The flu season is no joke especially when you are pregnant as it can cause all kinds of complications and sometimes miscarriage. Being pregnant during the flu season can be scary.
Here are the best ways to protect yourself and avoid getting the flu. These are things I did when I was pregnant with all three of my kids and how I keep my family safe from the flu during this season.
Pregnant during the flu season
There are several things you can do to help minimize your chances of getting the flu.
These are normal practical tips that have worked for me in all my pregnancies and are mostly common sense.
Some you may not agree with and that’s fine, I understand we all have different views on things and are entitled to our own opinions on these topics.
Get Enough Sleep
I know you may be thinking this is impossible when you are in your second and third trimester but it’s not.
I have some tips in this article on how to get the best sleep while you are pregnant, I have done these things in all three of my pregnancies and they work.
Eat a healthy diet
This means while you may be craving things like chips and donuts these kinds of things are processed foods or high in sugar and in order to stay healthy you need to stick to the rainbow.
If you want to know more about food cravings this article has some fun facts: Pregnancy Cravings And What They Mean
If you don’t know what I mean about the rainbow it simply means to eat from all the food groups so you need your grains, meats, vegetables, and fruits along with some starches.
For more accurate amounts of what to eat read this article on what to eat when you are pregnant.
Avoid processed food that is frozen and full of preservatives, hotdogs that are made of things other than beef (my favorite are the Hebrew ones, they are better for you and taste great).
Candy and junk food is not good for you during this time it will lower your immune system.
clean often
- Wipe down frequently touched surfaces (doorknobs, sinks, tables, chairs) and countertops several times a day.
- Clean your floors with a disinfectant, I like to use 1/4 cup of vinegar to a gallon of water. It’s safe for kids and is great as a disinfectant. Twice a week is good unless you are in and out a lot then more often is better.
- If you have kids spray Lysol on their coats, backpacks, and shoes before you set them down and have them wash hands before doing anything. I have done this for months to prevent my baby from getting sick and it has worked.
- Wash your hands frequently before preparing food of course and also in between kids if possible.
If you don’t have Lysol you can mix bleach and water here is the formula from the CDC to make the mixture so it won’t bleach your stuff.
When Going Out
If you go to the grocery store or anywhere else carry some wipes and wipe down surfaces before touching them.
If you touch your phone be sure to wipe it down before touching your face.
Very importantly do not touch your face when you are out if you have to wash your hands for 20 seconds with soap and water before doing so.
If you do not want to go out to get supplies you can have them delivered and tell them to leave them outside so you don’t have person to person contact.
I have done these things for years and we haven’t had the flu at our house.
Stay away from sick people
If you know someone is sick at the moment stay away from them or don’t allow them to come over.
If you are sick avoid contact with other people and wash your hands frequently to avoid spreading germs to your family.
Another point I didn’t touch on was to use hydrogen peroxide in a cup with toothbrushes to kill germs.
You should do this once or twice a week so that you aren’t getting each other sick.
Final thoughts on being pregnant during the flu season
When it comes to staying healthy you can’t always avoid getting sick but you can take precautions and try to avoid it as much as possible.
Getting vitamin d from drinking vitamin d milk and by being in the sun for 20 minutes a day will also help strengthen your immune system and keep you happier.
Remember to exercise regularly either in your home or going for walks and breathing in the fresh air.
Don’t stress yourself out about the flu just use common sense, stress can lower your immune system and you could get sick easier.
If possible do some yoga if you have anxiety about things or listen to some soothing music, this has always helped me relax and not be so anxious.
practicing self-care is always a great idea, for more on how to do this you may like this article 7 Self Care Tips For An Amazing Pregnancy
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