Kissing newborns on the face

[AWholeNewWorls]

Is it wrong to think only mum and dad should be allowed to kiss newborns? I was advised in one of my NCT classes that visitors should refrain from kissing baby on the face and should wash their hands before holding baby.

I told my mum this and she scoffed and said I shouldn't be "one of those mums" and it will make the baby weird if I mollycoddle like that. She said she raised me and my siblings without any of us catching anything bad etc. and we were all visited by lots of visitors (I have a fairly large and close knit extended family). I am expecting my first DC in about 4 weeks now and nervous about how to politely assert myself when it comes to conflicting views with my mum/MIL.

I see your point and I'm a mum who let my child put anything in their mouth on the basis it would develop their immune system. So you're preaching to the converted however I stand by what I said. If people respected our boundaries it would make our lives easier.

My friend’s baby died at a week old after contracting the herpes (cold sore) virus. No way should anyone be kissing a new baby’s face.
There’s info about this on the Kit Tarka Foundation website.

@Calphurnia88 yes I have three children. Why?

I still don't kiss my dn even though he is 9 months old now and he is absolutely adorable but still think I might accidentally pass on a cold sore without realising being infected.

My baby my rules is absolutely fair when we are talking about protecting my baby. I made damn sure no one was kissing mine on the face and I never did. I'd be horrified if I'd passed on herpes to my children or anyone else's. It's a miserable horrible thing, particularly if you get them frequently. I don't see it as possessive, I see it as protective.

This thread is so split. But I appreciate all your reasons.. and I still don't know what to do.

But a new, slightly tangential thought came to mind. I've spent the best part of about 8/9months, diligently following a bunch of rules and forgoing things for my own pleasure eg. I have gestational diabetes so avoiding a bunch of food, the simple pleasure of laying on my back etc etc but I'm not complaining. Rather, why on earth do people (not referring to Mumsnet but rather people I know in my life) think once the baby is born that I'm suddenly going to stop doing what I think is best for the baby and allow them to do something for their own selfish pleasure. Those same people were very happy to say things like, 'be careful laying on your side and leaning so much on your stomach there' or 'are you sure you should be going to the theatre with all those germy people in such close proximity'. And yet, when it comes to them having to restrain themselves in the tiniest possible way, I'M the one who is being unreasonable.

GRUMBLE