17 Ways How to Treat Runny Nose while Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding mothers can experience runny nose too. It can be quite challenging to treat especially when you’re trying to avoid prescribed cold medicines. You have to watch what you consume so it won’t affect the quality of your milk. Here are the 17 Ways How to Treat Runny Nose while Breastfeeding which are safe for you to do.

But first, here are some of the causes and the effects of runny nose on breastfeeding mothers.

Causes of Runny Nose

• Allergies
• Cold
• Irritants
• Weak immune system

Effects on Breastfeeding Mothers

• Discomfort
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Sleep deprivation

Runny Nose Treatment

These are some treatments for breastfeeding mothers:

1. Vitamin C

Increase intake for food that contains a lot of vitamin C. Vitamin C is crucial in maintaining the immune system in the body. It will also help to heal the body from any illness. Colourful vegetables and fruits will aid in treating your runny nose. Taking the supplements are okay but don’t exceed the daily dose.

Also read: How to Stop Running Nose in Cold Weather

2. Garlic

Consuming garlic will get rid of any infections and ailment from your body. It promotes warmth to your body which will help in getting rid of the mucus from your nose. You can eat it in the form of supplement or even raw. For better taste, cook it with your food.

3. Drink Lots of Water

Don’t forget to keep your body hydrated. Drink lots of water since it’s free from any preservatives and additional sugar. A hydrated body will ensure that your body is strong enough to recover. It will also make the mucus thinner and easier to release.

4. Inhale Steam

Inhaling steam from boiled water is a very common method to treat runny nose. It’s actually very safe for breastfeeding mothers. You can do this with a towel covering your nose to trap more moisture. Repeat a couple of times until your nose feels a lot better.

5. Chicken Soup

Definitely try to consume more chicken soup. The broth from the soup will warm you up. Your nasal passage will feel clearer from the warmth. Your body will benefit from the nutritious soup. It is also very soothing in case you’re also feeling cranky from your runny nose.

6. Warm Bath or Shower

You should take a hot bath or shower more frequently. Both will also give you the similar treatment as inhaling steam. Their warm vapour will clear up your nose. Consider it as a relaxing decongestant. Take your time when you’re bathing and spend around 10 minutes when you’re showering. You may also want to read on How to Relieve Chronic Nasal Congestion.

7. Using a Neti Pot

A Neti pot won’t cause any harm to breastfeeding mothers. It’s only for external usage. Boil some water with added kosher salt for the liquid in the pot. Don’t use any water that is not filtered as they may contain high amount of bacterias. Using a Neti pot will flush out all the mucus.

8. Omega 3 Supplements

These supplements will also improve the immune system of breastfeeding mothers. Before purchasing a bottle of supplements, make sure to read the ingredients properly. Consume the ones with the highest benefit. Avoid the ones that may contain metals so better consult with a pharmacist for safety measures.

9. Vitamin D

Consuming vitamin D is also beneficial. It’s the vitamin that is often found in fish and eggs. By providing your body with more vitamin D, you’re helping it recover from the runny nose you’re experiencing. It will help any additional infections from affecting you.

10. Humidifier

Moisture in the air is crucial when you have a runny nose. Dry air will dry up your nasal passage. Irritation or itchiness will occur more. Your mucus will also become solid and harder to get rid of. By using a humidifier, you’re adding necessary moisture to the air in your house.

11. Apple Cider Vinegar

You won’t have to drink any apple cider vinegar. All you have to do is to gargle with it. It gets rid of the bacteria in your nasal passage and prevent sore throat.

• Prepare a glass of water.
• Add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar.
• Gargle until all the water is finished.

12. Long Hours of Sleep

Ensure you’re getting all the necessary amount of sleep. A good sleep will make you feel so awake and fresh. When you sleep, your body has more time to repair and heal itself. Lack of sleep will only cause stress which will make your runny nose even worse.

13. Limit Activities

In case you find sleeping to be difficult, you can increase the amount of rest you’re getting. Limit the number of activities that you have to do. Take frequent rests to lie down once in a while. When your baby is asleep, take the opportunity to steal a nap with a cozy blanket.

Read more: How to Treat Stuffy Nose during Pregnancy

14. Green Tea

Consume green tea which contains antibacterial agent. Add honey and fresh lemon cuts. They will make the tea tastes better. Other than that, honey is soothing for the throat. Your nasal passage will benefit from a healthy throat.

15. Avoid Sugary Food

Try to lessen your consumption of sugary food. They won’t make you runny nose better. Food containing high amount of sugar will make you feel lousy and bloated. You might end up making yourself more ill than you already are. Watch your sugar intake so you can heal.

16. Don’t Eat Oily Food

Avoid eating oily food too. Food that has too many oil will cause inflammation to your body. Warmth is good to treat runny nose but it’s a different case from inflammation. You might cause your body to dehydrate and lose a lot of moisture.

17. Eat More Proteins

Consume more proteins to help increase your immune. Eat plenty of beans, fish, milk, cheese and yoghurt. Also try to eat warm food. Hot food will give extra comfort to your body and also thin out the mucus in your nose. Thinning out the mucus is important as it’s easier to get rid of.

Read more: Home Remedies for Children Running Nose

Things to Consider

Avoid consuming mints or anything menthol at all. Although menthol can give you a relief, research have shown that it might reduce the milk supply. So your breastfeeding will definitely be disrupted. Also if you’re experiencing a runny nose for more than a week with a headache, head straight for the doctor for the right prescriptions of medicines.

When you’re healthy again, take extra measures to avoid having runny nose again. Ensure that nothing will disrupt your breastfeeding as it’s important for your baby.