This is something that all women should read, as I wouldn't want any other mom suffer the way I did.

This is my second pregnancy. This time around its tougher, as since the beginning I have been suffering from terrible nasal congestion. At first I thought I was suffering from normal common cold, and since I believe in avoiding any medication during pregnancy, I chose to follow home remedy for the same. Post a week my condition was terrible. I still thought it was common cold and took normal medication for common cold that my gynaecologist suggested.

After a month, when my condition was still the same, I consulted an E.N.T. specialist, who again examined me properly and gave me medicines for common cold. Yes, the nasal drop he suggested did help me to have a sound sleep, but I had to keep putting it after every 6 hours in order to be able to breathe. Soon enough When I felt This nasal drop could be harmful I again started having stuffy nose all the time, and yes of course sleepless nights.

The reason why I am sharing this is, that the studies show that over 30 pregnant women go through this nasal congestion, called rhinitis of pregnancy. Even then, neither my gynac, the E.N.T. specialist nor my normal physician was aware of it.

I surfed the internet like crazy and found out about RHINITIS. I found out that the stuffiness is caused by extra hormones that make the membranes in your nose (and whole body) swell up. Also due to the same hormones the body creates a lot of mucous, which causes this terrible congestion, so I've been a sniffling mess for month. It was two months of my pregnancy so far. Since I learnt there was no medication that could help me, I tried all the remedies mentioned on the internet.

I have tried a few things to improve my nasal breathing, like using saline spray in my nose. That definitely loosens up the mucous and makes it easier to blow my nose, but a few minutes later I'm stuffed up again. I also tried using a humidifier at night. This helped a little, but did nothing to improve the secondary symptom caused by this constant congestion: snoring! Yes, very attractive.I have actually woken myself up snoring almost every night, which I feel is a rare talent. Thankfully, my husband sleeps very soundly so my snoring hasn't really troubled him.

I had to put two-three pillows under my head to be able to breathe at night.

I've pretty much been a nasal-y, stuffed up, snot rocket for the past 5 months. I sound sick. I look so tired, but I'm really just experiencing a fairly common pregnancy symptom: rhinitis of pregnancy (nasal congestion). I had accepted the fact that this is a part of my pregnancy and I should just live with it.

When no one is able to help, a mother comes to rescue, my mom kept telling me ever since I told her about my problem, to boil cinnamon and basil leaves in water and drink this water, she said this should help my body throw out the mucous. But like every other child, I too kept ignoring this advice of hers, until lately when I just couldn't bare the stuffiness anymore.

Yes, I finally had a cure for this never ending congestion. Now I boil this water in the morning and have 3 glasses of it in a day. I have definitely felt that there is a lot of mucous that is expelled from my body, unlike before when even after blowing I would have no relief. I can breathe now and can live with this funny pregnancy symptom called RHINITIS.

Have any of you suffered from this? What solution did you have for pregnancy nasal congestion?

About me: I am Preetjyot K. Mehra, the author of www.mylittlemuffin.com. This is my own little corner of the web, a place where I share interesting articles and ideas, to help you break the stereotype way of bringing up your little ones and to break all the old school rules of Parenting. Mylittlemuffin Facebook Page.

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