37 Weeks Pregnant Chalkboard + Pregnancy Cold & Flu Tips

By Kate Horney

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How far along? 37 Weeks, 5 Days

Maternity clothes? I am definitely putting the STRETCH in stretch pants. 😉 Grateful for yoga pants and summer dresses, that’s all I can say at this point!

Best moment this week: Finished packing our hospital bag and put the finishing touches on the nursery. As far as preparations go, we are officially READY (note: you can come any time, little man!). It’s exciting to think that we’re this close to holding our sweet blessing!

Miss Anything? Not peeing my pants when I cough. Seriously. It may be TMI, but I know if you’re a mom you can relate. Also currently missing sleeping through the night…. Between coughing, sneezing, and trying to get comfortable with this giant belly, I’ve been tossing & turning all night long and am TIRED! (Great practice for life with a newborn, right?)

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Movement: Movement has definitely changed from the punches and kicks to the big wiggles as baby H #2 is packing on the pounds and running out of space. He’s dropped from my ribs quite a bit (which is nice) and we’ve confirmed that he’s head down, so…. It’s only a matter of time!

Food cravings: Being sick this week has really made me crave carbs over protein or healthy fat, but I’ve done pretty well at conquering cravings and keeping things healthy as we finish things out…. Lots of berries, protein pancakes or French toast, and cheese!

Looking forward to: Holding our son! And watching Jackson interact with his new little brother. 🙂

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Biggest Struggle this week: Pregnancy cold & flu!

I can’t remember the last time I’ve been this sick. I rarely get a cold or flu, but am going on day 10 of a pretty nasty upper respiratory infection. Lots of coughing, chest congestion and sinus pressure- yuck!

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Solution: SAFE Pregnancy cold & flu treatments!

I’ll be honest- I don’t love the idea of taking medication while pregnant. I haven’t take ANY medication during my pregnancy up to this point, and didn’t take any with Jackson either. It can be a bit scary not knowing what is safe and what isn’t, and it seems everyone has differing options on possible side effects.

It’s very common to be sick more often than you were before getting pregnant, because during pregnancy your immune system is less effective. This lower defense system is your body’s way of making sure the baby is not rejected, but it also makes you more susceptible to illness.

Prevention is the best medicine
, and obviously good habits may help you prevent getting sick in the first place….

Pregnancy Cold & Flu Prevention:

BUT  in spite of your best efforts, you still may become ill…. and while preventing illnesses is quite the same for pregnant and non-pregnant women, treating them is not.

After talking with my doctor, I’ve determined that time, not medicine, will cure the cold or flu… and while it may be ok to take some medications to help lessen symptoms and make you more comfortable, time and rest is really the answer. (*Don’t take any medications without approval from your doctor).

If you come down with a pregnancy cold or flu, you have to let it run its course. But you can help speed up your recovery and ease your symptoms. Here are some tips that have been helping me….

Tips to help pregnancy cold & flu:

  • eat plenty of fruits and vegetables
  • drink plenty of clear fluids (water is BSET) to stay hydrated
  • soothe a sore throat with honey added to hot water or tea, or gargle with salt/xylitol
  • use saline nasal spray and a vaporizer or humidifier to relieve congestion
  • get extra rest, your body is best able to recuperate when you rest

Warm salt-water/xylitol gargle: 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 teaspoon each of salt and or xylitol in one cup warm water. Gargle 2-3 times daily after brushing teeth and tongue. (Xylitol is a natural sweetener derived from birch or corn. It is a natural bacteriostatic which means it blocks the adherence of bacteria to the mucus membranes. Using it as a sweetener has been shown to inhibit ear infections).

In addition to the tips above, I’m also making sure to get adequate vitamins & minerals:

  • Vitamin C: 500 mg every 3-4 hours with a small amount of food. Cut back on the dosage if stools become loose or you experience gas and cramping.
  • Zinc: 30-50 mg once daily with a small amount of food. This can be continued for 1-2 weeks without depleting copper stores.
  • Glutamine powder: (this is also in our BCAAs) take 15 to 20g per day while sick. Glutamine is needed by your white blood cells to fight infection.
  • Allicillin: This is a concentrated garlic compound that is wonderful to fight viruses and bacteria. 200mg to 400mg 1-4 times daily

And one last tip: Hyperthermia Baths!  It sounds crazy, but spend as long as is comfortable in a hot bath. Then remove yourself, wrap up in warm clothes and climb under covers to sweat. This induces an “artificial fever”. Viruses do not like high temperatures and this can greatly reduce the length of a cold or flu.

In most cases, a pregnancy cold & flu will not harm your baby, so that’s the good news. Use this time to get some extra rest and prepare for when baby arrives!

 

P.S. Want More Fit Pregnancy Tips?

Your baby is a REASON to make a healthy choices priority… not an excuse for why you can’t!

If you’re not sure where to start when it comes to a FIT PREGNANCY, join us over at the BeyondFit Life Club where I upload all of my personal workouts (100% safe during pregnancy) and share all the best fit mom recipes, tips & tricks!