Coldsores and newborn - worried/paranoid mum

[ShoeShooChoux]

My baby is two months old and I've been shielding him from being held recently (a) because he's already caught two colds and was hospitalised with bronchitis and (b) because i generally don't like other people holding my baby anyway!

Today my friend asked for a cuddle so i passed him to her. She was standing to the side of me and i didn't notice until i'd handed him over that she had a coldsore. I don't think she kissed him but he's a real head banger and i can't be sure that his head didn't make contact with her lips.

I'm now so worried because i know the virus can be really dangerous to babies. I've never had a coldsore so presume i have no immunity to pass on.

He's just getting over being ill, is finally settled, happy and sleeping well and i was just starting to relax about everything. Now i'm worrying about this.

Is my worry justified or am i being silly?

Bronchitis should read bronchiolitis.

You are absolutely not being silly. It's your baby it's only natural to be protective.

When ds2 was born he was in scbu for 24 hours. He'd only been out a short while when my mum came to visit. She picked him up and started cuddling him and as we were sat I noticed a great big coldsore on her face. I knew the dangers and was horrified. Also my nephew had it at 18 months and was very poorly indeed.

Like you Id never had one. However, ds2 didn't catch it. Neither did ds1 who was staying at my mums. Also, thinking about it logically Id never caught one off mum either? Both my mum and dad get them regularly.

So in summary absolutely reasonable in my little world to be stressed out about it but probably unlikely it's been passed on.

Thanks. My mum also suffers with regular coldsores and I've never had one. She always avoided kissing us when she had one though.

I know it's probably unlikely but my anxiety goes into overdrive sometimes and of course it's only the terrifying stories that appear when googling.

These babies are just so precious. I though i'd worry less when i got to dc3 but no!

I get one or two cold sores a year, my last one was when dc3 was 10 days old, yes I panicked but just didn't kiss him and made sure I washed my hands properly after applying treatment. None of my dc or my dh have ever got a cold sore, lucky bastards!!

I always get a bit panicky when DH has a cold sore. He thinks you can only pass it on when you have one I think it's contegious before it appears, can anyone advise actually how they're transmitted?

A day after having DS I developed about 3-4 cold sores. It was due to stress of labour and I think having the gas and air.
The midwives were very concerned and Dh did all of DS care for at least a week.

When DH was on paternity leave he got a cold sore. I wouldn't let him hold our pfb for days. I probably went a bit overboard!

The nhs website says they are most infectious when open but continue to be contagious until they completely heal, it doesn't mention if they're contagious before.

All the serous cases I have read about were bad because it took a while to diagnose. So keep an eye on them, but try not to worry. Easier said than done I know!

Thanks Gunshot!