Can I take allergy medicine during pregnancy?

Check with your ob-gyn or midwife before taking any over-the-counter allergy medicine, even ones you used before pregnancy. ACOG notes that certain newer oral antihistamines such as cetirizine and loratadine may be options and that a corticosteroid nasal spray may be used in pregnancy, but the right choice depends on your history and how far along you are. ACOG also advises avoiding the oral decongestant pseudoephedrine in the first three months because it has been linked to a small risk of an abdominal wall birth defect. Bring the specific product to your provider and let them confirm whether and how to use it.

How much exercise is safe in pregnancy, and how do I avoid overheating in spring?

ACOG recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week in most healthy pregnancies, such as 30 minutes on five days. Moderate intensity means you can still talk normally but not sing. As it warms up, exercise in the cooler morning or evening, stay in the shade, and drink water before, during, and after. Stop if you feel dizzy, get a headache, have chest pain, notice calf pain or swelling, have regular painful contractions, notice bleeding or leaking fluid, or feel less fetal movement, and call your provider. Confirm your plan with your provider if you have any pregnancy complication.

Is it normal to be more tired and need more rest in spring?

Yes. Fatigue is common, especially in the first and third trimesters, and warmer weather plus disrupted sleep can add to it. Rest is part of healthy pregnancy care, not a failure to stay active. Lower your exercise intensity on heavy-fatigue days rather than pushing through, keep hydrated, and put your feet up if swelling builds late in the day. If your tiredness is sudden, severe, or comes with other symptoms like a persistent headache or vision changes, contact your provider.

When should warm-weather symptoms make me call my provider?

Spring heat and allergies can cause dizziness, headache, and fatigue, but some symptoms need a call. Contact your provider right away for a headache that will not go away, vision changes, swelling of the face or hands, or upper-abdominal pain, which can be signs of preeclampsia in the second half of pregnancy. Also call for signs of heat illness such as heavy sweating, weakness, and nausea. Call 911 for a sudden severe headache, trouble breathing, heavy bleeding, fainting, a seizure, or signs of heat stroke.

What vaccines are timed to specific weeks in spring pregnancy?

Two are timed to gestational age. CDC recommends Tdap between 27 and 36 weeks in every pregnancy, preferably earlier in that window, so your baby gets antibodies before birth. CDC recommends the maternal RSV vaccine (Pfizer Abrysvo) at 32 weeks 0 days through 36 weeks 6 days, given seasonally from September through January in most of the continental US, and notes most infants will not need both the maternal vaccine and the infant antibody (nirsevimab). Your provider confirms which apply to you and when.

Spring · Pregnancy

Spring Pregnancy Care: Allergies, Exercise, and Rest

Warmer days, longer light, and pollen everywhere. Spring brings a few specific questions for pregnancy.

Spring changes what your body deals with day to day. Pollen counts climb. Afternoons get warm. You may feel ready to move more outdoors. This guide covers four things: seasonal allergies and which approaches to discuss with your provider, exercising safely as it heats up, getting enough rest, and how activity shifts across pregnancy. It ends with the signs that mean call now. It does not tell you which medication to take. That decision belongs to your OB or midwife, who knows your history.

6 min read Spring · Pregnancy Updated June 2026

Reviewed against current ACOG and CDC guidance

Before you take anything for allergies

Spring allergy symptoms are common in pregnancy: a runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, itchy or watering eyes. Many allergy products you used before pregnancy are sold over the counter, but over the counter does not mean automatically safe now. ACOG advises checking with your ob-gyn before taking any over-the-counter allergy medicine during pregnancy. Some approaches are generally considered lower risk and others are not. According to ACOG, certain newer oral antihistamines such as cetirizine and loratadine may be options, and a corticosteroid nasal spray may be used in pregnancy. ACOG also notes that the oral decongestant pseudoephedrine has been linked to a small risk of an abdominal wall birth defect and should be avoided in the first three months of pregnancy. Do not use this paragraph to self-prescribe. Bring your specific symptoms and the products you are considering to your provider, and let them confirm the dose and timing for you.

Lower-medication ways to ease pollen exposure

Check the daily pollen forecast and plan outdoor time when counts are lower, often after rain rather than on dry, windy days.
Keep windows closed during high-pollen stretches and run air conditioning instead.
Change clothes and rinse off after long stretches outside so you are not carrying pollen to bed.
Wear wraparound sunglasses outdoors to keep pollen out of your eyes.
Saline nasal rinses or sprays are drug-free and can be discussed with your provider as a first step.
If symptoms disrupt sleep or breathing, or you have a history of asthma, tell your provider rather than layering on more products.

Exercising safely as it warms up

Walk, swim, or use a stationary bike. These keep your effort steady and your footing stable.
Exercise during cooler parts of the day, early morning or evening, and stay in the shade when you can.
Drink water before, during, and after. ACOG describes dehydration signs as dizziness, a racing or pounding heart, and passing only small amounts of dark yellow urine.
Use the talk test: you should be able to talk normally while moving. If you cannot, ease off.
Avoid activities with a high risk of falling or abdominal contact, and skip overheating environments like hot yoga. ACOG advises avoiding high heat and humidity, especially in the first trimester.
Wear supportive shoes, loose clothing, and stick to even paths. Your center of balance shifts as pregnancy progresses.

Stop exercising and call your provider if you notice

Bleeding from the vagina
Feeling dizzy or faint
Shortness of breath before you start exercising
Chest pain
Headache
Muscle weakness, or calf pain or swelling
Regular, painful contractions of the uterus
Fluid gushing or leaking from the vagina
A noticeable decrease in your baby's movements

How activity and rest shift across pregnancy

First trimester

Fatigue and nausea are common and can make exercise feel harder. Lower the intensity instead of stopping entirely if you are cleared to move.
Build a hydration and sleep routine now. ACOG flags heat stress as a particular first-trimester concern, so avoid high heat and humidity and stay well hydrated.
If you were active before pregnancy, you can usually continue with your provider's okay. If you were not, start gently.

Doing less on a heavy-fatigue day is normal, not a setback.

Second trimester

Energy often returns, which makes the 150-minute target easier to reach.
Your balance changes as your belly grows, so favor stable activities like walking and swimming.
After the first trimester, many people are advised to avoid exercises that keep you lying flat on your back for long periods. Ask your provider what applies to you.

This is often the most comfortable window to stay consistent.

Third trimester

Extra weight and warmer weather raise the overheating risk, so shorten sessions and rest more.
Prioritize sleep and put your feet up when swelling builds late in the day.
Keep moving at an easy pace if cleared, but stop at any warning sign above.

Slowing down near the end is expected. Rest counts as care.

Vaccine timing to confirm with your provider

Vaccine	Timing in pregnancy	Why
Tdap (whooping cough)	27 through 36 weeks, every pregnancy; earlier in that window is preferred	Your body makes antibodies and passes them to your baby for protection before the infant series begins (CDC).
RSV (Pfizer Abrysvo / RSVpreF)	32 0/7 through 36 6/7 weeks, given seasonally September through January in most of the continental US	Protects the infant from severe RSV; CDC notes most infants will not need both the maternal vaccine and the infant antibody (nirsevimab), so discuss which fits your family.
Flu and COVID-19	As recommended by your provider	Pregnancy raises the risk of severe illness; discuss timing at a prenatal visit.

Call your provider promptly for these pregnancy signs

A headache that will not go away
Changes in vision, such as blurriness, spots, or light sensitivity
Swelling of the face or hands
Pain in the upper abdomen
A noticeable decrease in your baby's movements in the third trimester
Signs of heat illness: heavy sweating, weakness, lightheadedness, nausea or vomiting

Call 911 or go to the emergency room

A sudden, severe headache that comes on like a thunderclap
Trouble breathing or chest pain
Heavy vaginal bleeding
A seizure, fainting, or confusion
Signs of heat stroke: very high body temperature, hot dry or clammy skin, fast pulse, confusion, or loss of consciousness

Quick answers

Can I take allergy medicine during pregnancy?: Check with your ob-gyn or midwife before taking any over-the-counter allergy medicine, even ones you used before pregnancy. ACOG notes that certain newer oral antihistamines such as cetirizine and loratadine may be options and that a corticosteroid nasal spray may be used in pregnancy, but the right choice depends on your history and how far along you are. ACOG also advises avoiding the oral decongestant pseudoephedrine in the first three months because it has been linked to a small risk of an abdominal wall birth defect. Bring the specific product to your provider and let them confirm whether and how to use it.
How much exercise is safe in pregnancy, and how do I avoid overheating in spring?: ACOG recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week in most healthy pregnancies, such as 30 minutes on five days. Moderate intensity means you can still talk normally but not sing. As it warms up, exercise in the cooler morning or evening, stay in the shade, and drink water before, during, and after. Stop if you feel dizzy, get a headache, have chest pain, notice calf pain or swelling, have regular painful contractions, notice bleeding or leaking fluid, or feel less fetal movement, and call your provider. Confirm your plan with your provider if you have any pregnancy complication.
Is it normal to be more tired and need more rest in spring?: Yes. Fatigue is common, especially in the first and third trimesters, and warmer weather plus disrupted sleep can add to it. Rest is part of healthy pregnancy care, not a failure to stay active. Lower your exercise intensity on heavy-fatigue days rather than pushing through, keep hydrated, and put your feet up if swelling builds late in the day. If your tiredness is sudden, severe, or comes with other symptoms like a persistent headache or vision changes, contact your provider.
When should warm-weather symptoms make me call my provider?: Spring heat and allergies can cause dizziness, headache, and fatigue, but some symptoms need a call. Contact your provider right away for a headache that will not go away, vision changes, swelling of the face or hands, or upper-abdominal pain, which can be signs of preeclampsia in the second half of pregnancy. Also call for signs of heat illness such as heavy sweating, weakness, and nausea. Call 911 for a sudden severe headache, trouble breathing, heavy bleeding, fainting, a seizure, or signs of heat stroke.
What vaccines are timed to specific weeks in spring pregnancy?: Two are timed to gestational age. CDC recommends Tdap between 27 and 36 weeks in every pregnancy, preferably earlier in that window, so your baby gets antibodies before birth. CDC recommends the maternal RSV vaccine (Pfizer Abrysvo) at 32 weeks 0 days through 36 weeks 6 days, given seasonally from September through January in most of the continental US, and notes most infants will not need both the maternal vaccine and the infant antibody (nirsevimab). Your provider confirms which apply to you and when.

Sources & further reading

What your baby needs, season to season.

ParentFlow tracks feeds, sleep, and milestones and surfaces what matters as your baby grows.

App Store Google Play Open Web App

This guide reflects current ACOG and CDC guidance and is for educational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice. ParentFlow is a wellness companion — not a substitute for your OB, midwife, or pediatrician. For any medical concern, contact your healthcare provider.