Bringing sick child around newborn

[flamingox]

AIBU? Had a visitor come to see my newborn baby (what feels like the millionth visitor!!) and they brought their sick child. Coughing everywhere, not covering their mouth, sniffing, heavy eyes and just generally not well. I tried to encourage the child to stay away from the baby..boy to much avail but aibu to think that's totally rude and selfish?!

Yanbu.

How inconsiderate of them.

YANBU
It incredibly irresponsible for the parent to allow their sick child near a newborn!

YANBU

How selfish and stupid of them.

Yanbu. My friend has just had a baby and I'm desperate to visit but we have had colds and virus' and have stayed away and will until gone. I wouldn't want anyone near me or my newborn so close to giving birth

Who does that?...id have asked them to leave, and I wouldn’t have apologised for doing it. Especially this time of year, why would anyone be so selfish to your tiny defenceless newborn AND their own sick child who should be at home on the couch being looked after.

Totally inconsiderate. My own mum had to postpone seeing my LO (her grandchild) for a week after she was born as she was sick and didn't want to spread germs. It was so hard for her not to visit but she did the decent thing!

You can't keep babies away from germs forever.

@SnuggyBuggy you can until they actually have an immune system!! You do know babies are born with virtually no immune system and have to gradually build it up - right? A common cold could kill a newborn

I would have asked them to leave.

Some people don’t get how dangerous common colds can be for babies.

Congratulations on your new arrival!

I understand serious viruses (my poor DM had shingles) or for babies with complications but the common cold?

I thought babies had some temporary antibodies from their mothers and some will have antibodies from breastmilk.

Ds got to “common cold” (rsv virus to be exact) when he was 8 weeks old. It nearly killed him.

Oh come on.

A full term normal newborn is NOT going to die from the common cold, and DOES have antibodies from their mother (that's why pregnant women get whooping cough jabs, it's for the protection it gives the newborn). Tiny babies get colds and common bugs alllll the time, especially if they have older siblings. It's not the most fun for the parents, but it is not a serious threat to the baby.

My DD had a cold and it just gave her a snuffle nose. My DH was a lot more Ill than her.

I'd have asked them to leave. Some people really are thoughtless.

Had this argument with my ex-MIL on Friday. My son has come down with a heavy cold/sinus infection, and didn't want to visit with his Dad and grandparents yesterday, because he felt so lousy. During the 'phone call to tell ex-MIL that he (as a teenager) had made the choice to stay at home and try to rest so that he's well enough for school on Monday, she announced that she was so disappointed, because they were hosting his 2 year old cousin's birthday party yesterday, and couldn't he just come for a few hours to meet his newborn baby cousin (who is a week old today)?! To which I said that I was delighted to hear that the baby had arrived safely, and as a mother I'd like to help ensure that she stays that way... because the common cold can cause horrendous problems in newborns... so, no; my 13 year old wouldn't be visiting them yesterday.

Ex-MIL is undoubtedly now sulking about it.

Rather that than my son have the weight of guilt upon his shoulders for making a tiny human ill, when they don't have the ability to do as he's currently doing, and fight it off, though.

Ex-MIL is the sort of person who glides through life thinking that her shit smells of roses, and that those who are fortunate enough to bear her genes live gilded lives where illness doesn't occur. Plus, y'know, it's not like I've forbidden my son from ever seeing that side of his family again. He'll (hopefully) be visiting with them in a fortnight. Plus, at 13, I'm 99.9% certain that attending a 2 year old's birthday party and coo-ing over a newborn baby isn't exactly top of his list of Fun Things To Do...

I don't think it's just a common cold that's making its rounds though, there seems to be several viruses going round at the moment. We've had 3 different ones so far and I'm left with a rattly chest and chronic cough. My DD is also the same. Had the nasty sinus infection too. I couldn't imagine how hard it would be for a baby to get over this, it's absolutely horrible.

I'd have sent them away!
I was supposed to be visiting a close friend this week with my 5 month old, she cancelled because her little one had a cold so as not to pass it on, because that's the sensible thing to do!

I reckon there are people who are germ phobic and people who aren't

Well what do you do when you have older children? Particularly toddlers in nursery who have colds non-stop?! Never let your children meet?

Some things you can avoid. It doesn’t mean that you take unnecessary risks though

I would’ve asked them to leave. Newborn health is more important than possibly causing offence.

I'm sorry that happened. Yes, it was very thoughtless of them. Next time, ask people to leave. Your baby comes first.

Imamouseduh

It's not quite as bad with people who are all living in the same house. That's why different rules apply to visitors. But it is a pity if other children are bringing bugs home from nursery to a newborn.

The thing is, it may have been 'just a cold', it may not, who's to say?

Also my daughter developed HSV when she was 16 weeks old, which can be caused by 'a cold'. It was terrifying as I thought she had meningitis. (Google it)

There's no need to visit anyone when you or your child are sick, particularly if that person is very young, very old or has any issues which make them susceptible to illness.

Yanbu