ARRRGGGG Chicken Pox !

[FoghornLeghorn]

So DD1 (4 years) has woken up this morning with several spots on her face, arms, tummy and back. Definitely Chicken Pox as 2 of her cousins have had them recently and she must've caught them this way.

I am 39 weeks pregnant but I have had both Chicken Pox and Shingles, I checked with midwife when my niece had them to see if I was OK to be around her, midwife said it was fine but she wouldn't recommend spending a huge amount of time with her, obviously, I don't have that choice with DD1. DD2 hasn't had them so am kind of hoping she gets them also so we kill 2 birds with one stone.

Should I let midwife know as I'm closer to my due date than I was when DN had them ? I will ring around everyone we have been in touch with the last week or so to let them know. Do I need the doctor to confirm it is CP or am I OK to just pressume it is ?

[Flightputsonahat]

Oh golly, I think you may need to try and keep the baby away from DD for a few days when it is born...hope it is born late!

It's good that you are immune but I think it can be dodgy for newborn babies. Not sure about that as baby will have protection from you esp if you're breastfeeding.

Other people know much more about this than I do, but I'd check with midwife.

[IneedacleanerIamalazyslattern]

If you have definately had chicken pox and are now immune then there is no risk to the baby it is only if you catch it there could be problems but even then the chances of complications relating to catching chicken pox decrease greatly beyond 20 weeks.
There is no harm to the baby unless you contract it.

Went through this with a friend a few months ago another friends children had chicken pox and both friends were pregnant and one had and one hadn't had them. obody else caught them this time thankfully but try not to worry you are at very little risk having had them already.

CP is also a notifiable disease ie let your gp know so it can be put on medical records one of the reasons being if she is ever in this very situation it is on her records as having had them if they ever need to check her imunity.

[IneedacleanerIamalazyslattern]

And as long as the baby wait until after your dd has scabbed over (usually about 7-10 days) then your dd will not be passing it about anymore.

[FoghornLeghorn]

Thanks flight
I've been trying everything to get this baby moving and now I need it to stay incubated for as long as possible it's sods law he/she will decide now is a good time to come.

Am I right in thinking that once the spots are all out and scabbed over she wont be contgious any longer ? She's probably only got about 10 spots in all at the mo so am expecting an onslaught at some point

[Flightputsonahat]

Trouble is if the other dd catches it that kind of prolongs the time of risk, non?

[Flightputsonahat]

Yes I think so...sorry x posted! DD2 might take 2 weeks to start though. Ask midwife, definitely!

[FoghornLeghorn]

Thanks Ineedacleaner. Right so I just need this baby to stay putt until DD1 is all scabbed over

[Shoshe]

dgd caught it the day her sibling was born, exdil was told baby was immune as she had had it, think he was immune for at least a couple of weeks,

[FoghornLeghorn]

Have just googled and it appears baby would be more at risk 7 days before and after birth, however, the risk considerably drops if mum is immune, which I am.

I am definitely going to check with midwife just to be on the safe side though.

Thanks Sazzles - I am trying breastfeeding this time so fingers crossed

[goodomen]

Hi FoghorhLeghorn.
I had exactly the same situation 6 months ago when my dd was born. My 3 yr old dd came out with the spots 3 days before dd was born. 2 weeks later my 4 yr old ds got them, and then my then 3 1/2 week old dd came down with it.

As she was under 4 weeks she had to be admitted to hospital and have antiviral drugs administerd intra veinously for 3 days.
She only had 4 spots and was not at all ill, but the doctor told us that this is the standard action if the baby is under 4 weeks old, so if I was you I'd be prepared for a hospital stay.

It was a bit stressful at the time, but all forgotten now!

[goodomen]

Just to add, I was exclusively bfing, but dd still got it. Docotor said it was inevitable for baby to get it as siblings had it.

Sorry to be the voice of doom, but fore warned is fore armed.

[FoghornLeghorn]

Thanks Goodomen, I had just read something similar on NHS Direct website. This is what it says :

It is very important, if you are pregnant, or have a weakened immune system, that you contact your GP straight away if you have been in contact with someone who has chickenpox, regardless of whether you have any symptoms. You should also contact your GP if your baby has been in contact with the chickenpox virus and is less than four weeks old. Chickenpox in these people can cause serious complications if left untreated. It is therefore essential that you seek medical advice so that any necessary precautions or treatment can be provided.

[goodomen]

On the bright side atleast you will be getting chicken pox over and done with all at once.
Also as Chicken pox is so contagious you get a private room in hospital.

[FoghornLeghorn]

That is the up side Goodomen, I'd rather get it over and done with for both DD's at the same time.
Am just really concerned about once the baby arrives now

[Notquitegrownup]

Just FYI Foghorn - chicken pox spots appear in 3 waves, 3 days apart, so your dd1 will be getting new spot for 6 more days or so. Each wave tends to affect a different area of the body, although there can be some overlap.

Hope that she doesn't get it too badly and that all goes well with your little ones arrival.

[FoghornLeghorn]

Oh I didn't know that NQGU

So it means I've got at least 6 days before DD1 will even begin the scabbing/no longer contagious process ? And that's without DD2 catching it and stating the whole process all over again ?

[WaynettaSlob]

I feel your pain.

DS1 came out in the pox the day I went into labour with DS2.

When in hospital I got three different answers from three consultants as to when baby could meet his big brother:

1. No contact till are all scabbed over
   
2. Contact so long as you are breastfeeding
   
3. Contact is fine as baby will have built up immunity while in utero.
   I went with the third opinion as it was from the head honcho, but kept the boys apart for the first 4 days (it broke my heart - we had to ship DS1 to my inlaws and it worked.
   
   Now that has been of no help whatsoever, has it??? ........
   
   Good luck

[FoghornLeghorn]

Thanks Waynetta.
I couldn't face shipping anyone off if the baby comes while we are still in the throws of CP.
How are you supposed to know what to do for the best ?
Have tried midwife but no answer. Doc's said no need to take her in unless I'm concerned, which I'm not

[goodomen]

Try not to worry too much. There is nothing you can do, it is jut bad timing.

If your new baby does get it, a short hospital stay isn't too bad.
Your baby will be fine as even if he/she does get it the anti viral medication will ensure there are no complications.

This time next month it will all be forgotten.

[WaynettaSlob]

I think that if I were you I'd probably take the "whatever I do the baby's going to get it" approach, realx and just let nature take its course (BTW I am not being totally glib here - I am 36 weeks and the pox is going around DS2's nursery, so sod's law says we'll have an exact repeat of what happened last time, so am using this to give myself a talking to as well)

[FoghornLeghorn]

My midwife has gone AWOL so no update on that front.

Need to go and do a food shop - Do I avoid ? Surely I can't keep DD1 locked up until all scabbed over ?

[calsworld]

Hi all! I'm about 7 weeks pregnant and DS has CP, he's normally FT in nursery and they rang yesterday morning to say they suspected CP.

I got an appt at the doc's as we've had previous suspected cases of CP with DS, and doctor said it was even though I didn't think it was at all. This definitly IS CP.

They were running an AN clinic at the same time so DS and I had to sit in a separate room to avoid all the pg mums and the doctor checked with the MW while I was there, she said I was fine as long as I'd had it, but not to take DS anywhere that he could infect other people.

Have already had one of his friends over as his mum wants him to get CP now rather than later if possible!

Anyone got any tips on what to put on the spots? His are blistering and not yet scabbing, but he's rubbed the heads off the blisters of a couple - I've been putting sudocrem on for its antiseptic properties, he yelled at me when I put aqueous with calamine in on them, so he obviously doesn't like that....

I think today was his second wave, he's got lots more today than yesterday....though he's not 'covered' by any stretch of the imagination.

[Flightputsonahat]

FoghornLeghorn - can you do an online shop instead this time? I wouldn't care too much if I saw a spotty child out and about but there are lots of people who would be very worried, pregnant women without immunity, people whose children have bad eczema, people with compromised immunity or waiting for transplants etc.

[Notquitegrownup]

Calsworld - bathing was soothing for the spots, and also piriton to take away some of the itching. I had it badly as an adult, and I didn't find calamine helpful either.

Be aware that it can go into any orifices on the body. I had it down the throat - grapes in Jelly (preferably green/lime jelly!) from the fridge was wonderfully soothing on the internal itching! I'm sure other MNers have good remedies if it goes into other orifices.