse also put an oxygen mask on me toward the end of delivery and that helped my breathing too.

You may want to practice a bit at home. See if you can hold your breath for 10 whole seconds (no more than that! you've got a baby inside).

If you choose to stick with the induction plan, don't be worried about your cold. Just focus on having a great delivery - it can go pretty quickly the second time around.

Hi D.! I had a terrible cold and cough when I went into labor with my daughter. I was sick for days prior to her birth and so I was absolutely exhausted when I went into labor (which lasted 24 hours so that didn't help either) The good news is that my sickness seemed to cease during my labor. As soon as my daughter was born, my cough resumed. The doctors told me that because I had been sick for several days already, the baby had built up antibodies and would be immune to my sickness. I also breastfed her, which they said would help. I didn't wear a mask or take any precautions around the baby and she didn't get sick at all so they were right about not worrying. So, the only real down side was that I started off my labor a little bit more tired than I should have been. In the end, everything worked out and we were both fine. I hope you feel better and congratulations!!! Oh, by the way have you tried airborne? That has worked well for my colds.

I had a horrible head cold right before I gave birth to my daughter. I went past my due date and delivered the same day I started feeling better. My daughter never got sick and I think it was breast feeding that helped. If you plan on breast feeding she will get your immunities through your milk. If you are still sick tomorrow, recovery from labor may take a bit longer. Get as much rest as possible. Which I know can feel nearly impossible when you are 9 months pregnant. Also, maybe your induction could be put off a few days until you are feeling better? Depends on the reason for the induction. Quite honestly, you will probably forget all about your cold during labor. I hope you start feeling better and Good luck with your induction. Congrats on another wonderful baby girl!!!

I just wouldn't induce...can you reschedule? the only time I wouldn't consider rescheduling is if you were 2 weeks OVER due. I think your body/baby might be saying it's not ready...

I also had a head cold when my daughter was born (almost 5 years ago). I asked for my doctors advice and she told me a couple of OTC meds that would be okay for me to take. It's really important that you can focus on the job at hand and you don't want to be more misreable than you have to. Call your doctor ahed of time and find out what you can take and pack it in your bag for the hospital. I believe my doctor recommended Tylenol cold. Also, if you're being induced, I assume your baby is full term with fully developed lungs;she has already been exposed to your germs and has a certain amount of immunity (thanks to you) at birth so I wouldn't worry too much about that.

I had a terrible cold and strep throat when I delivered my son. I was so stuffed up and couldn't breathe at all through my nose. I also had an awful cough. My doctor's office told me to take benadryl, however, this also dried up my milk and I could not breast feed. (I didn't know this would happen. My milk did eventually come in, but by that time I had made the decision not to breast feed.) Don't worry about being around your baby when you are sick. The doctors and nurses at the hospital told me that my baby was immune to my cold from carrying him during my illness. The hospital hooked me up to an IV as soon as I got there to keep me hydrated. They also gave me some antibiotics through the IV since I had to stop taking cold medicine when I got there. My delivery wasn't that uncomfortable because of my cold. The worst part was that my mouth and lips were so dry. (Sucking on ice chips didn't cut it.) My son never did get my cold, even though I continued to be sick for two weeks after I delivered him. He is now almost three years old and is very healthy!

D.,
First of all congratulations! Have you tried taking any medicine for your cold? You should call your doctors office & see what they recommend, but most doctors are ok with you taking Robitussin, which will help a lot with your congestion & cough. Your doctor can order you to get it every 4-6 hours as needed during your labor and postpartum. Good luck with your delivery! -an l&d nurse