Dealing with seasonal allergies while pregnant

[bluedaisy]

I just found out I'm pg (only about 5 weeks along) and i've been having terrible seasonal allergies this year - I haven't had a problem with allergies in years, the last time I took allergy medicine was about10 years ago.

I have a 2 1/2 year old dd who loves being outside.  In the spring, we went outside every day and i was fine until about a month ago when the allergies hit.  I sneeze constantly and my eyes itch and swell.

I am not comfortable taking any medicine especially this early in the pregnancy, even if it is said to be safe.

Are there any natural ways to deal with seasonal allergies while pregnant?

Thanks!

[Tear78]

ugh, I'm sorry. I'm dealing with worse-than-usual allergies this year, too. I'm not sure where you live, but this season has been pretty dramatically wetter than usual where we are, and therefore molds, grasses, and pollen counts have been way worse. I'm not taking any meds either, and I feel like I'm sneezing (and therefore recently piddling myself) all the time.

I'm not sure of what to do, but you could try to keep your house closed up and use central air if you have it if things get bad enough. I'm not a fan of air conditioning for energy reasons, but allergies can be simply miserable and the filters on those guys will filter out the junk from the air. Come to think of it, our furnace has a "fan" mode...I wonder if that would accomplish the same thing?

If you're having lots of congestion, you could put chamomile blossoms in a pot of water, boil them for a couple minutes, then put your head over the steam under a towel for ten minutes. That really opens everything up, and my midwife said it was safe.

As far as the itchy/puffy eyes and sneezing, I'd love suggestions, too. So sorry you're uncomfortable, but congrats of the pregnancy!

[Jaimee]

Neti pot!!  As soon as you come back inside, rinse out your nose.  During allergy season I neti pot one-three times a day.  I also occasionally use Rhinocort nasal spray which is category B (like zyrtec and claritin) but it's tissue specific and I can get away with using half the dose sometimes every few days, which I feel is better than taking a systemic drug daily.

I also tried acupuncture for allergies, which  some people have great success with, though I did not.  Good luck and congrats on your pregnancy!  Have you checked out your due date club yet?

[cameragirl]

I second the neti pot. It is great for allergies. In fact, I used to get sinus and ear infections at least a couple times a year, and since I got a neti pot, I haven't had them.

[bluedaisy]

Thanks for the replies...I'll have to check out a neti pot...I just read an article that said local unprocessed honey can also help allergies - it said the honey has some of the pollens that are in the air and it can help your body build immunity.  Have you ever heard of this? 

[cameragirl]

Yep - local honey can help by desensitizing you to those pollens. It is definitely worth a shot to see if it helps.

[Jaimee]

Originally Posted by bluedaisy 

I just read an article that said local unprocessed honey can also help allergies - it said the honey has some of the pollens that are in the air and it can help your body build immunity.  Have you ever heard of this? 

Yes, but IME it's not a quick fix and when allergies are severe, I don't see any benefit at all (except the delicious taste).
 

[sarahtar]

Actually, a 2002 study at UConn showed that this local honey thing is just a myth. I had tried the local thing for three or four years for my severe seasonal allergies with no noticeable improvement, so reading this study (which I found only recently when a blog I read discussed it) was somewhat of a relief for me.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/10/health/10really.html?_r=1

[amberskyfire]

I take homeopathics. I know, I know, most people think they don't work, but they really do. I used to think it was bunk until I was suffering horribly and my midwife insisted I take some. They instantaneously clear up all of my symptoms and not only am I now a convert, my mother and her family are as well.

I started with the Hyland's, but it stopped working after a few months, so I switched to the Boiron brand which is still working for me. Whatever you pick, make sure you follow the directions on the package exactly as I have found that it won't work unless you take the proper dose. The homeopathic remedy you want is
Histaminum hydrochloricum.

Good luck!