Home Remedies for Cough during Pregnancy

Pregnancy can affect your immune system, and as a result, it puts you at high risk of contracting a cold or cough. A pregnant lady needs to be extra careful to take the right precautions to both prevent getting a cold or cough or to treat it if she contracts it. 

You can't just take medicines without worrying about its effects on you and your baby. Hence, many people prefer herbs based natural home remedies to treat cough and cold during pregnancy.

Here are few most effective and popular home remedies to naturally treat cough in pregnant women:

Turmeric milk 

Turmeric is one of the widely used items that is present in every Indian kitchen. Turmeric is well-known for its high antioxidant content and is often used with warm milk to treat a number of health conditions and illnesses. Turmeric with milk is particularly useful during pregnancy for fighting colds and coughs. It can be consumed by pregnant ladies right before bed to provide quicker relief.

Ajwain water

The traditional ajwain also known as ‘carom seeds’ is another kitchen item that expectant mothers can try to relieve their cough. To relieve chest congestion, boil these seeds in water and consume this magical concoction to instantly cure a cough.

Saltwater gargles

For pregnant women, salt water gargles can be an instant relief therapy from coughing. A teaspoon of salt should be added to a cup of warm water for the gargle. Turmeric can also be added to the saline water for improved effects.

Gargling with salt water helps to stave off upper respiratory infections. This also aids in reducing and loosening phlegm, which supports the growth of bacteria and allergies.

Honey and ginger juice  

To treat a running or drippy nose, treat yourself with a spoonful of honey and ginger juice mixture. This aids in clearing the respiratory system of mucus due to the antibacterial and antimicrobial properties present in the honey. Ginger juice offers healing qualities that ease a sore throat or cough.

Nutritional diet

Diet needs extra consideration during pregnancy. Keep eating to maintain a robust immune system. Since colorful veggies like tomatoes, peppers, brinjals, spinach, and fresh fruits are high in antioxidants, they can boost your immune response against pathogens, hence saving you from cold and cough. 

Also, antioxidants found in these vegetables are also packed with micro nutrients such as flavonoids, carotenoids, vitamins, and minerals, which work to bolster the immune system by preventing infections.

Coconut oil

This basic ingredient in the kitchen cupboard includes antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal effects.

Pregnant women can consume a delicious minty strip prepared with mixture of one tablespoon of raw coconut oil with 1/8 teaspoon of peppermint extract thoroughly mixed with 1 tablespoon of raw honey or 10 drops of stevia, thinly spread on parchment paper that has been taken out from freezer after 15 minutes. 

Chicken soup

This traditional treatment is very effective against cold and cough and also helps in recovery. Take your bone broth and boil it in a pot with chopped or shredded chicken, parsley, onion, carrots, celery, and mushrooms. For flavor and an increase in minerals, add sea salt.

Flaxseeds with lime juice and honey

One of the best ways to treat cough problems in pregnant women is to give them a cocktail prepared by adding lime juice and honey to the thick gel like water collected after boiling flaxseed.  

Basil Water 

The safest choice for the expecting mother is basil or tulsi. Pregnant women can quickly eliminate mucus by consuming tulsi extract mixed with a glass of warm water. This aids in clearing up nasal congestion so that they may breathe easily.

Water

Drink a lot of water to keep yourself hydrated. Water consumption aids in the mucus buildup's removal. The average pregnant woman consumes 10 glasses of water daily. However, they should consume 12 to 13 glasses of water if they have a cold.

Herbal tea

Drink a hot cup of tea that contains black pepper, ginger, and tulsi to help you recover from a cold. Pregnant women can benefit greatly from drinking this nutrient packed herbal tea that can effectively fight against cough.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar balances out the body's pH level hence making it alkaline. As alkaline conditions are hostile to the growth of most diseases, virus borne cough and cold also go away. Additionally, it has beneficial microorganisms that can guard against infections.

Mix 1-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to water or tea and drink it thrice a day.

To relieve a sore throat, you can also gargle with apple cider vinegar.

Garlic

Garlic is quite effective during pregnancy in fighting the cough. In fact, one study found that taking a daily dosage of garlic decreased people's chances of getting the cough and cold by more than 60%! Garlic expedited recovery for individuals who did become ill.

Eat 1 raw, smashed garlic clove with every meal or mix it with some raw honey for flavor and added advantages.

Consume 1 crushed, raw clove every two to three hours if your cough is acute.

Also, you can eat sauteed garlic as well because it has antibacterial qualities. 

Sleep

Rest as much as you can so that the body can fight the virus and assist future mothers in recovering more quickly. Additionally, staying in bed stops the virus from affecting other family members.

Conclusion

Pregnancy is a very crucial phase of a woman’s life and it doubles the responsibility of an expecting mother. With her baby in her womb, it becomes very important for a pregnant woman to take proper care of herself without endangering her or her baby’s life. It is safer to go for traditional home remedies to cure cough during pregnancy than popping pills that can have mild to severe side effects in expecting mothers.