As we head into the fall and winter months, I thought it might be a good time to mention a few of my favorite pregnancy-safe cold and flu remedies. During pregnancy, the extra demands on  your body combined with a suppressed immune system make for a greater chance of picking up an unwanted virus. But there are things you can do to help boost your body’s immune system, and to be ready to battle off a cold at the first sign or symptom!

One question I get asked often is whether or not there are medicines you can take safely during pregnancy, especially to help with fever or cold symptoms. As a general rule, you want to avoid ibuprofen (found in Advil or Motrin), but acetaminophen (Tylenol) is okay for occasional use, as long as you stay away from the cold combinations marked as “multi-symptom” (these are too strong for pregnancy). But I would strongly suggest that you really do reserve any type of medications as only an emergency remedy (like needing relief so you can be at the family wedding, for instance!), as there are still conflicting results in the medical literature, and you certainly want to be extremely careful about what you putting into your system during such a crucial time in your baby’s growth and development.

But did you know there are some really good natural ways to fight off a cold? Here are some great remedies…and let me note here that I am in no way affiliated with any of these particular brands or companies-in other words, I’m not being paid to pass this information on to you!

• Extra Vitamin C: I like to keep a high-potency Vitamin C (such as the Ester C picture) in the cabinet for the times when I feel a cold coming on. Taking several thousand miligrams a day for a couple of days will help give your immune system a needed boost!
• Emergen-C: these little packets that you mix into water to create a fizzy drink can really give you some extra energy during those days you feel tired and down from being sick. Full of extra B vitamins, other vitamins and needed minerals, these are great to keep around for emergencies.
• Infant Immune Booster from Mountain Meadow Herbs is a combination of Elderberry and Echineacea in a glycerin base, and is safe for use during pregnancy, as well as being safe to give your little ones.
• Immune Boost for Pregnancy by Wishgarden Herbs is a gentle combination of specific herbs that help to boost your immune system while still being pregnancy-safe.
• Garlic-lots and lots of garlic! Garlic is a great way to fight off a cold, and you can take it by capsule, or eat it straight. This is one remedy, though, where everyone will know what you’re doing. 🙂
• Elderberry Syrup: you can purchase this on Vitacost.com (my favorite place to purchase supplements that are reasonably priced!), and take it regularly whenever you feel the need.
• And finally, when you (or your little one!) are struggling with a cough, here is my favorite natural cough syrup: Olba Natural Cough Syrup. I was delighted to find this one, and I can tell you that it really does work! Sweetened with honey and full of herbs, it is a great addition to your medicine cabinet.

So, here’s wishing you a healthy fall…and hoping these suggestions can be a help if you find yourself down with a cold or needing an extra immune boost. What are your favorite natural and/or pregnancy safe remedies for illness? I’d love to hear about it! Thanks for taking a minute to share this post with your friends!