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The Winter Pregnancy Survival Guide: 15 Ways to Stay Safe and Healthy This Season

Expecting a baby when the weather is cold? Stay warm (and safe!) with these winter pregnancy tips. (16 Photos)

Cynthia Ramnarace on Dec 7, 2012 at 6:14PM

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The Winter Pregnancy Survival Guide: 15 Ways to Stay Safe and Healthy This Season

Keith Goldstein/Photographer's Choice/Getty Images

Plug in a Humidifier

Dry, wintry air does a number on your nasal passages -- drying them out and making you more prone to nasty nose bleeds (already a common pregnancy symptom). Restore moisture to the air you breathe by running a humidifier in your room. It can make vessels less prone to bleeding and even take the edge off of respiratory problems like asthma. Just keep it clean and change the water and filters frequently to avoid mold growth, says Rachel Bregman, M.D., a family medicine doctor specializing in women's health at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. A dab of petroleum jelly inside the nostrils and saline spray can also reduce the number of bleeds, too.

Remember: This is a normal symptom of pregnancy, but if you experience frequent nose bleeds that don't stop after a few minutes of gentle pressure on the nostrils, tell your doctor. "There are women who don't know they have an underlying blood disorder that causes nose bleeding, and it's often during pregnancy that they find this out," says Dr. Firouzbakht.