Honey

[jubbablub]

I’ve just found out I’m pregnant and have one of the worst colds ever!! Went to see a doctor yesterday who has said that I can’t have honey in the first trimester. Is this right?

I know that babies can’t have it for the first year, but didn’t realise that you couldn’t have it when PG.

pasteurized stuff is probably fine. the risk of botulism is very low with natural honey so if it is heated probably nil.

@christmascardqueen So is manuka honey okay? I’m really struggling with a sore throat and wondered if it would help.

read the label does it say pasteurized? if not you can heat it yourself and allow it to cool. it only has to be warmed to 65C or 150F for 30 minutes.

I wouldn’t have even considered it as a problem tbh. Have you tried gargling with soluble paracetamol for your throat?

@hersymphony I’m going to try that when I get up proper this morning. Thanks!

Your doctor is wrong and it's concerning that they are giving incorrect advice. Enjoy your honey. Hope you feel better soon.

I've got terrible chesty cough at moment and first thing ny midwife suggested was to have honey boiled in lemon water to soothe it

I used honey and lemon when I had a cold as I was told it was one of the few safe cold remedies I could have

Your doctor is wrong. You can have honey. Once s/he is born your baby should not have it before the age of one unless thoroughly cooked, however.

I've not heard of this and all I ate for a few weeks in my first trimester was honey on seedy toast.... honey is only a 'placebo' for colds these days I think, the 'antibiotic effects' they used to say honey has are non effective anymore as everything that lands in supermarket has to go through several checks and most of it is preserved one way or another. As long as you don't have it straight from a beehive I wouldn't worry. (Even then I wouldn't...) enjoy your tea! Be careful with the lemon though, I'm just starting to recover from the worst cold ever (I'm 15 weeks) and I had lots of fresh lemon ginger honey tea and it was too much acid eventually and made me sick. Try ice lollies if you have a sore throat and also fresh sage tea. Hope you're better soon!

Thank you all so much. I’m going to send DH out on a manuka run later. Having a cold and being in the first trimester sucks.

The advice changed over the years (from when my DD20 was born and Annabelle Karmel was saying to sweeten baby food with honey, to DD10, when I was told to avoid it whilst pregnant). I believe currently that pasturized honey in particular is fine for pregnant, though honey should still be avoided for babies under one

Knock yourself out on the Manuka :)

On another note. There is more “manuka” honey sold than produced. Same with other store bought honey, unscrupulous bottlers mix it with other products like corn syrup and then sell it still as honey.
Please try to by your honey from a local beekeeper. You can easily pasteurize it yourself.

In all three of my pregnancy I’ve gobbled Manuka honey (with lemons in tea) like an absolute crazy. Best thing for a cold, and I seem to be plagued with them when pregnant

I had a terrible cold in my first few weeks of pregnancy with the worst cough...my doctor told me to stick with warm honey and lemon drinks and the pharmacist gave me honey & lemon medicine!