Even the most minor nagging cold during your pregnancy can make you want to curl up in bed and never come out. Pregnancy can be painful and inconvenient enough, without adding a cold to the equation. In addition, you need to be very careful about cold medications and remedies during pregnancy, because some of them could potentially harm your baby during his or her delicate stages of fetal development. While many meds are off limits, a few are perfectly safe. For that painful, scratchy throat, Chloraseptic numbing spray is perfectly safe. Obviously the soothing medicine is palliative, but it will still help you ignore your cold and get on with your day sans the aching throat.

Though Chloraseptic spray has been approved in many studies to soothe the throat without compromising a baby’s health, there are still a few home remedies you may want to try firstSaltwaterer can alleviate sore throat pain, so try gurgling some if you don’t have access to spray. Also, a warm drink such as tea can loosen the muscles and bring relief.

Even if your own research tells you that a certain medication is safe, check in with your doctor first. Your baby’s fetal development can easily be affected by harsh medications. Doctors know all of the active ingredients in the medication you’re looking to take, which will help them make a sound judgment about whether or not the medication might harm your baby. 

Always make sure you get enough rest and stay hydrated. These two things might seem like common sense, but they’re easy to forget when you’re so distracted with the excitement of your pregnancy. By depriving yourself of sleep and hydration, it will only take longer to heal and return to good health. Your baby’s health is directly related to your health, so make sure you’re always taking good care of yourself.