Chicken pox in newborns?

[misscreosote]

OK, I'm certainly worrying over nothing here, but if anyone can put my mind at ease that would be great

I dropped DD1 off at the childminders this morning, and another parent turned up at the same time with his DD, complete with unidentified rash. Childminder apparently had said yesterday that she thought it was chicken pox, but as it hadn't got worse over night these parents decided they couldn't be arsed taking their DD to the docs and would just drop her off at the CMs anyway (slight as you can tell).

Anyway, IF it is chickenpox, and IF my DD1 catches it, I'm not bothered as she has to have it sometime anyway (although timing could be better!). BUT I'm due to give birth imminently (due date was yesterday), so IF DD1 gets it, then there's a chance the new baby will get it very shortly after birth.

I know, lots of ifs and buts - but if ( ) DD1 did get it, would the newborn be protected via any anitbodies in my breastmilk, and if not and did catch chickenpox at only a couple of weeks old, how serious would that be?

Sorry.... probably fretting for nothing, I know....

[wingandprayer]

I'd be more at the childminder actually - what on earth is she doing letting a child in with an unidentified rash? What about her duty of care to other kids? She should have a policy on this sort of thing and you should tell her how unhappy you are.

My DD got pox when DS three weeks old and I was scared. However doctors said was highly unlikely he would get it as I had had it as a child and he would have some of my immunity. Apparently is not impossible for babies to get it at this age, just very unusual.

[nigglewiggle]

Firstly it doesn't sound like it is CPox as it would be very obvious blistery spots by now, but I would feel like you about them bringing them to the CM anyway!

Could you have a word with your CM about it?

I would want to find out what it was and then speak to MW about implications - though as you say there are a lot of ifs.

FWIW my 3 year old had Cpox recently and didn't pass it on to my then 8-9 month old who was still Bfed. Think she must have still been getting my immunity.

Good luck BTW

[LovelyRitaMeterMaid]

I don't know about very newborn babies getting chicken pox, but DS caught it when DD was 4 weeks old and she got it when she was 6 weeks old (despite being breastfed and I have had chciken pox).

She was completely fine, although very spotty.

[misscreosote]

Phew, thanks both for putting my mind at ease. I thought I'd heard something about newborns having protection, but only got scare stories when I googled (I know, never never google health stuff ).

It was a bit awkward for the CM, as I was there as well, and being polite I was saying I didn't mind if my DD1 got chicken pox anyway. It was only thinking about it later that it struck me that the newbie might get it as well. My CM is brilliant, but not very good at putting her foot down which isn't great with parents who take the mickey a bit! She had suggested yesterday they took the child to the docs, so a bit hard for her if the parents ignore her and turn up anyway I suppose. Ho hum, never mind, it looks like it won't be that big a deal anyway even if it is chicken pox. thanks!

[Musukebba]

@misscreosote: your newborn baby will be protected to some extent from severe disease by maternal antibodies transferred during the later stages of pregnancy: but only if you have had chickenpox before. BF will help but it's not the main protective factor.