Cold Remedies for Breastfeeding Mothers

Breastfeeding moms have to consider everything that they put into their bodies because it can be passed to their baby through their breast milk. Thus when a nursing mom becomes ill, she has to be cautious in what she takes and how she treats her ailment so as not to harm the baby. Breastfeeding moms can take some medications, but lots of moms also use natural and herbal methods to deal with a cold.

Fever

Treat a fever with an Advil or Tylenol. Both have been approved by the American Association of Pediatrics as safe for breastfeeding mothers.

Cough

For a cough associated with a cold, she should take Vicks, Robitussin or Benylin. However, she must still watch for unusual drowsiness in the baby as this could be a sign that the medication is too strong for the infant and thus should be stopped immediately. Medications with an alcohol content higher than 20 percent should not be taken at all.

Sore Throat

Only suck on Vicks, NICE or Cepacol lozenges as they contain menthol and benzocaine. Throat lozenges that contain phenol are not safe for breastfeeding mothers to consume. Gargle apple cider vinegar and water several times a day. Also, drink strong black tea as it soothes the throat while also promoting healing.

Congestion

Congestion of the nasal passages, head or chest can all typically be treated naturally with lots of steam. Spend several hours a day (broken up into shorter 20- to 30-minute sessions) with your head in a hot shower breathing in the steam. Or use a steam humidifier and sit and breathe in the steam four to six times a day.

For clearing the nasal passages quickly, a saline nasal spray works well. If you want to turn to medication to help relieve the congestion, Dimetapp and Sudafed are safe. Some people also swear by placing a few drops of eucalyptus oil on a handkerchief and holding it over their nose to breathe it in for a couple minutes every so often until the congestion clears.

General

Taking care of yourself is the first thing you need to do to get better. This means drinking large amounts of water, getting extra sleep and consuming large doses of vitamin C.