oh baby baby: coping with coughing

32 weeks.

Henry insisted on being in the shot but only as a goofball that messed up my auto focus self timing. 

Coughing sucks. It ruins a lot of things. Try sitting down to watch your favorite show and you cough so much and so loud you have missed half the dialogue and literally have to rewatch the entire episode. Or the embarrassing public demonstrations where people look at you like you should be in bed instead of trying to work out or grocery shop. I even had one lady reprimand me for coughing in public saying I was going to get her and everyone else sick too. I try to be patient and ignore these people, they don't know I have been coughing for nine straight weeks with hardly a let up. They don't realize as a pregnant woman my options for treatment are limited. They don't realize I wish it was that easy to reprimand myself into better health.

One night I was coughing so hard and so loud that is actually woke up Henry. One time I tried to kiss Steve and coughed right in his mouth. Seriously?

Did you know that excess mucus in the body is actually a common pregnancy symptom? So are cold symptoms. I just recently learned this and it was a comfort to know I wasn't a contagious mass of germs running around town. In fact, about 90% of my snot was clear so I figured it wasn't an infection just an annoyance.

Since writing this post I actually have cleared up a bit and my coughing has mostly stopped but I could start up again at any time. Crossing my fingers that I am good for the next 8 weeks.

Here are some things that have helped (or not helped) me survive:

• Medications: Please consult with your doctor or midwife before taking any of these. So when I had a cold, they told me to use Robitussin DM. Well, that didn't even work for one dose. Sigh. Then when it was just a lingering cough, I was recommended Zyrtec or Benadryl. Zyrtec worked for a couple of days but not after the initial doses which ended up being good because its like $1 a day. Benadryl has really helped me stay dried up in my sinuses and soothes my itchy throat. I take one in the morning, one at lunch and then a double dose about an hour before bed. It has been a miracle worker. Plus disrupted sleep was one of the worst things about coughing and this really zonks you out.
• Combined with Benadryl, I do a nightly saline flush. These are disgusting but I am getting way better at actually rinsing my sinuses instead of just inhaling saltwater. The key for me was to make sure I had made enough solution, 2 cups seems to be enough to adequately fill the nasal aspirator each time. The ratio is 1 cup warm water to 1 tsp salt. I also mastered the exact way to tilt my head and when to breath. Practice makes perfect. Being diligent on these has made a world of difference. I try and get three good flushes on each nostril every night. At first it would take me almost ten minutes but now I have it down to about three minutes with minimal gagging. Have kleenex handy to help blow out all the salty boogers. 
• Good quality kleenex. I have a box on hand at all times. There is one in our room, one in the living room and one in the car which I bring inside with me whenever I am staying somewhere for a long period of time. I also am a firm believer in getting the softest and best brand on this. If I wanted cheap kleenex I would just use toilet paper. At last count we had gone through over ten boxes...
• Aquaphor. All that nose blowing and salt water has beat up my face. A good slather of aquaphor helps soothe my dried up skin. 
• Vic's Vapor Rub. Its now part of my nightly routine and I love it. Every night I apply a thick coat to my neck and chest. Its a greasy pain to clean up but it sure does seem to help. I also found that sleeping with my hair pulled loosely back will prevent waking up with all your hair plastered to your greasy chest. 
• Lots and lots of water. 
• Sleeping. I never know when I am going to get a good night's sleep or wake up coughing so I try and go to bed as soon as I feel tired. Its hard to swallow my pride sometimes and go to bed at 9:00 pm but I can at least start my mega routine early and get into bed at a decent hour.
• Cough drops. I stopped sucking on them at Christmas because I seriously felt like my teeth were going to fall out. But they do work occasionally. I have found though that it isn't so much a throat thing for me as it is a mucus draining into my throat thing.
• Extra pillows. I use an extra pillow under my head to help elevate and reduce mucus from pooling in my sinuses.
• Pantiliners. One of the sad truths about pregnancy is that is totally destroys your bladder and all control in that department. Having a baby grow and press against this organ for ten months really weakens not only your bladder but also your pelvic floor muscles. You know those muscles you clench when you're trying to hold it? Well imagine those muscles being really weak and then coughing all the time. Its a delight. So instead of constantly changing clothes, clenching what's left of your pelvic floor and crossing your fingers, get yourself some liners. It was the worst part of coughing all the time. Not only is it painful to cough so violently your sore body can barely take it but add the humiliating fact that you might have already peed your pants and its a terrible ordeal. So demoralizing. So if you too are coughing and leaking, I just wanted you to know, you're not alone. Are you grossed out enough yet? It also helps to try and keep your bladder empty and to do those kegels. 

Another pregnancy post coming this week as this is mostly about coughing which is a drag.