Colds

I’m pregnant and I have a two-year-old son. How do you prevent, and then treat, colds in pregnancy?

Our Mommy MD Guide’s reply: When I get colds in pregnancy, I try to get as much rest as possible. If my kids are sick at the same time, I make them join me for naps. I also drink plenty of fluids.

Especially when someone is sick, I keep our home meticulously clean. About six weeks ago, two of my kids and my husband had H1N1. I managed to take care of them without getting sick myself! I washed my hands very frequently, placed sanitizer strategically all over the house, kept kids from wiping their noses with their hands and arms. And I went around the house a few times a day with a can of Lysol and spayed doorknobs, light switches, and bathroom surfaces.

I was also very vigilant about not touching my nose and eyes unless I had just washed my hands. This is really hard because if you tell yourself not to rub your eyes, you want to do it all day long!

—Kristie McNealy, MD, a mom of seven- and four-year-old daughters and a two-year-old son, who’s pregnant with another son, and a blogger at KristieMcNealy.com, in Denver, CO