flu while pregnant

[RolyPolierThanThou]

I'm 22 weeks pregnant and have flu. came down with it Friday morning and im still going through the shivers (more like uncontrollable tremors) and fevers cycles.

Been quarantined from my two young children and thankfully dh is home to look after them.

Ive been taking paracetamol for the fever but it doesn't seem to do much. Nhs direct just says stay home, drink enough and take paracetamol but not too much.

Im worried because fevers in pregnancy are bad news. Google made my hair stand on end. Heart defects, premature labour, autism etc etc

Has anyone else had flu in pregnancy and it's all been fine? Just looking to hear from others who might have had this and what their gp or midwife said about it.

[MatildaTheCat]

I am /was a midwife. Step away from Evil Dr Google right now.

The advice re paracetamol, rest and fluids is correct. If you have sore throat or a cough then honey and lemon drinks are very soothing. Albas oil on a tissue to inhale can help a blocked nose. Are you actually taking your temperature? If it isn't settling below about 39 degrees after paracetamol it would be worth calling the GP service.

You aren't very specific about your symptoms but any signs of pregnancy worry then obviously call the maternity unit for advice but if it is 'just' feeling ghastly then carry on as you are, it will almost certainly settle in a few days though be warned, real flu is a nasty illness and takes a while to recover from.

Hope you feel better soon.

[Flisspaps]

I had swine flu when 28 weeks pregnant with 5yo DD.

Nothing really unusual to note other than her outlandish dress sense

[MatildaTheCat]

Sorry, to be clear about paracetamol you should take the full dose but no more. Don't ration yourself to less if you are feverish. And do keep up lots of fluids as it's amazing quite revolting how much you sweat out when unwell. Sometimes drinking warm fluid is easier than cold.

If you are up to it stagger for a bath or shower and request lovely clean sheets, that will make you feel better in itself.

[RolyPolierThanThou]

Good advice, thank you.
Im in clean pjs after a not too warm bath and that feels marvellous by itself.

Ive finally managed to eat something (had only a croissant since friday morning) and thats picked me up a bit.

I'll keep on with paracetamol (I have been rationing it. I'll keep to the recommended dose.)

Hmm the outlandish dress sense is likely to be genetic in this household judging by a) what my toddler thinks is an acceptable outfit and b) what his father puts him in.

We definitely need some sort of badge that reads 'daddy dressed me today'. And we dont even have swine flu as an excuse.

[Flisspaps]

I'm not sure I can use it as an excuse 6 years on! Hope you feel better soon.

[Almostfifty]

I had flu when pregnant a good few years ago. My DC is now a university graduate and very switched on. I just drank water till I felt like eating. My doctor told me my baby was a parasite and it was my body that would suffer, rather than the baby. He was right.

[RolyPolierThanThou]

Pain around the diaphragm kept me awake in the night and had another fever in the night and this morning (they seem to happen every 5 hours and last for two) but none yet since so I think im on the mend.

Thank you so much for the reassurance. I feel less worried about it now. Especially since there is nothing I can do about it except keep up the paracetamol schedule every six hours and control my temperature.

And my sister gave me the box set of game of thrones and her spare tv (didnt have one so GoT had passed me by) so ive been watching that. Dh has had the dc (2.5 and 1) all by himself day and night since Friday without a murmur about the difficulties. I miss them terribly being quarantined like this.

[snowaccidentprone]

I had flu when pregnant with ds1. I was off work sick for 3 weeks, and spent nearly 2 weeks in bed. I also didn't eat for over a week, just drank water and lucazade. Ds1 was pretty skinny when he was born, but is still skinny 19 years later. So genetic rather than anything else.

He was, and still is fine.

Look after yourself, rest, sleep, plenty of fluids, don't overdo it when you start to feel a bit better.