Pregnant, bad cold and friend wants to come and stay with baby that has chickenpox.

[HeyThereGeorgieGirl]

I'm 19+3 pg with DC3. It's beena pretty rough pg with lots of morning sickness and huge energy loss.

DH and I have also been under immense stress for last 3 months due to botched building work on our house.

Morning sickness just about gone now, but I have the mother of all colds. Snotty nose, v sore throat, painful chest. I also had a double sty in my eye last week (classic case of run down immune system)

Lovely friend due to come down on Fri with her DH, DS (6) and baby DS (4 months). Baby DS has chickenpox.

My questions are:

1. I've had chickenpox, but am wondering whether I can get shingels from baby as my immune system is weak at the moment trying to fight off this cold?

1. If I do catch shingles then it'd be pretty bad as I presume I wouldn't be able to take anything for it?

1. Am I being mad trying to host them all weekend?

1. Or am I being a wimp and letting my imagination run away with me?

Thank you lovely ladies. xx

[HeyThereGeorgieGirl]

Um. Can you tell I'm pg? Can't even count. Doh. .

[WouldYouCouldYouWithAGoat]

you can't catch shingles. you can only catch chicken pox.

baby will probably not be contagious by friday anyway.

as for hosting friends only you can answer.

hope you feel better soon.

[LoveMyGirls]

I'm not pg so you can ignore me if you like but i'd say postpone until chicken pox has gone tbh.

[Flightattendant27]

I'd say no - they shouldn't really be taking the baby away from home if it's ill anyway. Not much sleep going to be had with an itchy baby in the house!
You sound like you need lots of rest - it's the best thing for your immmune system apparently.

I would try and postpone till you feel energetic again. Be a bit self-centred, you've had a rough time.
Not sure if shingles possible - it's not meant to be, but the number of people I've seen on here who did get it when they were in contact with c/p makes me wonder.

[homicidalmatriach]

Hello, You need to avoid chickenpox - it can cause premature labour.

Well that was fairly clear wasn't it? Sorry!

[homicidalmatriach]

Don't depend on the baby being clear by Friday btw, other members of the family may have contracted it by then! Or be incubating it and be contagious!

[WouldYouCouldYouWithAGoat]

but if the op already has had chickenpox she is immune?

[homicidalmatriach]

'How will my baby be affected if I have chicken pox?
How your baby will be affected depends on where you are at in your pregnancy. According to the Organization for Teratology Information Service (OTIS):

If chicken pox occurs within the first trimester, the risk of birth defects is 0.5-1 percent
If chicken pox occurs within the 13th and 20th week, the risk of birth defects is 2 percent
If chicken pox occurs within 5 days or less of delivery or 1-2 days after delivery, there is a 20-25% chance that your baby will develop chicken pox, known as congenital varicella.
If chicken pox occurs within 6-12 days before delivery, there is a chance that the baby can still get chicken pox. In this case your baby may receive some of your newly made chicken pox antibodies, which will cause the congenital varicella to be mild.
Possible birth defects may be scars, eye problems, poor growth, small head size, delayed development, and/or mental retardation.'

from www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancycomplications/chickenpox.html

[WouldYouCouldYouWithAGoat]

ok homocidal but she is immune therefore she and the baby will not catch it.

[HeyThereGeorgieGirl]

Oh. I wasn't aware that cp could cause prem labour. Hmmm. Might be a case of googling to get some more info.

Or, might just take advice and postpone the weekend's fun and frolicks.

I think it's safe to say I'm not one of these women that 'bloom' when pg. I'm bloody knackered! Sigh!

[littlefrog]

Cp not a problem for you at all if you've had it - apparently you don't get shingles from contact with it, it's the reactivation of the virus (that persists in your nerves) and it happens when you're really run down or stressed...

However... have your dcs had it, and if not, could you cope with them having it soon?

If the other family are ill, won't it be a bit miserable for everyone?

If you're knackered and the idea is super-stressful, then postpone. Does the idea of postponing make you feel better or worse?

[specialmagiclady]

It is possible to have chicken pox twice if you had it mildly the first time. (My DS2 has had it a couple of times).

But quite rare.

You could postpone if you're not looking forward to the visit at this point, but make a definite date rather than just letting friend down.

eg. Do you mind if we do it next week - I'm feeling crappy and don't want to give your baby my cold on top of c/p?

But equally, I (especially when pregnant) am the sort of person who thinks "It's going to be difficult/stressful/awful for reasons a b and c" and then actually really enjoys things when they happen.

You may feel better in 4/5 days too. Child probably won't be so itchy and not infectious after 5 days-ish so should be fine. Could you make a real effort to get lots of rest, eat really well and so forth. Then you'll be in better form when your friend arrives?

[HeyThereGeorgieGirl]

Thanks for the advice ladies.

I think I'm going to see how I feel tomorrow.

Only prob is that DD2 (3) hasn't had cp yet, and although I want her to have it (and get it out the way) then it'd be a nightmare for her to get it at the mo. Plus DH has just informed me that he never had it as a child.

This week is really full on as it's half term for DD1 (7) and I've arranged for 13 of her and DD2's mates to come over tomorrow for a High School Musical 3 pizza and popcorn party. Yes I am certifiable!

[Pinkbump3]

To be honest i would deff tell them to leave it a while as you are not up to it at the min any good friend would understand. I have friends who like to decend on us for the weekends and they have 4 kids but since i have been pg and not feeling up to it i just had to tell her no and the weekends i feel good i call and ask her to come!

And you dont want to expose your dd to cp either that would be a nightmare at the min!

Dont get worked up sometimes you just have to put yourself first! x

Ps i have a stinking cold and building work going on as well (31 weeks pg)so i totally understand how washed out you prob feel! {{{{hugs}}}}

[Flightattendant27]

Well if DH hasn't had it, keep them away!! It can be really nasty in adults.

[Pinkbump3]

i agree with flightattendant i had cp a couple of years ago and i thought i was dying, the pain was horrendus and i was really ill before the spots came out and then had a week of really bad blisters millions everywhere loads on face and eyes inside my mouth etc.

Then 2 weeks of disgusting scabs plus dd1 who was nearly 2 at the time and dd2 who was a week from her first birthday got it as well it was such a miserable time

plus dd2 took it so bad her immune system was really low and ended up severley dehydrated and contracted rotovirus and was in quarentine in childrens ward for a week on iv and i couldnt be with her dp and fam had to take turns staying at hosp and with me and dd2!

[me23]

Agree I'd postpone not because any danger to you or baby but because your Dh OR dc mnight catch it and you do not need to be looking after sick peoplle when you feeling crap yourself!

[Ozziegirly]

I had chicken pox when I was younger.

I have just had a blood test for antibodies to rubella, chicken pox and mumps (which I have also had) and I was told I was NOT immune to chicken pox or mumps, despite having had both.

[Nekabu]

It is possible to get it twice. I have two friends who caught chicken pox for the second time when they were adults and another who had shingles when her dd had cp.

[HeyThereGeorgieGirl]

Blimey Pinkbump, that sounds awful. What a nightmare that must have been. (((Hugs)))) to you as well for the building work AND you're 31 weeks pg. You must be knackered.

Our building work has been going on for us for a year now. We found out in Jan that the builders have done such a bad job that it's all got to be pulled down and started again . Now having to sue builders for £100k. Do have new builders now, and they are trying their heart out to get everything finished by July when the baby is due. REALLY hope that your building work is nearly finished. It is SO stressful. At least we're not living in our house.

Nekabu HELLO. How are you? How's things going for you?

Ladies, thanks for all the words of wisdom. I tihnk my gut reaction is to postpone for a couple of weeks. My friend will understand. And whilst I'm not good at putting myself first (mum guilt anyone?!), then I know that I'll be the person to get shingles if they come down.

DH off tomorrow and Fri so maybe I'll take myself off to bed for a day and try and get some rest.

[Guadalupe]

I asked my midwife about taking visiting s child with chicken pox when I was pregnant and she said, even if you have had it, it is possible to get it twice and best avoided.

It might be being over cautious but if you're feeling rough anyway, there doesn't seem much point in giving yourself extra work and an extra worry.

[Guadalupe]

Ds1 has had it twice although the first time was pretty mild.

Georgiegirl - that sounds awful! You poor thing. I have buildres in my new house atm, can't imagine having to start all over again.

[belgo]

Agree with Flight - you need to look after yourself and rest.

You can't catch shingles from chicken pox, but you can catch chicken pox from shingles.

You can develop shingles if you are weak and run down and have previously had chicken pox.

If is possible to catch chikcen pox twice, so I would agree with Guadelope.

[Flightattendant27]

[Bubbaluv]

I've hadcp 3 times!! Never mildly either!
If your Dh hasn't had it then maybe he should investigate getting immunized as your DD is likely to bring it home in the next few years and adult cp is truly dreadful. I would if i was able to build the antibodies.