Colostrum Powder

Immune system boosters during pregnancy?

So my hubby has come down with an awweful case of the flu. Normally I would take large doeses of Vit C, Echinacea, and Garlic capsules at the onset to boost my immune system....but I am not sure if these are safe during pregnancy. What are some natural immune system boosters that are safe during pregnancy(I am 5 weeks)? Also, what are some things I can give the kids to help boost their immune system as well(14 months and almost 4 years)? Oh, and I am currently breastfeeding the 14 month old.

Public Comments

1. I found this on the net about echinacea. You may want to ask your doctor to make sure, because some people say it's safe, and some not. WebMD Medical NewsNov. 28, 2000 (Toronto) -- Using the herb echinacea during pregnancy does not increase the risk of birth defects in babies, according to work by researchers at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children. Echinacea, a supplement thought to stimulate the immune system, is one of the most popular herbal medicines on the North American market. It is used primarily for the prevention and treatment of upper respiratory tract infections; however, little data has been available to date on its safety in pregnant women. In the study, published in the Nov. 13 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers followed up about 200 women who had contacted the Motherisk Program regarding the use of echinacea during pregnancy. Motherisk provides information and guidance on the potential risks of drugs, disease, and other factors on the developing fetus or infant. Some of the women had taken the supplement knowingly while others used it because they were unaware they were pregnant. The group was compared to another group of about 200 pregnant women who did not use echinacea. The researchers compared the rates of live births, miscarriages, and major and minor birth defects between the two groups and found no statistical differences between them in terms of infant outcomes. "The information is quite reassuring that echinacea as a product has not been shown to pose a risk for major malformations in pregnancy and specifically during the first trimester, which is obviously a very critical time," says study author Michael Gallo, BSc. "At this point, this is the one published report available." http://www.webmd.com/news/20001128/study-shows-echinacea-safe-during-pregnancy _______________________________________________ About vitamin C, I think it would be okay to take 1000 mg a day. I 've read that vit C is not toxic, and that it's okay to take it during pregnancy, up to 2000 mg a day. I don't see why you can't take garlic. It should be safe. during pregnancy and lactation, but again, I would ask the doctor to make sure. All of the above are natural ways to boost your immune system. If you want something more natural than that, you could try juices. Carrot juice, with a little bit of ginger, lemon, and garlic, is all natural, and has lots of vitamin C. Oranges lemons, kiwis, all have lots of vitamin C as well. You can give the kids some of the juice as well, and you could definitely give the 4 year old some vitamin C. The 14 month old is getting breastmilk, so that's the best you can give him. If you have excess, you can always pump and give the 4year old some breastmilk as well. I'm sure he'll benefit from the antibodies. I hope this helps. Good luck. I hope your hubby gets well soon, and none of you catch the flu. :)
2. Garlic and vitamin C are safe except in extremely large doses (garlic can thin the blood, and chronic extremely high doses of vitamin C can cause rebound scurvy in the baby. But I mean ridiculous dosages). Vitamin C actually helps prevents premature birth, and may reduce the risks of SIDS. Vitamin C is sometimes listed as an abortifactant, but I haven't seen much evidence and those dosages are insanely high Echinacea is also safe, I just know less about it. Alfalfa and red raspberry leaf teas (or pills) are nourishing herbs that are beneficial to both pregnancy and lactation. (If you want to see my references on the safety of RRL during pregnancy drop me a line, I have a bunch) WARNING: peppermint and menthol can reduce breastmilk supply. For normal women this isn't a huge concern but when breastfeeding during pregnancy you might want to avoid it. http://kellymom.com/herbal/ref/herbs_e.html Other names for this herb are Echinacea Angustifolia, Echinacea Purpurea, American Cone Flower, Black Susans, and Snakeroot. In normal doses, Echinacea is among the herbs generally recognized as safe for pregnant and lactating mothers. Many people take echinacea, which is reported to boost your immune system (among other things). According to Hale, purified echinacea extract is relatively nontoxic even at high doses. Although no studies have been done on its transfer into human milk or its effect on lactation, no known contraindications to its use during nursing exist other than allergy to the plant family Asteracea (sunflowers). Despite the fact that the dosage has not been standardized and that preparations are frequently adulterated, no serious side effects have been reported in more than 2.5 million prescriptions per year in Germany and more than a century of use in the United States. The recommended duration of treatment with Echinacea should not exceed 8 weeks during any course of treatment due to potential liver toxicity and tachyphyaxis. Patients with conditions such as tuberculosis, HIV infection, or autoimmune diseases should not use Echinacea. More info here. http://kellymom.com/herbal/ref/herbs_g.html#garlic Garlic (Allium sativum) Garlic is considered safe for nursing moms. It's sometimes recommended that moms eat garlic to help babies nurse better. Per Hale, transfer into human milk is probable but not reported. Few adults concerns have been reported, but observe for excessive bleeding. No reported concerns for children. Garlic is considered safe by the FDA, based on the lack of known serious adverse outcomes despite culinary and medicinal use throughout human history (including daily use by pregnant or lactating women). More info can be found in the article, A Review of 12 Commonly Used Medicinal Herbs by Mary Ann O'Hara, MD, MST; David Kiefer, MD; Kim Farrell, MD; Kathi Kemper, MD, MPH. Vitamin C: As an abortifactant: http://www.sisterzeus.com/vit_c_ab.html In pregnancy http://www.babycenter.com/0_vitamin-c-why-you-shouldnt-skimp-during-pregnancy_660.bc http://www.vitamincfoundation.org/faq.html#Q3 http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vitamin-c/NS_patient-vitaminC Prevents premature rupture of the membranes/ preterm birth: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vitamin-c/NS_patient-vitaminC http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/503221 http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/news-ng.asp?n=59359-vitamin-c-reduces http://www.pccnaturalmarkets.com/products/bodybeing/bb0406.html http://www.pregnancy-period.com/pregnancy-complications.html