Having a cough during pregnancy can be one of the most inconvenient and uncomfortable experiences for a woman. This time is already hard enough without having to be pregnant with a cough that won’t go away. So, to fight such symptoms and keep healthy, here are some Indian home remedies for cough during pregnancy.
You have to think twice before taking cough medicine while pregnant. In fact, this is true for any medicine. Prescription drugs and other such medicines may contain substances that are harmful to you or your baby during this delicate time. Cough tablets like Tylenol, for example, have been proven to have side effects.
Related Reading: 11 Indian Home Remedies For Cold During Pregnancy
This is why it is far more preferable to use Indian home remedies for cough during pregnancy. They have little to no side effects. So, read on to find a nice way to naturally cure your cough.
11 Indian Home Remedies For Cough During Pregnancy
A cough is the body’s way of eliminating irritants that are formed or get into the body. Expecting women are susceptible to cough. Our panel gynaecologist Dr Ankita Patel Tayal explains that the primary reason is the surging pregnancy hormone estrogen. Many studies show that increased levels of estrogen make women more vulnerable to allergies and respiratory issues like asthma.
The next important reason why expecting women are more at risk of contracting cough is their compromised immunity. No matter what the reason is, excessive coughing during pregnancy is quite tiresome. Especially pressure exerted by cough during pregnancy third trimester might cause urine leak.
Even though excessive coughing during pregnancy never triggers uterine contractions, it can cause pain in the abdomen as the muscles over there are strained due to continuous coughing.
Both wet cough and dry cough during pregnancy are equally bothersome. Dry cough, however, is more difficult to manage as it triggers prolonged fits. Taking OTC medicines that usually help to manage both dry and wet cough are not appreciated during pregnancy as many of these medicines can affect the health of the fetus.
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The good news is there are many proven safe and traditional Indian home remedies for cough during pregnancy.
1. Khuskhus- coconut milk
Khus khus is rich in minerals like calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, and zinc. Therefore it is beneficial and safe during pregnancy. Coconut milk is also safe and beneficial during pregnancy. Both can be combined to form an excellent home remedy for cough during pregnancy.
To 4 tablespoons of coconut milk, add half a teaspoon of khus khus. Add one teaspoon of honey. Mix well. Drink this potion at bedtime. It will help to ease the cough.
2. Chamomile tea for cough during pregnancy
Chamomile tea is counted as one of the most effective Indian home remedies for dry cough during pregnancy. Chamomile is well known for its antispasmodic action. This property of chamomile may also help to ease a dry cough.
Related Reading: What Teas Are Safe To Drink While Pregnant?
A cup of warm chamomile tea with a natural sweetener like honey can provide instant relief from a dry cough. However, it is better not to go with this remedy in the first trimester as excessive intake of this herb can trigger uterine contractions.
Also, to reap the benefits limit its intake to 1-2 cups per day. Overconsumption of chamomile tea during pregnancy can trigger a uterine contraction and some other side effects.
3. Gargling can be beneficial for cough during pregnancy
According to studies, gargling with warm water can potentially bring down respiratory infections by 40%.
Gargling with lukewarm saltwater three to four times a day not only works to treat sour throat but also works to soothe excessive coughing during pregnancy. It helps to thin the mucus in the throat and to expel it. It also helps to remove the irritants that cause coughs from the throat.
You can also gargle in apple cider vinegar. For this, add two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in a glass of warm water. Do this two to three times a day to reap its benefits.
4. Ginger tea and Tulsi tea provide many benefits during pregnancy
Ginger tea and Tulsi tea are the most commonly followed Indian home remedies for cough during pregnancy. Ginger has strong anti-inflammatory properties. Ginger during pregnancy, therefore, helps to ease the inflammation in the airways and thereby beats cough. Expecting women can safely drink up to 4 cups of ginger tea per day.
Likewise, Tulsi also has cough-relieving properties. It is the main ingredient of many ayurvedic cough medicines. Tulsi tea is also safe during pregnancy.
5. Onion and Honey
Onions are known to be decongestants. They can soothe your airways. The strong vapor an onion emits is also very useful to relieve cough.
Honey is a very popular remedy for both cold and cough. It boosts your immunity, suppresses coughs, and even soothes your throat.
So you can combine these two items to make a very effective remedy for cough and have it safely to treat the symptoms during pregnancy. First, you can chop the onion. Then, extract its juice and mix it with honey. After leaving it for around 5 hours, and then use it as a cough syrup. You can take it twice a day for cough relief.
6. Almonds
Cough during pregnancy first trimester can take a toll on the expecting woman who is already experiencing morning sickness. Almonds can be used to fight off cough during this stage of pregnancy.
Almonds are well known for their ability to relieve bronchial issues. This is one of the safe Indian home remedies for cough during pregnancy. You can,
- Mix a few teaspoons of finely ground almonds with a cup of orange juice and sipping as a natural remedy.
- Soak about 5-8 almonds, preferably overnight. Peel off the skin and grind the almond to smooth paste. Blend in 20 grams of butter and sugar to this paste. Intake of this almond paste in the morning and evening helps to beat cough
This is counted as an effective home remedy for dry cough during early pregnancy.
7. Ginger and Honey for cough during pregnancy
Extract the juice of a fresh piece of ginger by grating it. Mix about 2 ½ teaspoons of honey with about 2 teaspoons of ginger juice. After mixing thoroughly, warm it. Make sure you only warm it for less than a minute. This can be used as a cough syrup.
Related Reading: 11 Simple Ways To Boost Immunity During Pregnancy
Consume it three or four times a day. It is a good remedy for and can be used safely for wet cough during pregnancy. It might take some time to work, but it will.
8. Ginger, Betel Leaves & Honey
For this home remedy, you will need 1 teaspoon of ginger juice, which you can extract. Add a teaspoon of honey to it.
Next, you have to prepare the betel leaves. Pound the leaves and extract their juice. Take 1 teaspoon of this juice and add it to the ginger and honey. Mix it well. The remedy is done.
In order to use it, you can add a teaspoon of lukewarm water to it and then drink it. Drink it 3 times a day. Do not eat or drink anything else for half an hour after drinking this remedy.
9. Peppermint
Peppermint is known for having many healing properties. Peppermint contains menthol which can numb the nerve endings in the throat, soothing it. It can act as a decongestant by breaking down mucus.
There are many ways to use peppermint as a home remedy for cough. You can drink peppermint tea a couple of times each day. You can do aromatherapy using peppermint essential oil.
Related Reading: 10 Drinks To Avoid During Pregnancy
You can add 3 or 4 drops of peppermint oil to 5 ounces of hot water. Then, breathe in the steam. You can drape a towel or something similar over your head to make sure you get all the steam.
10. Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus essential oil is one of the best Indian home remedies for dry cough during pregnancy. It works as a decongestant.
It contains two compounds – namely eucalyptol or cineole – that are commonly used to make over-the-counter chest rubs and vapor rubs.
Eucalyptus essential oil also helps to relieve pain, reduce inflammation, and relax muscles.
You can use it by adding it to an inhaler or diffuser. You can also add a few drops to hot water and inhale the steam.
Another way you can use this essential oil is to mix a few drops with a carrier oil (for example, olive oil or coconut oil), and rub the mixture on your chest and throat.
11. Increase the intake of fluid
Having a cough can often be a cause of dehydration. This is especially bad during pregnancy. So it is important to drink a lot of fluids during this time.
In addition to keeping you hydrated, it can also build up your immunity, helping you fight off whatever is causing the cough in the first place. It can soothe your throat, which will be sore after coughing so much.
So you must drink a lot of fluids, especially warm liquids. This can be anything from warm water to some hot tea to a bowl of tasty chicken soup.
Does Cough During Pregnancy Affect The Baby?
If you are worried about whether your coughing will harm your little one, you can put your mind at ease. Your baby is completely safe.
However, during pregnancy, the ligaments and muscles of this area are already strained. So, when you cough, it can cause more strain and cause pain for you. As your stomach moves when you cough, your baby might also feel the movement, but won’t be hurt by it.
Something you can do to decrease the discomfort of coughing with a pregnant belly is you can support your lower abdomen with a hand, as you cough.
When To See A Doctor
Dr Ankita Patel Tayal , practising obstetrician for last 10 years, says that while coughing in itself does not harm the baby, there could be some harmful underlying causes. These might harm the child. Some of these possible ailments include bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma, and more. Sometimes, harmful products are consumed by accident and in such cases, to rule out any potential threat to the pregnancy, seeing a doctor is recommended.
If you suffer from cough for a prolonged period or think you might have a disease, you need to contact your doctor immediately to begin treatment using safe medicines.
Some symptoms that you need to watch out for, other than persistent coughing, are:
- Coughing up blood
- Fever
- Difficulty breathing
- Shivering
These can mean that there are complications and possibly harmful bacteria that can be treated with the help of antibiotics and other medicines. So if you experience any of these symptoms, please see a doctor immediately.
Conclusion
So, now that you know so many easy home remedies to treat cough during pregnancy, you won’t have to panic and rush to a doctor every time you get a cough! And since these remedies use natural ingredients, they are completely safe to use!
Of course, there are some exceptions. If you are allergic to one of the ingredients or are worried that it is unsafe, you can always consult your doctor beforehand.
If you have a cough, you may have noticed that it is always worse at night. This is usually because of the position in which you are sleeping. The mucus from your nose sometimes drips into your throat. To avoid this, you can keep your head in a higher position by propping it up on a couple of pillows.
With these safe and natural ways of curing ailments, you can have a healthy, happy pregnancy!