Nearly everyone suffers from a stuffy nose at some point, and breastfeeding mothers who experience nasal congestion often forgo medications due to not wanting to expose their baby to potential side effects. However, breastfeeding mothers need not suffer for days with a stuffy nose. Home remedies, including fluids, nasal lavage and adding humidity to the air are safe for breastfeeding mothers and babies.
Fluids
Drinking lots of non-alcoholic, non-caffeinated fluids helps thin your nasal mucus and reduce the stuffiness in your nose, and have the added benefit of helping maintain your milk supply. Warm drinks, such as herbal teas, hot chocolate or apple cider soothe sore throats as well. Mother's Milk Tea is another option for breastfeeding mothers, as ingredients such as fenugreek, blessed thistle and anise work to boost milk supply -- and the warmth of the tea helps reduce the congestion in your nose. Adding ¼ tsp. of cayenne pepper to a glass of water also helps reduce stuffy nose and head congestion, advises the Kellymom website.
Vitamin C
Increasing your vitamin C intake will not prevent you from getting a cold, but often decreases the duration of your symptoms. Healthy foods containing vitamin C include citrus fruits and juices and are a natural and healthy option for breastfeeding moms -- or choose an over the counter supplement. Check with your physician first before taking any supplements.
Humidify
Spending time in humidity helps thin and loosen your nasal mucus. One option is to pour boiling water into a basin and hold a towel over your head like a hood while you lean over the basin and breathe in the steam. Running a hot shower or bath and spending time in the steamy bathroom is another way to increase the humidity of the air and loosen your mucus. Nursing your baby while you are in the steamy bathroom also helps loosen any mucus in her nose. Running a humidifier in your bedroom while you sleep helps to relieve stuffy nose symptoms, although humidifiers require daily maintenance, otherwise mold and microbial growth could occur.
Nasal Lavage
Cleaning your nasal passages by running a warm saline solution or using a saline mist or spray is a safe home alternative to over the counter decongestants. Use warm distilled water and a prepackaged saline mix and pour into one nostril at a time with a neti pot, or squirt into your nose with a small squirt bottle. Pharmacies offer many pre-made saline solutions also safe for unclogging your stuffy nose. Saline does not cause any side effects, although you might need to perform the lavage several times daily to relieve your symptoms.
