Newborn and threadworms

[Ethny]

Hi! I need hands holding. I have 5yo DD1 and 3 weeks old DD2. We discovered our family has threadworms yesterday. At least DD1 and I are infected. Today in the morning I treated everyone except DD2 with ovex and started deep cleaning. But I’m terrified. I feel disgusting and blame myself. DD2 was born by cs and the last month of pregnancy was challenging so I could have missed early signs of infection. Cherry on a cake - my washing machine is slowly dying and I have mountains of laundry because of DD2’s reflux.
All I want is to enjoy my maternity, cuddle a newborn and recover. But instead Im afraid of passing worms to her. Did anyone got threadworms while having a newborn?

We were plagued with it on and off for up to a year after dc2 was born, but dc2 never got it. Replace the washing machine asap, wash everything, get covid level about handwashing.

You’re not disgusting OP. This is part and parcel of having or working with young children.

Just remember, thousands and thousands of people have them without even knowing. No stress for them.

I am sure all will be well. Just do the first round of washing sheets and towels, then go back to normal. Wear pants and pyjamas in bed, change pants every day in the morning. Wash bottoms every morning, and keep a small hand towel or dry flannel to dry bums, and wash just these every day. Wash hands a lot. The baby will have their bum washed every morning and evening, and wiped during the day, so should be fine.

Take a second dose of pills in two weeks.

It sounds like a nightmare, and the washing is not what you need with a newborn but try not to panic. Ovex will do most of the lifting. I wash the bedding of anyone known to be infected every day for three days. And pants, pyjama bottoms and trousers only one use for a few days. The most important thing to do is wash their bum when they wake up and change pants at that point, as that’s when anything from overnight is lurking in the pants. And as another person said get Covid level about hand washing constantly before any snack or anything is put into the mouth. And obviously don’t let your child put their fingers in the mouth of your newborn.

You aren't disgusting OP! You are actively doing what you can to rid the family of them!
Could you take 2 bin bags for laundry to the laundrette to break the back of it? Some even have a collection/drop of service.
Does the machine need fixing or replacing? Could that be sorted or are you saving for a new one?
Ensure the 5yr old isn't putting hands/toys etc in the babies mouth.
They will soon be gone

Thank you all. You are too kind. I wish there
A new washing machine is arriving on Friday. What should I do with our phones, laptops, remote controls. With Covid it was much easier - antibacterial spray with high alcohol % did the trick. But antibac spray doesn’t work for worms’ eggs.

I don’t clean any of that stuff. My youngest is prone to them and my middle one sometimes gets them from him, as they play together loads, but none of the rest of us have caught them. The washing I mention above seems to knock it on the head, especially a bum wash before bed and first thing on waking. For everyone if you’re worried. And then of course wash the flannels and towels used and wash hands obsessively. But I know when my son first got it and I googled what to do I initially concluded that we needed to burn the house down, until I read more measured advice. Some people don’t do anything beyond using Ovex.

Would you mind me asking if you got it too? Or only kids? I’m mostly worried that we coslept for a while with a little one. It will be a miracle if she won’t get it

I got it, multiple times. Dc2 was ebf and cosleeping (next2me bed), we were also living in a building site as renovating at the time. Nightmare. I felt the same as a previous poster, wanted to burn the house down!! Touch wood we haven't had them since but any indication of an itch and we're on the 2 week dose of worming tablets now, they're always in the medicine cabinet.

thank you for posting. It really helps to know someone else has been through it. How was your DC2?

Oh bless you!

My DS(7) had them a couple of weeks ago and I was beside myself and felt like you do! I was quickly reassured that they are really common! We all had the tablet, washed all the towels and bedding and were very conscious of handwashing! No one else got them and didn't scrub down everything in sight x

I’m petrified of this night. I heard worms could be more active the night after the treatment

Never got them, thankfully. I think it's something to do with them wearing a nappy, but also a saving grace that they weren't yet teething so not putting hands in the mouth.

You don't need to worry too much - because he's so tiny, he won't be putting his fingers in his mouth yet, which is the most common method of transmission.

Just be careful with your own handwashing, keep a close eye on nappies for any wrigglers, but he'll probably be fine.

Bless your heart. I got threadworms when I was in my 40s. I blame the university library keyboards! I just stripped my bed and washed all my towels. I then just cleaned as normal so don't drive yourself crazy cleaning.

Oh and I agree, always keep a supply of Ovex or similar. As you always find out at night when the itching starts, you can then dose up immediately

I will post updates here in case anyone finds this thread later.
We took ovex yesterday. My milk supply wasn’t affected, yay. But I got gastritis flare up. It could be linked to stress though.
First night went well maybe due to loads of Sudocream I applied.
Highlight of the day. My DD1 came back from camp saying “Mummy sorry, I didn’t wash my hands before lunch. Teachers didn’t get us to do it and I was too shy to remind them.” Bless her. We’ll be with worms forever

Panicking. I noticed something looking as a worm in my baby’s nappy. It looks a bit different from the threadworm I saw. It’s brownish and long (2cm maybe). Not moving. GP said to monitor her nappies because it could be mucus. But it looks like a worm. Could mucus look like a worm?

I am on the same boat here! Unfortunately we have had them for months and can’t get rid of them. Mebendazole doesn’t work for us and the GP doesn’t have any other advice which is driving me crazy. I have a 6 week old and I am forever examining the nappy. I think what you have seen sounds like mucous. I am also bfeeding and have seen similar and I think it’s mucous x

Oh no… That’s my nightmare… did you try to take ovex a couple of days in a row?

No I haven’t. I’ve only taken it 2 weeks apart. I took it while I was pregnant on obstetrics advice and I never really thought it worked but hadn’t seen any live ones so was advised not to take anymore. A few weeks ago we all took it again and repeated again 2 weeks later. I’ve spoken to the GP numerous times and they have never advised to take it daily or even given any other advice other than what I have done to be honest. It’s really getting me down now. I’m at the point of eating raw carrots and considering raw garlic although I’m breeding so don’t want to upset DS by doing that x

Why do you think you still have them if you don’t mind me asking.

Im so stressed. Its impossible to maintain all hygiene measures with a newborn… all the night nappy changes and leaks… not the maternity I expected…

I know I hear you!

I am itchy at times (not always at night time sometimes during the day) and I can see them on my underwear. I wear black so I can see. The males are tiny white and not the ones you would see moving about. The females are the ones that grow bigger that you can see in poo. I can’t believe I even know as much as I do on them but they have been the Bain of my life. I don’t see them down the toilet only on my underwear and they must be the males as they are tiny and not moving about

sorry if that was TMI

I didn’t know male threadworms travel outside…

To be honest I thought it was just females that came out but I think it’s common for either to come out after taking the medication but should only be for up to a week. I’m almost 2 weeks after taking 2nd dose and still seeing them