12 wk old with cold - should I cancel plans tomorrow?

[MilyP]

Wanted to get reaction to see if I am being over the top or reasonable. I think baby has a cold - yesterday sleepy and coughing, today more coughing and snotty nose. She doesn't seem too grumpy or anything but as her first cold thought I should take her to the docs just to be sure and to see what, if anything, they can recommend.

Tomorrow we had planned to go to our to a taster session for a class we want to join, then a friend is coming over with her baby and we have another post natal group in the afternoon. I am thinking I should cancel these. Mostly because I don't want other babies to be ill, but also in case she is worse tomorrow - sleepy, grumpy etc

Am I over-reacting?

My DD had a cold at 3 weeks and again at around13weeks. My DS currently has the sniffles at 13 weeks. In both cases they didn't have a temperature and just sneezed and had runny noses. I carried on taking them to all the baby groups. The only worry I had was a bunged up nose might mean they couldn't breathe well enough and so I bought a snot sucker - absolutely useless - and used saline drops - also useless. They survived.

Not so worried about DD surviving - she doesn't seem too bad at the moment, so would probably be ok. More thinking I don't want other babies catching it.

It's quite hard for small babies to pass colds on, I really wouldn't worry. Just keep her comfortable & do what you were going to do, you can always leave early if she seems very unhappy. If you stay home every time she has a runny nose, you'll never leave the house! :)

I used to have this when DS was a baby until I brought it up at a group we went to, where every mum was so relieved to say that they came just to get out and about and that they had no problem with people bringing babies with colds, because they were all going to get one at some point and the mums would like to see their friends!

I'd call the friend you're seeing tomorrow and say you're happy for her to come round but it's her call.

I think you are probably over-reacting, but in quite a lovely way.

My DD3 had a cold at 2 weeks and was miserable - saw the Dr while I was at the weighing clinic, and they weren't concerned at all. But don't hesitate to take her to the GP if you do feel concerned or if she seems feverish or not eating- not least to put your mind at rest, and they can listen to her chest etc. But from the symptoms you're describing it doesn't sound too necessary

At 12 wks, she won't realistically be joining in with the activities you have planned tomorrow - but they are still important for you, so I would carry on with them but perhaps don't bother with the postnatal group in the afternoon, just to keep the day a bit quieter - even though it's her with the cold, you'll be tired too because of the extra effort (albeit largely emotional) of looking after her.
I imagine that she will want to sleep more so don't force her to wake up and participate in the class, but don't worry at this age about passing on germs - she won't really be getting too close.

poor wee thing ! it's horrible when they are first ill. Just think, this time next year her face will be covered in snot etc most of the time - it's just hard when they're so little :(

You are over reacting, yes.
Don't worry about passing it on to other babies. I admit I used to be a bit horrified when Dd1 was little and other people dared to have colds / coughs in her presence! But actually she never seemed to catch them off others and just got then randomly at other times.
You can't stop going out just because they have a cold.

You definitely should not waste a GP's time with a simple cold.

DS is 6 weeks old and on his second cold (the joys of having an older child who has just started reception). We just carry on as normal. He's nowhere near other people really, nestled in the sling grunting, snorting and struggling to feed most of the time. I figure with his big sister making him ill regularly, I have to get on with it or go mad.

Agree with the consensus. DS is 1 and has a cold/cough approx. 1 week in 4- he picks them up at playgroup, play dates etc. The way I see it, I'd rather get out and about and deal with the colds than feel obliged to quarantine him when he does get a cold, especially as they don't seem to bother him that much.

If you think your baby is ill and you are unsure then it's never ever wasting a GPs time to take them in. Especially when it's your first baby and you haven't seen a sick baby before. I took dd1 with a cough at a similar age and the Gp was lovely and explained what we should look out for. Babies and children get poorly very quickly and they get better very quickly but it is ALWAYS better to ask advice than sit at home wondering.
With regard to taking her out - no reason why you shouldn't. Socialising with other dcs and their minor ailments is how the immune system is built. Keep away from people if she has a more serious infectious illness such as chicken pox or something v contagious and uncotrollable like D&V or just V but colds are fine.