Asthma, Pregnancy, and Breastfeeding in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Managing asthma during pregnancy and while breastfeeding is especially important for families in Grand Rapids, MI, where cold winters, seasonal respiratory infections, and changing weather can trigger asthma symptoms. Keeping your asthma well controlled is one of the best ways to protect both your health and your baby’s health.

Local hospitals and clinics in Grand Rapids—such as Spectrum Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, and Mercy Health—have obstetric and pulmonary specialists who can help you manage asthma safely during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Why Asthma Control Matters in Pregnancy

Your baby will do best if you are breathing well. When asthma is not controlled, your body and your baby may not get enough oxygen.

Poorly controlled asthma in pregnancy can increase the risk of:

  • Premature birth
  • Low birth weight
  • Pregnancy complications related to low oxygen levels

In West Michigan, winter viral infections, indoor allergens (like dust and pet dander), and outdoor triggers such as pollen and air pollution can all worsen asthma. This makes regular asthma checkups especially important for pregnant women in Grand Rapids.

Work With Your Grand Rapids Healthcare Team

During pregnancy, review your asthma regularly with your doctor or midwife. This might include:

  • Visits with your primary care provider or OB/GYN at Spectrum Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, or Mercy Health
  • Check-ins with a pulmonologist or allergist if you have moderate to severe asthma
  • Developing or updating a written asthma action plan

Bring your inhalers and a copy of your asthma action plan to all prenatal appointments so your provider can make sure your treatment is still right for you and your baby.

How Pregnancy Can Change Asthma

Pregnancy affects women differently:

  • For some, asthma gets worse
  • For others, asthma improves
  • For many, it stays about the same

About half of women with asthma notice their symptoms get a bit worse during pregnancy. As your baby grows, you may feel more short of breath, especially when walking or climbing stairs—something you may notice more during icy winters and when bundled in layers in Grand Rapids.

Any new or worsening shortness of breath, wheezing, or chest tightness should be discussed with your doctor or midwife.

Asthma Medications in Pregnancy

Inhaled Asthma Medicines and Your Baby

Most asthma medicines used in pregnancy are inhaled, which means:

  • The medicine goes directly into your lungs
  • Only a small dose is needed
  • Much less medicine enters your bloodstream
  • Therefore, much less can reach your baby

Because of this, most inhaled asthma medications are considered safe in pregnancy and are less risky than having uncontrolled asthma.

Always talk to your doctor before stopping or changing any asthma medicine. Stopping your inhaler suddenly can lead to flare-ups, which may lower the oxygen available to your baby. If you can’t breathe well, your baby can’t either.

Asthma Medicine Will Not Harm Your Baby

For most pregnant women with asthma:

  • Continuing prescribed inhalers is safer than leaving asthma untreated
  • Reliever (rescue) inhalers and preventer (controller) inhalers are commonly used safely in pregnancy
  • Your Grand Rapids provider will choose the lowest effective dose and the safest options for you

If you have concerns about any medicine, discuss them with your:

  • OB/GYN or family doctor
  • Pulmonologist or allergist
  • Pharmacist at your local Grand Rapids pharmacy

What to Do if You Have an Asthma Attack While Pregnant

If you have an asthma attack during pregnancy:

  1. Follow your asthma action plan
  2. Use your reliever inhaler (rescue inhaler) as directed
  3. Sit upright and try to stay calm
  4. If your breathing does not improve, seek urgent medical care

In Grand Rapids, you can go to the emergency departments at:

  • Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital
  • Trinity Health Grand Rapids
  • Metro Health – University of Michigan Health

If symptoms are severe—trouble speaking in full sentences, lips or face turning blue, or feeling very drowsy—call 911 immediately.

Asthma During Labor and Delivery

Asthma attacks during labor are rare. Most women with asthma have normal labors and deliveries.

To stay safe:

  • Keep your asthma medication accessible when you go to the hospital
  • Tell your labor and delivery team that you have asthma
  • Bring your asthma action plan and all inhalers with you

If you have asthma symptoms during labor:

  • Take your reliever medication as usual, exactly as your doctor has instructed
  • Let your nurse, midwife, or doctor know right away

Labor and delivery units at hospitals in Grand Rapids are experienced in caring for women with asthma and can monitor your breathing throughout labor.

Smoking, Asthma, and Pregnancy

Smoking is especially harmful for pregnant women with asthma. In Michigan, where winter often keeps people indoors and secondhand smoke can build up in enclosed spaces, avoiding tobacco smoke is critical.

Smoking during pregnancy can increase the risk of:

  • Worsening asthma and more frequent attacks
  • Premature birth
  • Low birth weight
  • Miscarriage
  • Ectopic pregnancy
  • Problems with the placenta
  • Premature rupture of the membranes
  • Fetal death (stillbirth)
  • Sudden unexpected death in infants (SUDI)
  • Higher risk of asthma and breathing infections in the baby

Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health and your baby’s health.

Local Help to Quit Smoking in Grand Rapids

If you need help to quit smoking:

  • Talk to your GP, OB/GYN, or midwife at Spectrum Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, or Mercy Health
  • Contact the Kent County Health Department or Grand Rapids Public Health for local smoking cessation programs
  • Call the Michigan Tobacco Quitline at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) for free counseling and support

Asthma and Breastfeeding

Most asthma medicines are safe to take while breastfeeding. Only very small amounts of inhaled medicine pass into breast milk, and these are not known to harm babies.

Breastfeeding has many benefits, especially for babies of mothers with asthma:

  • Lower risk of breathing problems
  • Lower risk of respiratory infections
  • May lower the risk of developing asthma later in childhood

In Grand Rapids, where winter viruses and indoor allergens are common, breastfeeding can give your baby extra protection.

Getting Help With Breastfeeding

You and your baby may need time to learn and practice breastfeeding. If you’re having trouble, you can:

  • Ask to see a lactation consultant at your delivering hospital (Spectrum Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, or Mercy Health)
  • Talk with your midwife or OB/GYN
  • Ask your pediatrician or family doctor for breastfeeding support resources
  • Contact the Kent County Health Department for local breastfeeding support programs and classes

Do not stop your asthma medications without medical advice. If you are unsure about any medicine while breastfeeding, speak with your:

  • Midwife
  • OB/GYN
  • Pediatrician
  • Pharmacist

Creating an Asthma Action Plan in Grand Rapids

An asthma action plan is a written guide that helps you know:

  • Which daily medicines to take
  • What to do when symptoms get worse
  • When to seek emergency care

Work with your Grand Rapids healthcare provider to create or update your asthma action plan for pregnancy and the postpartum period. Make sure:

  • You understand each step clearly
  • A copy is kept at home and in your hospital bag
  • Your partner or support person knows what to do if you have an asthma attack

Where to Get Help in Grand Rapids, MI

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding and have asthma, you can get support from:

  • Your GP or family doctor
  • OB/GYN or midwife
  • Pulmonologist or allergist
  • Pediatrician (for your baby)
  • Pharmacist (for medicine questions)
  • Lactation consultant (for breastfeeding support)
  • Kent County Health Department and Grand Rapids Public Health (for local programs, smoking cessation, and maternal-child health services)

For national asthma information and support, visit reputable organizations such as:

  • The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA)
  • The American Lung Association

Key Points for Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women With Asthma in Grand Rapids

  • Your baby will do best if your asthma is well controlled and you are breathing comfortably.
  • Uncontrolled asthma increases the risk of premature birth and low birth weight.
  • Most inhaled asthma medicines go straight into the lungs, use small doses, and bypass the baby.
  • Do not stop your asthma medicines without talking to your doctor. Taking them as prescribed is safer than having uncontrolled asthma.
  • Asthma attacks during labor are rare, but always keep your reliever inhaler nearby and inform your hospital team.
  • Smoking during pregnancy greatly increases health risks for both you and your baby—seek local help in Grand Rapids to quit.
  • Most asthma medicines are safe while breastfeeding, and breastfeeding can reduce breathing problems in your baby.

If you live in the Grand Rapids area and are pregnant or breastfeeding with asthma, talk with your healthcare team about how to stay healthy through every season—especially during Michigan’s cold, respiratory illness–prone winters.