Has anyone else taken multivitamins and echinacea whilst pregnant?

[Smileysar1]

Hi
I have been suffering with cold after cold after chest infection after cold for the last 7 weeks. It's really wearing me down.
I am 17+3 pg and I have a 2 year old and also work full time in a hospital.
Someone has recommended I take echinacea supplements. My dh has bought me some but they say not for use in pregnancy. Is this because like the majority of drugs they haven't been trialled in pregnant women or are they unsafe?
Was wondering if anyone else has used them??
Thanks all

I don't know about echinacea but if taking multivitamins then watch out for them containing Vit A as you're supposed to avoid this in pregnancy. I was on multivitamins before pregnancy so switched to Pregnacare to avoid Vit A.

Yeah it's because the dose of vitamin A is much higher than recommended in pregnancy. Just take pregnancy vitamins (Pregnacare or own brand equivalent).
I can't tell you whether echinacea is safe or not, but you do need to take it every day for quite a while for it to help prevent illness. It's a preventative and not a cure.
Hope you feel better soon. Paracetamol and honey and lemon with hot water will help.

Vitamins are one thing (apart from vitamin A of course), but echinacea? Don't do it. I know someone who is convinced she has given herself MS through taking too high a dose for too long, and now the packets come with a warning: both not to take for very long and not to take if you've got MS. There is no need to subject yourself or your unborn child to it, just increase fluids and vitamin c, which is safe.