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Kath
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| Posted: Oct 28 2010 at 5:48pm | IP Logged
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I am pregnant with a baby due December 18th--a new experience for me, as my first two children were born in the summer. So I've started wondering if there are extra precautions I should be taking with a baby due in cold/flu season. For instance . . . Christmas Mass. It's really crowded at our parish. Would you even bring a baby that young to church? And should I be limiting his exposure to any large gatherings? I tend to keep my babies pretty close to me when they're that young (in a sling, etc), but I'm sure germs can still get to them. Anyone have any advice for me? 
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Katherine
Mom to ds 8, ds 5, and ds 3
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mamalove
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| Posted: Oct 28 2010 at 6:50pm | IP Logged
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if you are nursing, I would not worry too much. Keep baby in a sling if you use one, and dont pass him/her around for oogling if you think that would help.
My fiiend had a downs baby and that baby came to Mass right away, but nobody got to hold her, and her mamas best friend was hand sanitizer.
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Oct 28 2010 at 7:50pm | IP Logged
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I've had babies born in all the season and what Mamalove says is basically what I do.
I usually stay home until right about 2 weeks.. after that I wear the baby in the sling.. no passing around.. they get lots of protection from your milk if you're nursing which I do.
And keep everyone washing hands. I've read something recently about you're more likely to get sick from what you touch than what you breathe.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
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JenPre
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| Posted: Oct 28 2010 at 8:36pm | IP Logged
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My daughter was born last Dec 4th, 4 weeks early. I was PETRIFIED about having an early newborn and being around groups at Christmas. I was nursing so that comforted me some. We did bring her to Church but we kept her to ourselves and only let people look from a distance. Same with family gatherings on Christmas. No one but my husband and I got to hold her. It made some people upset but she was barely 5.5 pounds and I didn't want her getting sick! And if you do have people hold the baby....INSIST on washing hands first. And watch out for other little ones....they are sweet but they like to touch baby's hands and face.
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Jen
Mommy to Marie-Therese born 12/4/09
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MWeber
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| Posted: Oct 28 2010 at 8:56pm | IP Logged
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My daughter was born in February two years ago, and honestly it was the exposure that my older son got that was the most worrisome. It's easy to keep a newborn in a sling and away from other people's germs (although I admittedly wasn't careful enough about not letting others hold her). But since we don't live near family, my son was at other people's houses a lot, playing with other kids, while I labored and once I got home from the hospital.
So, at 3 wks of age, my dd (who was exclusively breastfed) came down with a severe case of RSV. We almost lost her, and she was in the PICU for a week barely able to breathe.  I have so much guilt associated with the whole situation that I can barely type it out. I am due a week or two after you, and although I am not a germ freak by nature, I am absolutely terrified! Part of my problem is that I am always afraid of hurting people's feelings. Since my dd was the next baby after a stillbirth, my friends and family just took her in and wanted to hold the little miraculous thing in their arms. And I was afraid to say no. (How stupid is that?! Ugh, the guilt.)
But seriously, I'm pretty sure my son passed on his cold to her. So, I guess my main advice would be to maybe keep your older kids away from friends' homes, indoor play areas like at Chick Fil A, etc. for a month or two. Or maybe just reduce the amount of exposure (b/c you and your kids will probably go nuts otherwise!). I plan to cut out things like the library, grocery store, and a Mom's ministry group at the church where the kids are cared for in the nursery. I pray the weather is at least somewhat decent, so they can release some of their energy outside during those months!
I really hope this post doesn't make you feel any worse. LOL! Just be firm with others, and hopefully they won't be too sensitive when you say "don't you dare breathe on my baby!" 
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Michele
Mom to ds (2006), dd (^2007^), dd (2009), & dd (Dec 2010)
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Oct 28 2010 at 9:22pm | IP Logged
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When we're out a lot, ESPECIALLY indoor public play areas, lots of hand washing, it's the only time I carry the hand sanitizer so that we can use it as soon as leaving before coming into our house (still wash when you get home). AND I dose everyone, just once when we get home, with elderberry.
We do seem to get sick a lot less than average so.. 
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Jodie, wife to Dave
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JenPre
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| Posted: Oct 29 2010 at 6:45am | IP Logged
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Jodie where do you get elderberry? Is it a lotion or capsule or liquid?
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Jen
Mommy to Marie-Therese born 12/4/09
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JodieLyn
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I prefer a tincture over the capsules and syrup. The amount of the dose is measured in drops so it's easier to slip into another drink.. or the amount of juice you need to drink to get the whole dose can be much smaller.. and your storage space required is smaller.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
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Kath
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| Posted: Oct 29 2010 at 12:10pm | IP Logged
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Thank you for all your answers! Hand washing is such a good reminder, and Michele--I'm glad you mentioned being careful about siblings passing on germs. How scary for you having your little girl so sick! When my second son was six weeks he ended up in the hospital because of a high fever and had to have a lumbar puncture, etc--so I'd really like to avoid anything like that with this baby, if possible. And I do need to be a bit tougher about making sure other people wash their hands and don't put their face near the baby's, etc. This is why I love slings/wraps so much--you can keep the baby so close to you and since you aren't just holding them in your arms it seems like other people ask to hold them less.
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Katherine
Mom to ds 8, ds 5, and ds 3
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JaysFamily
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| Posted: Oct 29 2010 at 12:16pm | IP Logged
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Well, we took a preemie to Christmas Mass, but he was receiving RSV shots and was breastfed.
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In Christ,
Jaysfamily
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mother to DS(5)
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Mary's daughter
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I'm due Dec. 4 this year and I've had 2 Dec. babies in the past. We stay isolated, that includes church. Our priest has offered to come to the house and bring Communion. We will do this for a couple of weeks and then probably split up for Mass, sticking to the early Masses to avoid crowds. It is a small sacrifice to make. I agree with keeping the older children away from places they are likely to get exposed to viruses.
So many people come to church sick or bring their sick children. I wish people would consider what they are exposing others to. What may be "just a cold" going through your house, could be a virus that could hospitalize or even kill another. Think babies, elderly, people on steroids, people with cancer and on chemotherapy. It is a small sacrifice to stay home from Mass (and a licit one), in order to protect another. Just my 2 cents!
Stephanie
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mamalove
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another friend of ours had twins who were preemies, so they were really vulnerable to sickness, and then a new baby. They basically dropped out of everything for quite a long time during sickness season. They called it quarentining themselves. They would come to Mass, but leave right after and not stay for the potluck. They did not do any activities at all.
Marys daughter is right, you cant always trust other people to keep their sick kids at home
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stacykay
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I was very cautious about our #2 ds (born 3 weeks early, 10/30, and was in nicu for a few days after birth), and didn't venture out with him until his baptism, which was end of January. Just a week later he was in the hospital with bronchiolitis caused by rsv. It was very scary. I have always been very into hand-washing and not passing baby around, so I have always associated it with being at a crowded Mass with folks sniffling, sneezing and coughing all around.
And as a side note, in talking to his asthma specialist, he said that they do believe that a respiratory illness in littles can be the key that "unlocks" or
"triggers" some children's propensity for asthma.
In Christ,
Stacy in MI (Happy All Saints Day!)
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wifemommy
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I deal with things completely differently. I am out and about almost immediately with the baby. #7 was in the Holy Thursday procession at less then a week old (this was a March Easter) The bigger kids are in Co-op Cub Scouts etc so baby goes everywhere. The last 2 were Feb and March babies. I nursed and put the baby in a sling alot. I hate hand sanitizer and I am not fanatical about handwashing. I have been Blessed with 8 healthy children and no problems so far  Annie
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Topic: Precautions for baby born in Dec
