During Your PregnancyHealth & Beauty

Sniff, Sniff: Stuffy Nose & Pregnancy Rhinitis

My mom is sitting next to me on the sofa.

Her: “Did you know I can hear you breathing?  Do you think something is wrong with your lungs?”

Me: “No, Mom, but thanks for asking.”

My chronic stuffy nose is actually a side effect of pregnancy.

She didn’t believe me, but pregnancy rhinitis is nothing to sneeze about!

 

Pregnant women sometimes experience an allergy-like reaction — sneezing, congestion, the works — without actually being allergic to anything in particular.

—> Here’s why pregnant women get stuffy noses and what to do about it.

stuffy-nose-pregnant-what-to-do-about-pregnancy-rhinitis.gifMy OB dismissed my worries without a second thought:  pregnancy rhinitis for sure, especially since I haven’t run a fever.

That’s all very well and good, but I’m having a hard enough time sleeping as it is, let alone with sinus congestion in the package!

You’ll want to check with your own doctor, but mine said I could take Claritin if the symptoms were bothering me that much.

—> Is something in your environment causing your pregnancy rhinitis?  Likely not, but here’s a handy environmental list of things to avoid inhaling while pregnant.

Of course, I’m too scared to take extra medications while pregnant!  You can find me toughing it out in Walgreens, buying saline drops and Kleenex.