Getting My 2 Week Old Baby Around Alot of People

Since this is RSV season, I wouldn't suggest a large number of people around such a young baby. My daughter was born pre-mature last Oct. and we had to stay in until she was at least 3 months old. We had a quiet Christmas here at the house and everyone understood.

J., I am sure your doctor will advise you not to have the baby around lots of people for health reasons. One risk is whooping cough which if an adult gets it they might just feel like they have a slight cold but it can be deadly for a baby. Beyond health risks though you are going to be exhausted from being up nights with the baby and emotional from the hormones so there is lots of stress added being around so many people. When my son was born we had lots of visitors at the hospital (up to 20 in the room at the same time.) It was wonderful that so many people wanted to see him and cared so much about us but there were so many times I just wanted to kick everyone out and rest. Instead I felt pressured to be good company for our visitors. Plus I was breastfeeding and got very little privacy. Also yes everyone will want to hold and cuddle the baby. I would say plan something relaxing. The best Christmas present your family can give you is peace. Take advantage of family to watch the baby for short times allowing you to nap/shower etc. but don't feel obligated to entertain and be sure the person watching the baby is well. Just be sure that whatever you do you allow yourself rest and an easy escape if you just need to get away from it all.

I know you have had a over whelming response. We had our baby
end of October and was 6 wks old at Christmas.

We celebrate the Sat before. He was born 6 weeks Pre mature and spent 2 weeks in NICU. Since he was early we were sent home with
Home Nurses to our house 2 a week.

Our baby Dr sd to make sure everyone washing there hands.
o use our judgement stay in when you can, and don't feel bad but if strangers at the store want to touch your aby ask them not too. She sd everyone wants to touch there head, or hands or feet. She was right.

We stayed close to home, but we did go to my parents for Christmas. There was my parents, I have 5 brothers and sisters and a few kids. But no one had a cold. All our famiy and friends if they had a cold they wouldn't come near the baby.

My son went to sleep on his Grandpa arms and the pictures
was worth a thousant words. So use your judgement and ask everyone if they had a cold to keep there distance and they will. It wouldn't of been Christmas without going.

As for sleep we had a good baby. But it was nice to catch a nap
and Grandpa and Grandma said they watch him. So if you need a break it can be a blessing. We lived in Kansas City where it was really cold. He never got a cold till he was 2.

Something I did with my newborn was bring along a large bottle of hand sanitizer this way I was assured that the majority of germs were minimized.

J.,

Your baby will most likely be fine. I would make sure to have Purell handy so people can wash their hands before holding him. You might also want to be careful about people who were too much perfume/cologne - my kids broke out in rashes in response to their great grandmother's perfume. Do what you feel most comfortable with, but realize that he will be okay. You just have to make sure that YOU will be okay, too! Happy holidays!

Our pediatrician told us not to take our son anywhere with groups until after his 2 month shots, including Christmas. He was born 2 days before Thanksgiving last year. I know I'm reiterating the sage advice that has already been offered, but please stay home, rest, and have a relaxing Xmas this year. The risks for your baby are just too much if you go.

I was in your same situation last year as my son was born on December 7th. He is my second child and not really wanting to seem like an uptight or overprotective mom I took him to the annual Christmas party that my family holds every year. Well, he (and me and my husband and daughter) ended up with the flu. We had to take him to the hospital because his cough was so bad and it ended up being pneumonia. It was so horrible to see a less than one month old being poked and proded with needles ans x-rays, and he was so sick it was sooooo sad. I am not trying to scare you but I just reccommend staying home for a little while longer and just having a few guests over to your house. We had everybody wash their hands before they held him but you know how hard it is when your holding a sweet baby to not kiss at least his forehead.

Definately try to NOT be around alot of people. One thing to remember, if you have to be around them, is the other kids. The first time I went to visit my family when my son was 2 months old, they didnt tell me that all of their children had runny noses and were coughing. My son caught that cold and he never got rid of it, it turned into an ear infection and he just got tubes put in about 2 weeks ago. All because they didnt think it was a big deal and didnt let me know about it because their kids were older and they were used to it.

Your son/daughter is lucky to have such a cautious mommy, keep it up!!

OK, I am going to step on a lot of toes here, and go out of the norm. I have a huge family and we took my oldest to all kinds of family functions. She was always around people from a young age. I breast fed her, so she got my anti-bodies. When she was just a few weeks old, we were taking her to Target, the Grocery store and out to eat with us. We were not told to keep out of public places until we had our second one last year. With that said, I didn't bring her around sick people, especially school age children. And, in public places, she was either in her car seat sort of blocked from everything or in my arms. I defintiely didn't let anyone with questionable health hold her! And, make sure people wash their hands! My oldest daughter is now almost 3 1/2 and I can count the number of colds she has had to this day on one hand!

So, you and your Dr. need to decide what is right for you and the baby. And, obviously, if you are not feeling up to to a big family function, pass on it. Also, you can just go for an hour or so...they should understand that you can't or don't want to stay for 6 hours!

Good luck! Take care!

And, Congratulations!!!

I've also taken care of a baby with RSV, and it is not fun for anyone. The risk is very high right now. The most important thing to keep the baby away from is snot - which sounds gross, but that is how all colds are spread. Someone sneezes into their hand then tickles your babies nose with that hand? Gross. Same with older kids - train them from the beginning to kiss the baby on the head. You could also use a double-blanket system: keep the baby swaddled at all times using one of those velcro swaddle blankets, then drape the person holding the baby with a larger blanket. The swaddle blanket keeps the baby's hands covered, so there isn't any chance of someone kissing their hands. (this seemed to be big with my elderly aunts - kissing the baby hands, which the baby then puts in their mouth...again, gross!)

The other trick that has worked with mine was to say that "she really only likes mommy and daddy right now while she is new!" I would really play the "overprotective new mommy" card as much as possible - do whatever works. I also carried Purrell with me and had one of those huge pump bottles in my living room. The best thing about having a new baby is that you don't have to go to any gatherings you don't want to because "the baby was up all night, and is just finally sleeping!" Most family members will be willing to forgive and forget - don't feel guilty!!!

I would say no. Seriously, you probably aren't going to be up to being around people anyway at two weeks out. Don't let the expectations of other people rule the best decisions you can make for you and your family. There is plenty of time for people to get to know this little blessing as he/she grows older. This is the time to be the best overly protective mommy that you can be!!!!

It really isn't safe and a lot of time, people don't realize they are sick during this season. They may pass off symptoms as allergies or stress when they really have the flu or something worse. We have all done it and used our selfishness to justify being around others.

Congratulations on your new addition!!! Be happy and healthy in this new season!

Jodi

Well keep the numbers low on who you expose the baby to...and ask ahead of time if any one there is or thinks thay are sick. Tell them to be honest that youd rather not come if they are to avoid infection. Make sure everyone washes there hands really good b/c you let them hold your baby. My daughter was a preemie and had a super low immune system so and was on RSV shots for 2 years and we really had to limit where we went...it was to the doc and thats it. Only really healthy people could come to see her and they had to wash and wear a mask to help protect her. I felt awful having to make my family go to these extremes but they fully understood. It did help she was never sick during her "scary time" but now we are kinda making up for it b/c she is gets colds now..but thats normal. Well good luck and just be careful and you should be fine for the holidays.

I would suggest you keep things at a minimum. Why not have a quiet time at home. Have few visitors over to welcome him, but maybe wait until after the new year before a larger crowd. If you must, just insist that anyone and everyone that holds the baby wash their hands first, or simply let them see the baby in your arms and you hang onto him/her. Is this your first? If so, you get to be a picky as you want and everyone will just write it off as, "Welll, she's a new mom."

Congrats!
Considering that you might have had a TOTAL of 10 hours of sleep by Christmas, I'd say send your best wishes and stay in. Don't feel like you have to perform or host or entertain anything. You might not want to banish visitors entirely, but maybe get your calendar out and schedule holiday visits just a few people at a time (schedule them now, or have your husband or mother do it while you're recovering). Folks will just have to understand that this Christmas you need to lay low. Maybe there's a grandma or aunt that will give you a NAP for Christmas and take baby duty so you can sleep :-). If there's a big family gathering that you'll miss, whip out the video camera one afternoon (or have a visiting family member do it) and catch the little darling staring at his crib mobile or something, wave at the camera and wish everyone a merry Christmas, then send the video to the gathering. They'll probably all love getting to watch the show.
Good luck!

I personally would ask everyone to wash there hands before handling your baby if you feel you have to go. It's not wrong to want to have your first Christmas with you, your spouse, and your kid(s). They should understand why.

My son got a virus from a son at 3 months old and it almost killed him. Everyone thought that kid had a cold and it ended up being RSV/Pneamonia. Big Boo Boo.

A. Lynn

Well, although I would also say stay home, I understand your dilema. My thought was what if you went for a very short time, and kept the baby in one of those slings that you wear, so that he is right with you, and would seem difficult to get him out for everyone to see. Also, explain your case, especially about RSV, and the fact that in adults, it just presents itself as a cold, but in babies, it really is deadly. However, if your family is like mine, and thinks that they should get to be the exception to the rule, then you will have to stay home, and ask people to come by on a more individual basis. And, by the way, I am sooooo sorry for you that you are getting to the "over due"side. I am sure that you were hoping he would have come some time in November, so this must feel like agony. Hang in there!!! Best wishes for the new arrival! ~A.~

I don't know what your pediatrician would say, but my son was born in early November and our ped said to keep him inside until he got his first round of shots which I think are at 2 months. The doctor said it was ok for the baby to be visited by a few guests in our home, but because of the time of the year, too many people and getting outside was not recommended. It was a pretty lonely the first 2 months for us because we realy stuck to his recommendation, but it was for the best. If you cannot avoid having others around your baby at Christmas, I guess you need to be very diligent about people washing their hands before holding him and if anyone is remotely ill (runny nose, cough, stomach upset even) I would NOT allow those people near the baby. Their little immune systems are very vulnerable at that age. They build up as time goes on, but you have to take that into consideration when they are so very young. Ask your pediatrician what they recommend. If you have a good one, they will definitely steer you in the right direction. Congratulations and I hope you and your family have a blessed Christmas! :-)