Colds in pregnancy

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I am 31 weeks and started coming down with a cold Thursday night, but it's been really horrible since Sat night.

Am waking every 2-3hrs to cough my lungs out, as well as the other usual symptoms. Doctor said paracetamol and rest. I'm not feeling any better yet.

If you've had a cold during pregnancy, how long did it take to clear?

I'm 32 weeks and had a cold a couple of weeks ago. It lasted for about two weeks. Was at it's worst for about 5 days then started to to clear but I just couldn't shake it off. I was advised to drink honey and lemon on hot water but it was disgusting. I took honey to soothe my throat and smothered myself in vaporub at night. Also found sleeping propped up helped with the coughing.

Thanks FrillyMilly I'm hoping to see the light at the end of the tunnel soon!

I am just coming to the end of a nasty cold which felt better within a week but has taken a bit longer to go completely. I put honey in cups of tea (no milk!) and found drinking/gargling the paracetamol worked best, the chemist sells it as 'dispersible' paracetamol.
I do find it annoying though, feeling so lousy and not able to have a lemsip or some strepsils.

Longer than usual! I think your immune system is lower in pregnancy.

I'm 24 weeks and started with a cold/cough about 3 weeks ago. Last week I felt I was getting over it... and then another one started which I am one week into now. Its neverending!

So I feel your pain. I just want to feel well again!

I have been dreading getting a cold... woke up yesterday with a really sore throat,a cough and a stuffy head. My Dr told me I shouldn't take paracetamol unless I really can't cope without it, so I'm trying to survive off honey and lemon. Feeling quite lost without my usual lemsip.

Have to go in to work and deal with a shop full of customers in a bit. All I want to do is lie on the sofa under a blanket x

Oh god it's rubbish isn't it.

I've had a really nasty one which lasted a week, then went to my chest and gave me a barking cough for a day, and now means that I feel like I'm suffocating and can't sleep for coughing. Hate it.

(Am I the only one who worries about the baby not getting enough oxygen when I can't breathe???)

Planning to breathe in some menthol steam later... it's all about the glamour

I had the flu for about two weeks and have been getting a bit better for two days only to get a cold today and feel wiped out again. It must be because I am pregnant because I usually don't get these sorts of things. I feel like a bag of cats and after the flu which has left me as flat as anything I am feeling very sorry for myself (sniff) - am taking out shares in kleenex

I've had a cold for a few days and feel rubbish mostly because I was struggling to sleep even before the couging wheezing etc. You can take paracetamol though (according to books and midwife), so lemsip is fine. It has a lower dose than pills. I prefer hot lemon with honey for the taste although it's done naf all as yet!

Brandy haven't you been offered flu jab? it's free for all pregnant women.

i had a cold for about 2 weeks at 8 weeks pregnant and tried everything, saline up the nose to clear sinuses (hurts and made me puke) honey and lemon (made me puke) vicks (only occasionally made me puke) and was generally miserable. It sucks and the worst part is being completely out of control of it -i like to be proactive in illness and take DRUGS! Now suffering from vomiting and diarrhoea after a trip to Egypt and back to moping miserably and wishing i wasn't pregnant then feeling really bad that the baby will feel unloved, then not caring and wishing all the more i wasn't pregnant!

I totally agree that it is complete rubbish, I have had a cold for a week and a bit now and think it's starting to abate touches wood.

I'm pretty sure that you can't take Lemsip because of the decongestant, as you say Paracetamol is fine, although I am a little paranoid about taking too much of that too. I've been on hot water, lemon and honey and Lockets, which are fine but not exactly massively effective.

I think they definitely take longer to clear up when you are pregnant!

I feel rotten too. Am sitting in a hotel room in Krakow (work trip) 19 weeks pg with a gross cold courtesy of 2 yr old dd and wishing I could pop some max strength lemsip tablets before dinner with investors. Making me feel very emotional and pining for Dd too instead of trying out the free toiletries which is what I should be doing.. At least I won't have to try to cough quietly tonight as no dh to wake.

I am 20 weeks pregnant and feel rotten too. Seems to be getting worse not better....took thurs and Fri off work last week and think will have to take tomorrow off too. I feel a bit pathetic taking so much time off for a cold!

I'm 39 +2 with a horrible cold. Hope it goes before the baby arrives.

You know what makes it worse? Having a toddler that also has the damn cold. Poor little man (20months) is streaming snot, off his food, running a temp, whiney, and wants to latch on to me contantly (still bf - great timing, this cold... just as my milk supply has drastically dropped, bam it hits).

16+6 and day two of real bad cold symptoms. Not being able to take a heavy-duty decongestant and a crap-load of painkillers is one thing. To have to suffer and deal with a little person also suffering sucks donkey balls.

Do I win the self-pitying prize?

Manda- full sympathies. I have a nearly 3 yr old who is a snot monster too. Now the DH has it too. My mum came over today thank god. I feel like its never going to go! A week now and no better..

Cherrypi - I went into labour with a cold I had had for 2 weeks last time. I had lots of Vicks under my nose to help me breathe and the midwife got into a panic cos she thought I was massively sweathing and called the consultant. 'Don't worry its only Vicks'! But still was completely well by the end of it all - all the adrenalin got rid of the cold!!!

Ooh one way to get rid of a cold hey froggers? Baby is engaged now so may be trying out the cure.

This time and when pregnant with ds I had a stuffy nose from the start!! It went when I gave birth last time so hoping it does this time too. So far I have ended up with the cold throughout and pneumonia and two chest infections!!

Gah, see in my sinus-blocked haze (I don't see how anyone can possibly be snotty considering I have ALL THE SNOT IN THE WORLD packed in my sinuses) I got my weeks and days wrong. 16+6 today not yesterday.

Am somewhat better today though. But maybe it just seems that way, as last night I definitely got worse. Comes to something when really crap feels good... you know, in comparision to really really crap.

However, I shall hang on and suffer stoically (moaning here doesn't count!) rather than resort to labour to cure it!

Eeugh I am soo over snot now. Last night I raided the medicine cabinet and found some Decongestant Sinus tablets, got excited and then realised I couldn't take them. I begrudgingly told DH who practically ran to get them. I think that was very nice of me don't you? I was sooo jealous..

Ahh yukky yukky horrible colds! Blerghhh!
A few weeks ago i had a cold and bronchitus .. luckily doctor said see if goes away by itself which luckily it did!! =D!

Now im back again to coughing a sniffling and all yukky! Including my lil one too bless her, luckily shes not too bad (Touch wood) and still going to school !! xxx
Sleeping propped up nicking my partners pillows hehee helps with the sleeping!
Honey and lemon i loveee but i miss annadins lol! Paracetamol has never worked for me so i wont bother now im preggers hehe!

Hope everyone feels better soon! x

You can take the boots own lemsip. I've been told its perfectly safe as its just paracetamol.

I sympathise. I've had my cold about 3 weeks and it's not getting better