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Original poster

DH had D&V, 4 wk old baby at home...what do I do?!!

55 replies

DotCottonIsMyIdol · 04/01/2018 20:44

(AIBU for traffic as I'm panicking!)

I've just been released from hospital after a secondary PPH with my 4 week old baby, both of us are now fine although I'm still low on iron and v wobbly. DS has been playing catch up with his weight after my first hemorrhage during his birth but is now really good.

DH has just come home from a work trip with raging D&V. What do I do?? I'm very concerned about the baby. If I get it can I continue to breast feed? How can I stop the baby catching it? Shall I quarantine DH?

FFS Angry

OP posts:
lookingforthecorkscrew · 04/01/2018 20:44

Quarantine DH

MrTrebus · 04/01/2018 20:46

Send him to stay elsewhere, his parents or someone anyone else that's willing to have him. For context I never (touch wood) catch d&v so I'd offer to have him if I was a mate!

AppleAndBlackberry · 04/01/2018 20:46

Can you stay with relatives for a few days to be on the safe side?

LoopyLou1981 · 04/01/2018 20:48

I’d keep DH and DS as separate as possible.
Yes, you can still breastfeed if you get it and, if you do, your DS is likely to pick up some of the antibodies through your milk which will help him avoid it.
Fingers crossed for you. It sounds like you been through enough without more to worry about xx

QueenAravisOfArchenland · 04/01/2018 20:49

Quarantine him, preferably at another property.

If you catch it you can keep breastfeeding, in fact once you've caught it sharing your antibodies with him will be the best thing you can do to protect him. So stay completely away from your DH for now, wash your hands a lot, cross your fingers. Do you have someone that could come in to bring you drinks and hold baby etc in an emergency?

MurielsBottom · 04/01/2018 20:49

Yes you can still breastfeed if you catch it. Can dh sleep in a separate room from you and baby? Make sure he washes his hands and keep away for baby. Personally I don't think you need to panic to much but I can understand after being in hospital why you are worried.

kaytee87 · 04/01/2018 20:53

Hot wash any bedding / towels he's used, get him to shower twice a day and wash hands very well any time he goes to the bathroom. Get him to sleep in a separate room and not touch the baby.

As others have said, send him to stay somewhere else if at all possible.

Yes continue to breastfeed, that's the best thing you could be doing even if you catch it.
If you do catch it then wash hands lots, don't kiss baby (I know it's hard). Try to get someone to come and help with all of the looking after except feeding.

Ohyesiam · 04/01/2018 20:54

Of you can't send dh to another house, use antiseptic word to do bathroom taps, toilet flush, and bathroom door handle. Deepest towel for him.
I have contained d&v to one family member several times doing this.
Good luck, and congratulations x

ElphabaTheGreen · 04/01/2018 20:55

I quarantined my DH when this happened when DS1 was a baby. Yes, you absolutely must continue to breastfeed as antibodies you produce against your DH's virus will be passed to your baby and protect him. In the unfortunate event your baby gets it, BM is by far and away the best, most hydrating thing he could have (FF babies tend to need rehydration salts with D&V, EBF babies do not for this reason) and it won't last nearly as long in him as it will in your DH.

Had it happened with DS2, I actually wouldn't have quarantined DH because I needed the extra pair of hands with a baby and a toddler too desperately, but you do tend to be far more cautious with your first. (DS2 gets sick a lot less though as a result, I'm sure...)

mrsm43s · 04/01/2018 20:56

Our family had a D&V bug when DS was 8 days old. DH got it, DD (18m) got it, and I got it, but baby DS didn't. Midwife reckoned it was because I was BF'ing that he didn't.

It was a miserable time, because of all the sick, and the exhaustion, the dealing with sick DD plus having a newborn all whilst we were ill, but no real harm done.

Just remember that if baby does get it, to make sure he doesn't dehydrate and seek medical help if in doubt.

Canyousewcushions · 04/01/2018 20:57

Quarantine DH and/or get him to bleach and disinfect very surface of the bathroom after every visit. If you're lucky enough to have more than one, allocate him one of them and don't go in yourself.

Yes to keeping breastfeeding if you get it - breastmilk is the best thing you can give your baby if they end up coming down with it as well. Be really careful with hygiene and wearing clean clothes before you touch baby, regular showering (after each bathroom trip) and constant hand washing it's possible to bf the baby and not pass it on- I've done it!! 1Best thing about breastmilk is baby will also get antibodies as you fight it off which wil help. However it is totally draining to bf while struggling to keep anything down. Good luck...

Camelsinthegobi · 04/01/2018 20:57

My DS1 had d and v the day i got home from hospital with DS2. I did loads of hand washing, cleaning, kept everything separate and it was fine. No one else got it. If you can’t send DH or you and baby somewhere else (even a travellodge?) then sleep in separate rooms, separate toilets if you have 2, he shouldn’t go anywhere else in the house, antibac door handles, etc. Then keep this up for 48 hours, even after he seems better. Good luck!

Camelsinthegobi · 04/01/2018 20:59

Yes to changing clothes. I had a dressing gown I used to cuddle DS1 with that I took off when holding DS2.

NC4now · 04/01/2018 21:00

You can lower the risks a lot with good hygiene. If you can’t send DH to another house, send him to bed and you and baby sleep somewhere else - spare room, sofa or wherever.

kaytee87 · 04/01/2018 21:01

Also what a tough time you've had op, in hospital, establishing feeding and dh away with work.
Also feel sorry for your dh, he will be dying to cuddle his newborn and can't.
You both deserve a nice treat once everyone's better CakeBrew

Original poster
DotCottonIsMyIdol · 04/01/2018 21:07

Thanks all. This really is the last thing I need after two weeks in hospital!

I can't send DH anywhere else as both sets of parents are ancient and an hour away and i dont thonk amyone else will want him! Luckily we have a spare bedroom and bathroom for him. I shall keep as separate as possible and make sure everything he touches is washed and sanitised. He's certainly not touching DS.

Wish me luck!

OP posts:
BewareOfDragons · 04/01/2018 21:07

Why on earth did he come home?

He should have gone straight to a hotel, family member's, couch at work for a night or two...

Loadedllama · 04/01/2018 21:08

Agree with above posts. When DGD was a few months old DD and SIL went down with noro within a few hours of each other. As I was still ok at this point I said to move DGD into my room and I’d look after her . Well bugger me if I didnt go down with it that evening too. I was the least ill of the three of us so put disposable gloves on to prepare feeds and pick up DGD and feed, change and cuddle her. She was a dreadful feeder at that stage and on formula with extra calories to help her gain weight so we were petrified of her catching it. Amazingly she didn’t get it despite us being so ill. Lots of bleaching , wearing disposable gloves, keeping towels and bedding isolated and washed on a high programme and keep DS away from DH (if he can go elsewhere that would be best solution )but if not scrupulous hygiene. Crossing everything for you .

saladdays66 · 04/01/2018 21:09

Bloody hell, don’t send him to a travelodge or other hotel! That’s one of my nightmares - that we stay in a hotel room in which the previous people had d&v.

Op, sympathy - agree with others that you should either quarantine dh or send him to a friend/family member for a couple of days, if you can find one who is happy to have him.

And bleach, bleach, bleach the house. Good luck.

LokiBear · 04/01/2018 21:11

The same thing happened to me when dd2 was tiny and breastfed. I quarantined dh, dettoled surfaces and door handles, washed my hands regularly. Me and dd2 were fine.

Loadedllama · 04/01/2018 21:16

My bleaching went as far as light switches, door handles, light pulls, tv remote. Basically if it existed I disinfected it if possible.

RandomUsernameHere · 04/01/2018 21:19

Another vote for Dettol wipes for every surface. If you've got more than one bathroom, make sure your DH only uses one and don't go in there.

JaneEyre70 · 04/01/2018 21:22

I'd pack him off to a hotel. It can be airborne as well as contact. It could be incredibly dangerous for you or your baby to catch, not worth the risk.

FlakeBook · 04/01/2018 21:27

Our whole household had D&V when dd was a week old. I'd had a serious pph too. It was absolutely horrendous but she was the only one who didn't get it (I think due to being breastfed). She was Co sleeping with me and dh who had it and we were taking turns cleaning up siblings' vomit and poi but baby was fine. Oh, the happy memories.

Looneytune253 · 04/01/2018 21:28

@JaneEyre70 it’s not airborne as such, only during the actual vomit/diarrhoea episode when some particles may splash up into the air. If you’re not in the bathroom with them, it’s not airborne.