Sick Mommy

I love this website! It always has a ton of tips... here are some tips on colds and coughs :)

http://search.mercola.com/Results.aspx?q=cold

Here is a great website for homemade cough syrups. I muscle tested and found out which one would work best for my son (he is sick right now) and it works great!!!
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_9029.cfm

If I remember correctly you can take tylenol products. But you might want ot pump some bottles to have on hand. There are also allot of homeopathic medecines available that might not have any sied effect

I am an oddball who hates taking medicine for anything, which only increased once I became pregnant/breastfeeding.
When I am sick, like now, I make a ginger tea with lemon and honey, (just slice some fresh ginger and add to boiling water) and use a vaporizer, or a vapor plug in.
I've also drank ecinachea tea, lemon tea, and take a flintstone vitamin, drink tons of fluids, vitamin c, and yummy soup. I like a lemon-chicken broth concoction. My mom always said you can't get rid of a cold by supressing it, you just have to let it do it's job and move on. (So that may be *why* I am an oddball ;)

lots of garlic, vitamin C , echinecea.... this always works for me, there such great immune boosters and good for your baby as well!!

I use Echinacea tincture about 4 times per day when getting sick with a cold. It helps boost your immune system. I don't think there is any problem while nursing but don't take it for more than a week at a time. If it is going to help it will probably do so by then.
Are you drinking plenty of water and getting enough sleep. These also help the healing process.
Good Luck

If you do a sinus wash with a warm saline solution you will feel much better. I just got over a severe cold and I did the wash 2 times a day. You can find sinus wash kits by NeilMed at Wal-Mart or Target. I hope you feel better soon!

I always took and still take actifed. It is the stuff you have to sign for but it is the safest and really helps.. Good luck
Mom of 4

If you are nursing I've been told you can take Sudafed. I nursed my two boys and got real sick a couple of times with both of them. I try and stay clear of meds but I've taken tylenol and hot baths and uped my zinc which helps build your immune system.

I'm sorry, I really feel for you! I have gone through this many times! The thing that helps me is vicks vapor rub and a humidifier at night. I doubt there is much else you can do right now. You could try a salt water mixture to squirt up your nose. that works sometimes too. But DON'T take a decongestant. I took one once when my oldest son was about 5 months old and my milk dried up for a few days. (luckily, I stored a lot of breastmilk in the freezer). I am told that I am lucky my milk came back after that, so don't do it! Good luck, and I hope you feel better.

Psuedoephedrine can affect your milk supply... I tried to avoid it when I was breastfeeding my son (I have really bad allergies and it's the only thing that works when I'm at my worst, lol). If you take it sparingly though and drink a lot of liquids, it can help.
Otherwise hot tea, and for some reason hot jell-o really help me (I mix it like a tea, keep it a liquid, my mom does this when she's sick, it looks kinda odd but it tastes good!). Try to get as much sleep as you can.
Good luck! Sorry you're sick!
A.

I think Sudafed is okay. You can check www.kellymom.com and it'll tell you what you can and can't take.
I hope you feel better soon!

I believe any of the tylonal products are safe and approved. Call your doctor and ask or try nurse online. Saline solution spray also really helps. Take care and get some rest!

While most of the cough medicines are considered "safe" & it is unlikely they will affect your milk supply I still like to be extra cautious. Raw buckwheat honey for your cough use a teaspoon as needed & a saline wash for your nose such as netipot. You can find these things at your local healthfood store.
Brekka

M.-
I have not tried it myself, but I have heard that if you rub your feet with Vapo-Rub each night and put on socks before bed it should help your cold go away. It can't hurt to try. Good luck P.

I'd talk to your local pharmacist. Or to your pediatrition. I was really sick with broncitis when I was nursing my two week old son. He got thrush, a yeast infection in the mouth. I'd ask what you can do. Good luck and I hope you feel better soon. Happy New Year.

Any decongestant you take is going to dry up your milk supply somewhat. If you choose to take something, make sure you drink a ton more fluids, and nurse a little more often if your son will do it. If you can suffer through it, I recommend doing that, especially if you want to continue breastfeeding. Sorry I don't have better news for you.

Mucinex DM is good for clearing out your stuffy head. It is SAFE for breastfeeding mommies. My doctor recommended it for me when my baby was about 4 months too.

Go to a health food store like Wild Oats or Good Earth and get some Umcka. They have drops that are alcohol free and come from the root of a South African geranium. It says to take a dropper full every few hours, but I like to take about 1/4 dropper every half hour for a day and zap it. It's not cheap, but it works for me. Being homeopathic, it may not work like magic for you, but it's worth a try.

Taking extra Vit. C is good and if you go to Campbell's, they can recommend some herbs that will help and will not affect your milk or upset baby's tummy.

A.

My Doctor told me that I can take anything that was tylenol, such as tylenol cold and sinus of tylenol cold for night and day. And I am currently breastfeeding my 4 month old. He told me just to follow the same guidlines as when I was pregnant.

Hi, Zoo Mom here. Mother of five, and 29 years old. I've done the sick mommy thing a few times. If I remember right, Tylonol Cold is safe. It's just about the only one that is o.k. I also used Ricola cough drops.

I feel your pain. Go to kellymom.com they have lots of options for you to do for a cold/cough. Good luck

I always take Echinacea to help speed the healing. Hope this helps.

My doctor said Sudafed was okay as long as I used it sparingly because it can affect your milk supply. (I never had any trouble with it.)

Using a neti pot to rinse your sinuses absolutely works for stuffy/runny nose and is worth the cost of the pot! Go to YouTube and type in Neti Pot demo or Neti Pot how to or in action. I use pure sea salt and body temperture water. It is totally the best medicine.

As for the cough, that I have not had much luck. My friends swear by Mucinex, but I have never had luck with any cough medicine. I prop myself up in bed quite a lot and run a humidifer.

Good luck and good health!