Spinoff to taking newborn out

I have a huge family with tons of kids....I know that most doctors suggest the babies not being around kids for 2 months. Did you stick to that? Can I take the baby around them and make sure they don't touch him (I feel like they won't even want to be bothered with a newborn anyway)

OR

Am I going to have to avoid most of my nieces/nephews for the first few months?

Re: Spinoff to taking newborn out

DD was born 3 weeks before Christmas. We brought her to the family get-together and just asked that people "look" and "not touch"

Re: Spinoff to taking newborn out

It's not worth it. I would have minmal contact.

My daughter got sick at 2 weeks old. Even though my pediatrician was 98% sure it was cox sackie (generally harmless but annoying illness) from her brother, she had to get a spinal tap & were in the hospital for 4 days.

Contact with siblings are unavoildable, cousins you can avoid.

It's the last thing I would want you or anyone else to go through unnecessarily.

Message edited 5/3/2007 10:49:28 AM.

Re: Spinoff to taking newborn out

I kept to the 2 month thing. Sarah was born in Feb. and at her 1 week visit there was another newborn who had a fever and they took him to the hospital by ambulance. The dr told me he'd have to get a spinal tap. Freaked me out too much to take the risk, even when Andy was born in late June.

Re: Spinoff to taking newborn out

Re: Spinoff to taking newborn out

not worth it. My nieces were here, they never were around him. I never took him out of my room. I held him up by the door, they viewed him. Thank God they did not go around him, at the end of their visit, diagnosed with scarlet fever and impetago(sp)

Went up to NY at 6 weeks, all my cousins were dying to see him. I totally limited it.

DH brought home a cold once, Josh mildly caught it. Its terrible to see them sick. So not worth it.

Show pics.

And people will say to me, what if I had a toddler at home, I could not keep him away from baby....but that is a necessary risk. If that baby catches fever, you are talking hospital.

Re: Spinoff to taking newborn out

2 months I was never told that. I wouldn't have listened anyway

Andrew was around children since the first day. What if you have smalll children at home? Do you put them in the closet

Message edited 5/3/2007 11:10:05 AM.

Re: Spinoff to taking newborn out

My doc must be the minority. He told us you can't shield them everything-he put it this way-what if you had an older child would you keep them in a bubble away from the baby? Or as parents you guys bring home tons of things too...do you stay away form the baby. Made sense to us.

My DD was around tons of family starting at the hospital the day she was born. She was born in May though.

Re: Spinoff to taking newborn out

I think I waited at least 6-8 weeks before I had her around other small children, especially ones that were in daycare/nursery.
I wasn't as concerned about infants...

Re: Spinoff to taking newborn out

We stuck to the 2 month thing, we didnt have a lot of visitors until after they had their first round of shots. It paid off, the just got their first cold at 7 months old.

Re: Spinoff to taking newborn out

I have a huge family and there was no way I was going to sit at home by myself. I had family, including young nieces and nephews holding dd at the hospital and was at a family BBQ for labor day a couple of weeks later.

It really depends on you and how you feel about it. My feelings were that the biggest concern was the baby being exposed to children/people without inoculations and I knew that was not a concern with family. A baby can be exposed to lots of things in the hosptial so you really can't always protect them from catching a cold.

It really comes down to your beliefs and feelings.

Re: Spinoff to taking newborn out

I have alot of nieces and nephews...they all came to visit within the first week of being home. They all held Kerri after they washed...no problem

Re: Spinoff to taking newborn out

Thanks for all of your opinions - it's all good to know.

I don't want to risk getting DS sick but I do want my family to be around. I figure I'll play it by ear - they may not bring the kids around for awhile anyway so who knows.

I figure that after the baby is a month or so I will start going out with him - to family bbq's or something like that (nothing really indoorsy)

I guess I just have to wait and see how I feel when he gets here.

Re: Spinoff to taking newborn out

The first couple of weeks you dont really take the baby out and anyone who had little kids who came to visit in the first couple of weeks didnt bring them. They didn't even ask, I guess they just knew from when their kids were little. Now DS is a month old and not that he is much older, but my dr. said it was ok to bring him to visit my 7 and 8 yr. old cousins next week as long as they are not sick and aren't breathing on him and touching him.

Re: Spinoff to taking newborn out

Re: Spinoff to taking newborn out

I had children come to visit us in the hospital, the very first being Irishtracys Patrick (almost 3 at the time ) he came bearing lots of smooches for his buddy

We arrived home to a house full of family, friends and many children.

Long story but that was the day of our annual Memorial Day parade for which we have everyone over every year, I was not canceling it and was happy to have everyone there. I wouldn't have had it any other way.

everyone has to do what they are comfortable with.

Re: Spinoff to taking newborn out

I kept them away from little kids/huge crowds for about 2 months (I had preemies too so that extended my time away). Maybe you could see them at outdoor venues so there's still fresh air.

Re: Spinoff to taking newborn out

thanks for this post, my SIL's two boys are 2 and 3 and ALWAYS sick i am going to make sure she doesnt bring them to close to my son when he's born for the 1st month or two now, esp since they are NOT up to date with their shots

Re: Spinoff to taking newborn out

It really depends on your comfort level. I insisted that all adults washed their hands and then used Purell. It is unavoidable if you have siblings at home, but I personally would limit contact with other children. Use the easiest excuse and blame it on the pediatirican telling them that the doc said that no children are able to hold the baby.

Re: Spinoff to taking newborn out

we waited the 2 months before taking Jacob out...its wasnt worth it to us. The pediatrician said that if he gets sick under 2 months, he could end up in the hospital

Re: Spinoff to taking newborn out

Posted by anna

Posted by shamrock124

I have a huge family and there was no way I was going to sit at home by myself. I had family, including young nieces and nephews holding dd at the hospital and was at a family BBQ for labor day a couple of weeks later.

It really depends on you and how you feel about it. My feelings were that the biggest concern was the baby being exposed to children/people without inoculations and I knew that was not a concern with family. A baby can be exposed to lots of things in the hosptial so you really can't always protect them from catching a cold.

It really comes down to your beliefs and feelings.

I totally agree. My family is very much the same. Rules, what rules ?
We were at my niece's 1st bday, when Luciano was 4wks old.
and similar things with the others.

Do what you feel is best .

Re: Spinoff to taking newborn out

I have a huge family too, and I waited a month before I let Julia around my niece, nephew, and cousins, since Julia was born in July I didn't worry as much since kids weren't in school anymore for the summer. I would just see how it goes, I'm sure most "smart" adults wont bring there kids with them when they go to visit you!

Re: Spinoff to taking newborn out

Re: Spinoff to taking newborn out

My doctor never said a word about not taking her out or being around kids. We were out and about pretty early on and I just made sure we didn't go anywhere that someone was sick and didn't let any of the kids hold or touch her.

Re: Spinoff to taking newborn out