The flu is a highly infectious virus. It tends to occur seasonally, and is usually around during the winter months. During pregnancy, your weakened immune system means you have an increased risk of catching flu. The weakened immune system also puts you at a greater, though still very small, risk of developing complications if you do contract the virus.

Flu vaccine during pregnancy

Pregnant women are offered the flu vaccine each year. Usually offered in the fall, it takes a couple of weeks for you to develop an immunity after the shot. The flu vaccine is considered safe to administer at any point during pregnancy. There is no need to wait until your second trimester, as the vaccine is considered safe even during early pregnancy.

If you have not been offered the flu vaccine, speak to your healthcare provider to find out why. It is not possible to catch flu from the vaccine, although you may experience some mild side effects that mimic flu symptoms. As with all vaccines, there are a number of possible side effects, please ask your healthcare provider about these before being vaccinated. There is a nasal spray flu vaccine available, but this is not suitable for use during pregnancy.

Symptoms of flu

If you contract flu, you will experience a fever of over 38C/100.4F, and at least two of the following symptoms:

• runny nose
• headache
• sore throat
• tiredness
• loss of appetite
• muscle aches
• cough
• shortness of breath
• diarrhoea or vomiting

The potential complications of suffering from flu during pregnancy include pneumonia, dehydration and difficulty breathing. If you think you may be suffering from flu, contact your healthcare provider for advice.

Treatment for flu during pregnancy

The following tips may help you to manage your flu symptoms:

• get plenty of rest
• increase your fluid intake
• eat little and often
• use cold flannels to lower your temperature
• speak to your pharmacist for advice on which over the counter medications are safe to take during pregnancy

When to call your healthcare provider

Pregnancy puts you at a slightly increased risk of a number of complications. For this reason, it’s important to seek immediate medical help if you notice any of the following symptoms:

• difficulty breathing
• shortness of breath
• coughing up a bloody mucus
• turning blue
• pressure or pain in your chest or abdomen
• dizziness
• severe vomiting
• reduced foetal movements
• a high fever that cannot be lowered with over the counter medications

Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2018. All rights reserved.

If you’re trying to keep your baby away from germs, you are probably fighting a losing battle. Babies love dirt and mess and pretty much everything they shouldn’t really be touching. They will happily cuddle up with their incredibly snotty best friend, gleefully play with puddles of mud and are more than happy giving the dog a kiss (right after he’s licked his, erm, self). Yep, babies aren’t fussy, they’ll touch anything. So, how can you keep your baby away from harmful germs and, in fact, should you?

Is dirt good for kids?

Many parents try to keep their kids away from dirt because they believe it will keep them healthy, but in fact, many scientists disagree. Researchers now believe that early exposure to germs can actually reduce the risk of allergies and asthma in later life. It is thought that exposure to bacteria, viruses and parasites is important for the healthy development of the immune system.

If you try to keep your home as sterile as possible, encourage regular and thorough hand washing and carry hand sanitizer with you wherever you go, you may actually be depriving your child of the opportunity to develop a strong immune system. Without exposure to germs in the environment, our bodies are unable to build up the immunities we may need in later life. This combined with the overuse of antibiotics may cause serious problems for this next generation in later life.

Finding the balance

So, a clean sterile environment could be bad for your kids in the future. But a filthy, germ-filled environment might not do them any favors either. How do you find the balance and ensure your child is exposed to the right amount of germs? Well, there isn’t a quota for the right amount or even right type of germs. It all comes down to common sense. Of course, you should wash your child’s hands after they visit the toilet, but it’s probably ok for them to play in the mud in the garden every now and again.

How do you feel about germs? Are you a clean freak or do you go with the flow when it comes to muddy hands?

Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

Babies are not famed for their rock hard immune systems, so you may be wondering what steps you can take to keep your baby healthy during cold and flu season. Looking after a poorly baby isn’t much fun, babies get pretty miserable when they’re suffering from stuffy noses, weepy eyes and fevers. A poorly baby may struggle to sleep well and probably won’t want to be put down, meaning you’ll be feeling touched out and exhausted. To try and avoid that, there are a few things you can do to try and keep your baby healthy:

1. Stay away from poorly people

This one sounds easy enough, but during the winter months, poorly people are everywhere. If you want to reduce the risk of your baby getting ill, be upfront with potential visitors that you’d rather not expose your baby to germs and viruses. This should encourage poorly people to stay away. You can also request that people wash their hands before touching or holding the baby as a way of limiting the spread of germs.

2. Teach your older child about handwashing

If you have any older child who attends school or nursery, they’re likely to be a walking petri-dish of germs. If you want to try and prevent your baby from getting sick, you’ll need to educate your older child about how important it is to wash your hands before touching the baby. You’ll also have to stress the importance of not coughing or sneezing around the baby. With older children around, trying to keep your baby germ-free will be even more of a challenge.

3. Keep breastfeeding

Young babies don’t have much in the way of immune systems, but breastfeeding is a great way to help keep your baby healthy. Through breastfeeding, your baby will receive some of your immunities which may help to protect her from some of the viruses going around at the moment. Also, and prepare to be amazed by the genius of your body here, your breast milk contains antibodies to any germs your baby may have picked up. Scientists think that at each feed, a small amount of your baby’s saliva is absorbed into your body, if any bacteria or viruses are discovered, your body will start producing the necessary antibodies and these will be delivered to your baby via breast milk. Pretty impressive, right?

4. Encourage a healthy lifestyle

People function best when they’re eating healthy foods, exercising regularly and getting enough sleep. Ensuring your baby is enjoying all of these components of a healthy lifestyle could go some way to boosting their immune system. When your baby is old enough to start on solid foods, make sure you offer a healthy, balanced diet rich in fresh fruits, vegetables and greens.

The above tips may help to keep your baby healthy, but in reality, your baby is likely to encounter a few sniffles along the way. Your baby has an immature immune system and is at an increased risk of catching any bugs going round. You can follow the steps above to try and keep your baby healthy, but remember it’s not possible to completely eradicate the risk of your baby catching a cold.

Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.