By Ashley Treadwell, IBCLC
Fan Question:
“What is the safest thing to take for a bad cold while breastfeeding?”
This is a very common question we get from moms especially during this season when it seems everyone is sneezing and coughing! Get lots of rest, up your Vitamin C and Echinacea intake and drink a lot of fluids. There are a lot of homeopathic remedies for the common cold that are completely safe for the breastfeeding mom. A humidifier can help to clear congestion and ease coughs. A neti pot (nasal irrigation) is a great tool when coupled with a saline solution to help with congestion and runny noses. Essential oils are another great homeopathic tool to help ease the symptoms of a cold a few drops of either eucalyptus or peppermint oil on a cotton ball can be held near the nose and inhaled (be careful to not actually touch your nose with the oils.)
If you have a particularly severe cold and OTC medication is needed, the most important thing to stay away from is any medication with psuedoephedrine, as this can cause a decrease in milk supply. It’s also a good idea to stay away from the combo medications and take only the ones for the symptoms you have.
Dr. Thomas Hale heads up the Infant Risk Center at Texas Tech University and has a fantastic website that is a great source of information about the risks of medications for the breastfeeding mother www.infantrisk.com.
Feel better!
Ashley Treadwell is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), blogger on the topic of breastfeeding, and advocate for judgmentfree breastfeeding support for all mothers. Ashley lives in San Diego, CA with her husband, Tim, their two girls, Jane and Evelyn, and their dog, Grace and cat, Abby. She loves running, everything related to cooking and feeding her family, spending time with family and friends, and bad reality television.
