Bedbug anxiety

[PlumFox]

I had friends over for dinner on Saturday. One of them mentioned she had stayed in a really dirty hotel for work a few days before. I then noticed she had a bite-like blister on her hand and a cluster of pinpricks on her face.

I am now freaking out the hotel had bedbugs and some may have hitchhiked on her bag/coat/clothes and are now in my house

I have been googling bed bugs pretty much non stop since yesterday. I have just ordered a whole lot of stuff and am considering preventatively applying products. But I have small kids and would rather not if I don't have to.

Can I have opinions of more level headed people before I do so?

Chill

Ok don't panic. If she did bring them home with her they are more likely to be hidden in her bedroom somewhere or in her car or on the public transport she used. That's if she even did bring any home. Just be vigilant for the next week or two and if you get any bites then treat it straight away. I've had bedbugs and it was Incredibly stressful but it was sorted so don't panic.

Thank you I appreciate it @susiedaisy1912 . Her partner has OCD and I know they follow quite a lot of rituals when staying somewhere else so I think she would have been careful with her luggage and washed all her clothes anyway.

I am just a bit worried about the handbag. But it would have been at her house for 4 days before coming to mine so surely they wouldn't have waited to be at mine to make an exit and relocate, right??

I googled where she stayed and there were a few articles about bed bug issues in that city in uni halls etc so it's now making the threat look huge to me!!

I'm so frustrated as I restrict my life so much because of that fear and never stay in dodgy hotels, treat everything etc. And now I've been "exposed" anyway. Urgh.

Bed bugs gravitate to where people sleep. They are attracted to the carbon dioxide we breathe out in the night. So even if they are dropped in the kitchen they will make their way to which ever room it is that people sleep in. So after 4 days at your friends house they were probably no longer on her handbag but were in her bedroom, that's if she even brought them back with her, please don't worry too much.

Thank you @susiedaisy1912 that has reassured me, I can breathe a bit easier!