At a glance
- Pregnancy congestion is a blood-flow thing, not a cold
- Steam, saline rinses, and sleeping with your head raised carried me through
- Congestion headaches usually ease when the congestion does
- Occasional nosebleeds are common - same increased blood volume
In the second trimester I was congested for weeks with no cold in sight. The culprit: increased blood flow to the nasal passages and enlarged nasal veins - the same expanded blood supply doing good work everywhere else, being annoying in one specific place.
The routine that worked
- Steam. Low-tech, immediate, repeatable.
- Vicks on the nose and sinus area.
- Saline rinse through the nose - my doctor suggested this one, and it earned its place.
- Sleeping with my head raised - congestion is always worst lying flat.
The side effects of the side effect
The congestion brought headaches with it; treating the congestion treated the headaches. And the same increased blood volume can rupture small vessels in the nose, so occasional nosebleeds during pregnancy are common - startling, but normal. Mention them at your next appointment if they're frequent or heavy.
Filed for the recordThis is my experience plus general, publicly available information - not medical advice. Your situation may differ; always confirm with your own care provider.
Sources & further reading
- HealthLink BC - nasal congestion in pregnancy
- PregnancyInfo.ca (SOGC) - common second-trimester symptoms