to take baby swimming when toddler has chicken pox?

[LittleGreyCatwithapinkcollar]

I think it's probably a bad idea but DH thinks it's fine. She had no symptoms, 4 months old and ebf. Toddler has woken up spotty.
We should stay home shouldn't we?

Stay at home!! A friend of mine became very ill from swimming in a pool where other people had chicken pox.

Of course you should stay at home. You could make other people really ill.

Thank you for confirming what I thought! We shall indeed stay at home and cancel all playgroup etc. plans!

Please stay home and read up about chicken pox

Do you mean taking the toddler to the pool as well? Or just taking the baby and leaving the toddler at home?

The first would be a big no, the second would be ok.

Just you and baby are fine, toddler no.

The baby is probably incubating the chicken pox virus. It's highly virulent so even if symptoms aren't evident now they could emerge soon. Best to stay at home in case you accidentally infect an adult - it's not the nicest virus to get as a grown up

When my toddler got chicken pox, my 4 month old didn't get chicken pox for another 2 weeks. That would be a long time to stay in just in case.... added to which he may not even get it because he is breastfed.
I'm assuming you're leaving your toddler at home and just taking your baby.

Toddler with me. DH takes baby swimming.

But not today just in case she's incubating it. I'd hate her to pass it on.

Don't do it. It can make people miscarry.

X-post OP. You've made the right choice.

No don't. Just don't.

The incubation period for chicken pox is up to 3 weeks, so it would be difficult to stay in for 3 weeks every time a child is exposed to the virus. Also the baby may not get it, I was exposed many times in my childhood, and didn't get it until I was 15.

However until the child with chicken pox is completely clear (ie when all the spots have scabbed over) it is important to stay away from the public, as chicken pox can be extremely dangerous for children and adults with compromised immunity or complex health needs.

My eldest currently has pox - I'm not grounding my younger one! Yes, she will probably get it, but I'm not keeping a perfectly well child at home 'just in case' for 2+ weeks! Of course if/when DD first shows any sign of illness I will but staying at home now would be ridiculous.
DS is miserable with it, it's going around

Do you know where your toddler caught it? If your baby was not exposed at the same time, then she has only been exposed to it in the past couple of days from your toddler. That means the baby will NOT yet be infectious and your DH can take her swimming. Incubation is between 10-21 days so she should be one for at least the next week.

I agree with pp that you can't necessarily stop your life for 3 weeks every time your child may have come into contact with someone with chicken pox. When my eldest had CP, I rang my toddler's nursery to ask whether it was still appropriate to bring her in. The nursery said it was absolutely fine - even though she might be incubating! Not sure if this is standard nursery policy, but you can see how these things spread.

It's spring, peak season for chicken pox. Your toddler needs to stay at home but the baby could go out. At 4 months she may avoid it but tbh I suspect she will come out with it in a fortnight. My dd2 did, she was five months when her sister had it.

There really is a clockwork like pattern of siblings coming out in spots a fortnight later so your babe may well be incubating it already and so I would keep her away from busy places. Not necessarily staying housebound but just limiting risk so swimming defo out as they are Petri dishes anyway imho. Hope they are better soon.

I couldn't keep my eldest in doors when my youngest had chicken pox, he wasn't going to miss three weeks of school on the off chance he might catch it.

Thanks for all the advice. Plenty of walks and picnics and empty parks for us for the next few weeks. Easter hols means they should only miss this week's classes anyway so not to bad!

It's fine to take the baby out but not the toddler.
My twins have just had it 3 weeks apart, of course I had to send the non spotty one to school otherwise I'd have kept him off for nearly 5 weeks in total.

It's fine to take the baby out but not the toddler.
My twins have just had it 3 weeks apart, of course I had to send the non spotty one to school otherwise I'd have kept him off for nearly 5 weeks in total.