EVEN in these days of the modern man, being a mum has a huge impact on a woman’s life.

While many men now share the parenting responsibilities, mothers still tend to be at the forefront of the caring duties.

And as a result they tend to be more exposed to illnesses such as colds and tummy bugs because of nursing their poorly offspring.

A recent survey by supplements firm Healthspan revealed that over the 18 years of their youngster’s childhood, mums will have 54 colds as well as 108 sore throats or runny noses. They will also have 36 sickness bugs and an annual bout of flu.

This means the average mum will fall ill 324 times during those 18 years with colds and bugs passed on to them by their offspring.

In addition, they can also expect to deal with headlice which come home from school on their child’s hair.

Most of the women surveyed said the illnesses can be traced back to their children, leaving them under the weather after they have nursed their children back to health.

Dr Sarah Brewer, GP and medical director at Healthspan, said: “Mums are often on the front line when it comes to the family’s illnesses and, due to time pressures and putting others first, are often poor at looking after themselves.

“Prevention is key and it’s important for mums to look after themselves by boosting their immunity to help prevent common illnesses as much as possible.”

Dr Carl Ellson, chief clinical officer for NHS South Worcestershire Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “Young children are very dependent on their parents, so it’s important that they put aside some time to look after their own health and wellbeing too.

“To help keep bugs at bay, they should take some time out to ensure they don’t get overtired, drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration and eat as healthily as they can.

“Practical steps such as maintaining good hand hygiene and ensuring surfaces are cleaned regularly can also help to keep them clear of any unwanted illnesses.

“At the first sign of illness, even if it’s just a cough or a sore throat, any parent should visit their local pharmacy for specialist advice on what they can do, including what over-the-counter treatments are available to relieve symptoms and keep them in good shape to look after their children.”

The Healthspan survey of 2,000 parents revealed 68 per cent of mums said they had been more prone to falling ill since having children, with 39 per cent saying they now constantly feel under the weather in some way. In fact, the average mum has just 13 days a month where they feel completely fit and healthy.

The study also found one in three parents fell ill over the Christmas period, with a cold, sore throat, runny nose or sickness bug and 64 per cent of those even went as far as to say it ruined their Christmas, with 65 per cent of people saying they often tend to fall ill once they switch off a little or take a break from work.

It also emerged 70 per cent of mums have fallen ill when they have gone on holiday, switched off a little or had some time off work, with 71 per cent of those saying that time has been ruined as a result.

Dr Brewer added: “Stress has a negative effect on immunity, especially when you start to relax at the end of a stressful period. Known as the ‘let down effect’, getting sick at the end of a period of stress is linked with a drop in cortisol levels.

“The body switches from the ‘fight or flight’ reaction to a ‘rest and digest’ response and the high level of immune vigilance is relaxed. This is why you experience a flare-up of existing conditions such as migraine or cold sores and increased susceptibility to cold viruses.”

Women will soldier on when they are ill. But 84 per cent of mums feel they are unable to sit back and relax when they are ill, instead having to battle on through, compared to seven in 10 dads. And 72 per cent of women reckon they cope better than their partner when they are ill.

Dr Meg Arroll, chartered psychologist and researcher specialising in health and stress, said: “This may be related to our innate drive to survive and do everything we can to ensure our offspring’s survival.

“In our ancestors’ time, men would have needed to be fit and well to ‘fight or flight’ in the face of a threat. But women, having different roles, safeguarded their family in a pattern of ‘tend or befriend’.

“We haven’t changed that much and so even now with differing gender roles, women’s protective instincts kick in - they care for others over themselves, whereas men maintain their own physical fitness in order to protect and provide for their families.”

Dr Brewer concluded: “The hard and fast rules are prevention at this time of year when cold viruses and other bugs are flying around. My best tip for parents is to teach children to regularly wash their hands and to ensure the whole family is taking a vitamin D supplement to support their immunity.”

Healthspan’s top tips on preventing a cold include:

• Don’t get overtired

• Take regular exercise to stay fit

• Eat a healthy wholefood diet with at least five servings of nutrient-rich fresh fruit and vegetables

• Avoid cigarette smoke and smoky atmospheres

• Avoid being near people in the early stages of a cold - especially when they are coughing and sneezing

• Try and adopt a positive attitude to life. Studies show that a positive attitude can boost immunity and reduce the risk of infections