Scared about newborn

[Starfish125]

Hi everyone this is going to sound like neurotic mother here but I can't help it. My 10 day old baby has already been exposed to a lot of 'germs' for instance, my 6 year old put his finger in her mouth to calm her down when crying but had just been in the sand park and hadnt washed his hands. My cousin came to visit the baby with her daughter who had gone for a no2 at my house and never washed her hands and held the baby (I didn't realize until they left my daughter told me) and now my own mum has just called saying she's pretty sure she has the flu and she's been with my baby on and off for a few days. I feel really irritated and worried my baby will pick up something horrible like the flu or even meningitis. I know it's probably me being hormonal/paranoid but I couldn't bear it. The only thing keeping me sane is the fact I'm exclusively breastfeeding and I've heard it helps their immune system.. someone please reassure me or does this sound like she could be exposed to horrible stuff?

Oh, op, it's so nerve wracking, isn't it? Babies are actually pretty sturdy little things, and even if she does catch a bug, the chances are more than excellent that she will be perfectly fine. All you can do is keep a sharp eye out for any issues, and if you feel that anything might be off, see a doctor/gp right away. Don't be concerned about 'wasting thier time', that's their job, especially when it comes to newborns.

If it makes you feel better, insist that everyone washes their hands then and there before you hand the baby over.

So your baby isn’t ill now? I think you don’t need to worry about it unless it actually happens!

Breastfeeding and especially colostrum which your baby will have had recently makes a huge difference for baby’s immune system. Your body picks up what bugs baby is fighting off through their saliva against your nipple and then your body puts the anti bodies required into the milk. It’s all very clever 😁

The hard fact is that baby will be exposed all the time, and as we know we need them to be to build their immune system.

You can remind your 6yr old about washing hands etc as best you can , and also how loving that they did that to soothe baby.

This baby isn't your first and you do know what your doing. It can be frightful at times when we think of the worst, especially with those post natal hormones ... but rest assured that baby will be fine and you are being a great mum.

The world is coated in germs on every conceivable surface. Humans (even newborns!) benefit from millions of years of evolution developing immune systems that mainly keep us safe. When small babies get serious bacterial infections it is largely a question of bad luck in this country. Most viruses can be miserable things for them to have for a few days but unlikely to do serious harm.