treating cold symptoms while breastfeeding

[Comtessa]

Anybody have any suggestions for safe ways to treat awful cold symptoms while breastfeeding? I've been fighting this terrible cold for a week - DH, DD and I are all sick. It's awful, and while I generally don't like to take medicine, I'm desperate for some relief from these symptoms. At this point, it's mostly a persistent cough, headache, sinus pressure, and goopy eyes. Anybody have any experience with cold meds/herbal treatments/other non-pharmaceutical suggestions that could help? Any suggestions for things I could do to help DD (6 months) with the same symptoms are welcome, too!

[SFam]

try a neti pot, humidifier, eucalyptus, peppermint and lavender essential oils in a diffuser, cherry bark syrup is good for a cought, but i'm not sure if it's ok while nursing. i've read that sudafed is safe to take while nursing, but it never helps my symptoms, so i don't take it anymore.

[Heba]

Kelly Bonyata has great information here:
http://www.kellymom.com/health/meds/cold-remedy.html

Sudafed is generally considered safe (L3), but contains pseudo-ephedrine which can sometimes reduce milk supply. Phenylephrine is also L3, but doesn't carry a risk of reduced supply.

Peppermint essential oil may also reduce supply; I personally find it great for decongesting (is that even a word? LOL), but keep an eye on your supply if you're using it a lot.

Hope you feel better soon!

Eta I find paracetamol (aka acetaminophen) effective at relieving cold-caused aches and pains etc. It is generally held to be safe while breastfeeding.

[Chamomile Girl]

Up the Vit C intake by taking something like Emergen-C. Treat goopy eyes with breastmilk.

My favorate thing to do when I am ill is to make a strong soup with the following ingredents:

Chicken broth
Lots of garlic, ginger and cayenne

add lemongrass, lime juice and coconut milk and you basically have Tom Yum. But it seriously works to both strengthen your immune system, and clear out mucus.