Flu and Pregnancy

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.

Zika and Pregnancy

As a pregnant mom, recent news reports of birth defects related to Zika virus may have you worried. Zika is a mosquito-borne illness that is can cause mild illness in some people. But for pregnant women, the virus poses significant risks for their developing baby. Zika has been linked to microcephaly (a birth defect where baby’s head is smaller than expected) and other brain problems in babies exposed while in utero.

The Zika virus has been found in Central and South America, the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, a number of Pacific island countries, and several countries in Africa. In the US, Zika has been found in Florida. Experts believe it will continue to spread over the coming years.

There is no antiviral medication to treat a Zika infection, nor a vaccination to prevent it. The best way to protect yourself and your baby is to avoid exposure, if possible. If you are already pregnant, health authorities recommend you postpone any non-essential travel to areas of the world where Zika is widespread. If you must travel or if you live in one of these areas, protect yourself from possible exposure by using insect repellent and mosquito nets and wearing clothing that covers as much of your body as possible (hat, long sleeves, long pants, socks, shoes).

Because there is no known time in pregnancy when an infection poses a higher or lower risk, travel to Zika prone areas is discouraged even if you are not yet pregnant but may possibly become so. If you’re actively trying to conceive, and you have had a Zika infection, wait at least 8 weeks to get pregnancy. If your partner has had a confirmed case of Zika, wait at least 6 months before trying to conceive. If either of you may potentially have been exposed to Zika but you’re not sure and you haven’t been tested, it’s best to wait at least 8 weeks from when you may have been exposed.

Partners who have traveled to Zika prone areas are also at risk of exposing a pregnant mom and her unborn baby to the illness as it can be spread through sexual contact. If your partner has been exposed to Zika, use a barrier contraceptive (condom) or avoid sexual contact altogether. Zika can persist in semen for weeks or even months after his illness. So continued protection may be necessary.

Experts recommend that any pregnant woman with a potential exposure to Zika be tested, even if she has no signs or symptoms of the disease. This typically involves a blood test to confirm whether or not you have the illness. If you do have Zika, your healthcare provider will monitor your pregnancy more closely, likely with regular ultrasound scans to assess baby’s development.

 

Written By Michelle, writer, editor, childbirth educator, lactation consultant, and mom of 4 busy kids

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 2017. All rights reserved.

4 Ways to Keep Your Baby Healthy

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.

  1. 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.

  1. 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?

  1. 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.

5 Stuffy Nose Remedies Every Mama Needs to Know

Oh, parenting, such a glamorous job. When you’re not scraping baby poop out from under your fingernails or trying to work out how obvious the baby sick on your denim jacket is, you’re desperately trying to get the snot out of your baby’s nose. By your baby’s first birthday, you’ll be an expert in all things related to bodily fluid.

It sucks when your baby has a cold. You will probably find that your baby can’t sleep well thanks to that bunged up nose, which means you won’t be sleeping well either. If you’re breastfeeding, you’ll end up with snot-covered nipples. Your baby will have a permanent face caterpillar of snot edging down towards his mouth and will probably be pretty grumpy. Do not fear, however, here are some stuffy nose remedies to help you through the next few days:

  1. Steam it away

Steam is great for clearing the airways and helping your baby to breathe a little easier. If your baby is suffering from a blocked nose, try spending a little extra time in the bathroom. Run the shower so that the room fills with steam and sit with your baby in the bathroom for a few minutes. This is a great one to try just before bed and will hopefully guarantee you a little extra sleep thanks to those cleared airways.

  1. Use a sling

Staying upright can reduce the risk of a blocked nose. This can prove tricky for young babies who spend a lot of time lying down. Try using a sling or baby-carrier with your baby to keep her upright throughout the day. Not only will this help with her nose, it will also help you if your baby is clingy when under the weather. You’ll be able to soothe, kiss and hold your baby whilst still having your hands free to do other things.

  1. Saline nasal drops

Saline nasal drops for babies can be picked up at the pharmacist and may help to clear your baby’s blocked nose. The gentle solution simply thins the mucus and clears the blocked nose. You’ll then be able to use a damp cotton wool ball to gently remove any snot around your baby’s nose.

  1. Remove the snot

There are all kinds of weird and wonderful products on the baby market. A few of these even claim to be good at getting rid of snot. You could give one of these a try if your baby is struggling to breathe through her nose. Ask in your local pharmacist to see what products they have to offer. One of the most common designs is the bulb syringe.  If your baby is struggling to feed properly because of a stuffy nose, it’s worth trying to clear the snot before each feed.

  1. Raise the mattress

You may have noticed yourself that raising your head at night can help you get a better night’s sleep when you’re suffering from a cold. This works for babies too. Pillows are not advised for babies because of the increased risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Instead, you can use a folded towel under your baby’s mattress to gently raise one end of the mattress. This will allow your baby to breathe easier at night. Only raise the mattress slightly, to avoid your baby sliding to the bottom or sides of the cot.

What tricks and tips do you use when your baby is suffering from a stuffy nose?

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.