Is it safe for my baby if I have had the flu and sore throat for six weeks? Just found out yesterday.

Question

Should I be concerned about the health of my baby if I have been experiencing flu symptoms and a sore throat for six weeks, and only discovered this yesterday?

Answer 1

Ugh, being sick for weeks when you're pregnant is the worst! I remember catching a cold and sore throat around 12 weeks and it seemed to drag on forever, mostly because I couldn't take any of my usual cold meds. The good news is that common viral bugs like flu or throat infections don't usually harm the baby directly – your placenta is a great filter and baby just keeps on growing away in there.

What worried my midwife more was me getting too run down, dehydrated or spiking high fevers. So I focused on resting as much as possible, drinking tons of water and warm teas with honey and lemon, and eating soups and fruits to keep my immune system going. Gargling salt water and sucking on ice chips soothed my throat a bit. I also used a humidifier at night to help with the cough. Paracetamol/acetaminophen is considered safe if you need it for fever or pain, but avoid aspirin and ibuprofen.

If you're still feeling awful after six weeks it might be worth getting your throat swabbed to rule out a bacterial infection that could need antibiotics – I ended up with a sinus infection and felt so much better once I got the right treatment. But in most cases your baby is well protected and just needs you to take care of yourself. Hope you feel better soon!