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Bookswithtea
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| Posted: Sept 05 2007 at 11:14am | IP Logged
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This is a rabbit trail from the thread on bouncing back after a delivery.
I've got a baby due the end of November. I have never had a winter baby in a state that feels like winter (our other winter baby was born in CA, which is gorgeous in January). I am really concerned about RSV, because I have heard all the horror stories of tiny babies being hospitalized.
So that said...not for mommy's well being, but for a newborn's well being, how long should I stay in, besides Mass? Current plans are for a 2ce a month 4H meeting for dd's (I may be able to arrange for other transportation occasionally, and I may be able to wait in the car, too), and 2ce a month 2hrs and 15 minutes at a very small coop. My plan for the baby was mostly to just keep him/her in an ergo or babysling to fend off baby touching kids. Baby should be about 4 weeks old when all of this starts. We will both be at home almost exclusively for the month of December, except for Mass.
I dunno...I'm wondering about maybe dropping my volunteering of the nursery for coop (3 babies, two of whom are mine and 1 two year old)...
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Elizabeth
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Books,
I'm just back from an emergency visit to the doctor this morning with my ds-8. It was supposed to be a well visit but it turned into yet another asthma rescue. When he was a newborn, a friend came over to visit. While she was upstairs with me, she mentioned that she'd left her 10 year old daughter downstairs since she had a cold and they didn't want to expose her to the baby. So...her dd played with my 2yo dd.  . And the 2 yo got the cold and passed it along and the baby was back in the hospital--in the picu--at ten days old. What is a cold in bigger kids is a big deal in some babies.
We've been that road with 5 out of eight of them.
Now, if we are in public, I keep that baby in a sling, facing me. I'm crazy about handwashing with everyone. I avoid indoor soccer in the winter (my kids play but I rarely watch--last winter I went to 2 games). There is no way I'd do any kind of nursery anything. I stopped co-opping when the child above was born.
You need to keep your other kids healthy too--mine have gotten RSV from their sibs in all but one case. In that case, I had the baby in a sling on my lap (nursing) at Tae Kwon Do with my bigger baby right next to me and someone's preschooler came over and literally coughed and sneezed all over us. I wanted to cry; I knew right then what we were in for. Sure enough, both the baby and the toddler had it. The baby was ten weeks old. The toddler was not yet two and still nursing. The baby needed to be hospitalized according to protocol. If not for my dear pediatrician who came by my house every day, twice a day, in order to keep baby home, we'd have been in the hospital again with just the baby and the poor nursing toddler would have been sick and away from mama.
So, that brings us to today: my kids are asthmatic. Colds are still a crisis. The question is whether RSV made them prone to asthma or they were born asthmatic and so prone to have complications with RSV. It's on my short list of things to ask God. With our history, I take few chances. Karoline went to Mass in a sling and that's it until April. Even, now, I don't let other people hold her when we're in groups and I keep her with me all the time if we are in a crowd with other children.
Think and pray about. your kids are not mine and mine might just be more sensitive.
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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DominaCaeli
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Elizabeth wrote:
| I had the baby in a sling on my lap (nursing) at Tae Kwon Do with my bigger baby right next to me and someone's preschooler came over and literally coughed and sneezed all over us. I wanted to cry; I knew right then what we were in for. Sure enough, both the baby and the toddler had it. The baby was ten weeks old. |
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Our situation was the same as Elizabeth's: we stopped in at a church potluck back in February, when my daughter was four months old. She was in the sling the whole time, and I never touched her without washing my hands carefully first. But a preschooler ran past us on his way to his mother and sneezed--I knew then and there that we were in for it  We did end up taking her into the emergency room for difficulty breathing just a couple of nights later. Luckily, she was able to go home that night with us after we were taught how to administer her inhaler, and after a couple weeks of recovery, she was much better.
The point I wanted to make, though, (and I'm sure you already know this) is that what looks like a very minor cold in a child or adult can be very serious for an infant. Family members used to try and argue that they weren't all that sick and were healthy enough for a visit, but they weren't going to be the ones up with a wheezing baby for sleepless nights afterward!
I can only imagine how hard it would be to keep the germs away when you have other children in the house. I definitely wouldn't be around a nursery setting--just tell people it's doctor's orders! 
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asplendidtime
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The first thing we do is not go anywhere when dc are sick, we ask people not to visit if they are sick. We made sure that everyone knows we will go to big efforts here, people think we're "picky about getting sick" and we are!
We had a six month old contract pneumonia,(tested - for RSV), but I saw lots of babies that had contracted it from Daycare/Church etc.... And we had 4 other very little ones besides, it was miserable, and although our prescriptions were covered, it cost us $200 in "Pharmacist Dispensing Fees" that is how many prescriptions we needed to get them better. Then we had the week long stay in hospital with 6mo old. Dh had a week off of work (no sick time pay) to stay with the older four. It cost us incredibly, for others to decide that their kids were "fine" to bring out.
We avoid places during cold and flu season, because sick people won't, I have seen children with bags tied around their necks (for vomit) brought out to things.
I hate that about Mass, I wish they'd do some public service messages to make more people aware that the elderly, the young and people with compromised immune systems need them to stay home when they are sick.
I should say too that with our experience our floor/wing at the hospital was all pediatric cases of RSV/pneumonia, and they isolated any patient who was found + for RSV. They didn't have a maternity ward at that hospital. Smart of them to put those types of cases away from a Maternity hospital. I would assume that the case would be the same in USA? We shared an ICU space for a short time with a lady who's baby ended up tested + for RSV and my Jonah did not contract RSV.
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asplendidtime
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We also attended a Baptist Church for a time, and they had notices in their bulletins that children were not allowed at Sunday school with any kind of illness until it was cleared up. And they had notices posted at the Nursery/Sunday School Room doors. I think that was helpful.
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Cheryl
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I had one experience with RSV - my second son got it when he was 1-2 weeks old. I never said anything about this, but I believe he caught it from my other son who was two at the time and coughing and sneezing all over us. I think my 2 year old got the cold from my Mom and grandmother (who had a bad cold) who were babysitting my older son while we were at the hospital for the delivery.
I agree with Elizabeth. It's very important to keep the whole family as healthy as you can. I think it would be almost impossible to keep a sick sibling away from its new baby brother/sister.
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Bookswithtea
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Oh wow...I guess my instincts were right on. We don't have asthmatics, but we had what I *think* was rotovirus or something similar last spring, and it took *forever* to get rid of it. And our first winter in snow, we had several cases of strep that repeated themselves. So I am already more cautious than most. Its just not worth it.
I am definitely getting out of nursery duty for the winter. I'll have to think about the activities for my kids...maybe I can hang out in the car or something...
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DominaCaeli
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7smallones wrote:
| We avoid places during cold and flu season, because sick people won't |
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This is so true! I get frustrated with my husband's co-workers who come in sick to work. I always tell my husband that HE should be able to take a "sick day" when THEY are sick--I don't want him bringing their germs home to us! 
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wifemommy
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I am exactly the opposite babies go everywhere with me from the beginning and I try not to worry to much. So far x 6 it has been fine. Annie
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WayTruthLife
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We are expecting Baby #6 in November. I will be very cautious this time with exposing my children to outside sources of possible germs. We plan to hibernate for a good solid 3 months and maybe even longer. I plan to drop all outside activities, co-op, Little Flowers, Blue Knights. With my oldest only being 7yrs, they can easily pick something up and bring it home to the rest of us. With our last baby, the godparents came to see us in the hospital. They brought all 4 of their children with. Their youngest was coughing and touched my newborn's foot. The next day, the mom calls to tell me that their youngest was diagnosed with RSV!! AH! We were so shook up. My pediatrician told us that it was likely that we would contract it since it was such close contact. We immediately began a novena to the Infant of Prague. Thankfully, we were blessed that our baby didn't contract RSV. We were a nervous wreck for 10 days or so. That little lesson has taught me to hibernate and nest after birth, especially during RSV/flu/cold season. That's my story....
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PDyer
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My daughter was born in September and landed in the hospital at the end of January, and we were in and out of the hospital and to the doctor's office over and over for a month. And she tested negative for RSV!
My son was in Montessori school at the time, so that's probably where the cold part of it came from. We were dealing with identifying and dealing with dairy allergies as well; I think the combination of allergy gunk and cold gunk in her system was just too much.
I would be careful. Watching a baby work to breathe is really scary.
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cornomama4
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Books,
I'm hosting a Montessori thing at my house every Friday (you may know this) and I'm really tempted to bring up a "don't come to my house if your kid is sick" discusion with the group. We like to think other moms wouldn't bring a sick kid, but not everyone is perfect (like us, right ?) As it is, I bought all these Clorox wipes and plan to have the children basically only touching what is necessary to get them in the door, down to the basement, and back out and I plan to Clorox wipe every surface after they're gone!
My baby's 4 months, but still..I need a case of step or rotovirus like I need a third eye. I actally had the full blown stomach flu at 37 weeks with this last baby. I had to go to the hospital and be put on this stuff that makes you stop throwing up, but knocks you out. I'm also worried about 5th's disease incase anyone is newly pregnant..in case! wait, I already know 2 who are! Plus, if DH gets sick that'll be the end of Montessori chez-moi!
Would other people bring this up with the group..no sickies in the class please. Oi vae, another question of having to be tactful!
cm4
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Bookswithtea
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Eek! I would think Montessori is one of those things that is going to be especially hard to control, germs wise...what with all those amazing manipulatives that kids sneeze on. 
Yes, I would bring it up, but I'd probably talk with another of the moms in charge about how to bring it up.
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Bridget
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I am rather casual about exposure, I have never had a sick baby at all. (I am careful not to go around a family with a new baby if we are sick.) But I would not do nursery duty through the winter with a young baby. Something about all those germs being contained in a room with no fresh air blowing through...
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I'm pretty casual about it also. I've been very blessed to never have a baby under a year old sick. Our only hospital visits have been for croup in 3-5 year olds. (My kids get croup something fierce!!) We've also had our share of nasty stomach viruses, but no hospital trips. One thing that I DON'T do are "Well Checks" and I really that helps keep viruses' at bay. We too stay home when we are sick. It can be hard when only one is sick and the rest are fine, but, we just stay in.
What has been pretty rough on us right now is that just before Mark was born 3 kids had a nasty dry cough, The week he was born 3 more got it. The day after he was born I got it. YOUCH! Having a cough 24 hours pp with your 9th child is NOT easy on the abs and causes many hurry up trips to the potty!!!! My abs are still sore, not from birthing, but from all the coughing afterwards. 2 kids still have the cough, so far baby has been spared.
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Bookswithtea
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Lisbet wrote:
One thing that I DON'T do are "Well Checks" and I really that helps keep viruses' at bay.
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Hmmmmmmmm...that's the other thing I've been thinking about. Waiting rooms are the *worst* for catching stuff. I don't immunize tiny babies anyway, but I've never just skipped the first few well checks. Then again, if I can see the baby is gaining well and isn't too jaundiced...I mean...that's all they are looking at anyway, right?
Those of you who are very careful about newborn exposure...do you skip the well checks too?
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Tami
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Bookswithtea wrote:
[QUOTE=Lisbet]
I don't immunize tiny babies anyway, but I've never just skipped the first few well checks. Then again, if I can see the baby is gaining well and isn't too jaundiced...I mean...that's all they are looking at anyway, right?
Those of you who are very careful about newborn exposure...do you skip the well checks too? |
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Books, they check for other things as well, head size, hip displacement, etc. Something to consider...
You could minimize the baby's exposure in the waiting room by keeping him/her close to you, as Elizabeth discussed, or even having your oldest wait in the waiting room while you stay in the car. Then he can come and get you when your baby's called. Maybe you can schedule appt.'s at the top of the day, when there will be fewer patients coming and going? I'm sure if you talk to the staff about your concerns, they'll be sympathetic. They too are aware of the need to protect newborns.
I use a family practice, where the pediatric population is (obviously) less than a pediatrician's and have never had a problem with the waiting room. And not everyone in the waiting room (any waiting room, actually) will be sick, anyway...
I've had winter babies here in the East, and find being prudent is effective. But I've never skipped a visit because of the potential in a waiting room. That's going to exist year-round, really.
Trust the Lord to look after your little one, and try not to be too anxious.
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Tami
When we are crushed like grapes, we cannot think of the wine we will become. (Nouwen)
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Lisbet
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Books, We don't immunize either and I really truly believe that "well checks" are a waste of time and a money making scam! :) Good for those moms that are away from their babies all day though I suppose. I take my babies in when they are 2 weeks old for them to become an 'established patient' with the ped and then only when/if they need to be checked. I have one child that has never seen the inside of a hospital or doctors office, and a few that only have for stitches and such.
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DominaCaeli
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Tami wrote:
| Maybe you can schedule appt.'s at the top of the day, when there will be fewer patients coming and going? |
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Our pediatrician has two nights a week when he sees patients, so we always make our check-ups during those evening hours; we are usually the only ones in the waiting room. We keep both babies in slings and they definitely don't play with the germy waiting room toys This has really worked well for us.
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Bookswithtea
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Tami wrote:
[QUOTE=Bookswithtea]
Books, they check for other things as well, head size, hip displacement, etc. Something to consider... |
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I've been to so so many well checks, I know how to check for hip displacement myself. And really, if a baby is growing and healthy, then I guess I am not too worried about head circumference. I dunno...When I told our fam. practice doctor I was delaying immunizations with my last baby even she said I didn't need to keep as many well check appts as what is scheduled. I would definitely go to the 2 week one.
I do think talking with the doctor is a good idea though. I think the risk is much greater during the winter when RSV, pertussis, and the flu are rampant. And as everyone here mentioned...even if I keep the baby protected, there is the issue of my other kids or myself catching something. I know at least one person IRL whose baby caught RSV in the waiting room for the well check.
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4Real Forums : Our Lady of Good Remedy and Care
Topic: Avoiding RSV
