Kissed 4 week old yesterday, today I have a cold sore

[IDontWantAValuableLimeLessonIJustWantIcecream]

So as the title says, I gave my 4 week old a kiss yesterday and today I've started getting a cold sore and now I'm panicking that he will get neonatal herpes. I'm currently waiting for partner to get home before I call either a pharmacy/111 incase I need to take him anywhere.
I'm just hoping he has some immunity from pregnancy or breastfeeding

Hopefully he will be ok 🙏🏻 but you are wise to get medical support / advice just in case.

here’s a link for info.
www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322620

side note: I suffer from chronic cold sores, have done all my life from when I was a small child.

Recently my GP has prescribed Aciclovir 400 mg tablets daily to prevent outbreaks and they work well. It also has relieved some of the anxiety about accidentally spreading them through a cup /towel etc. Might be worth looking into this for yourself if you get them a lot.

When I had my first baby I was in hospital for two weeks following a difficult birth. About day four I had a horrendous outbreak and was put into isolation because the risk of spreading it is just so great. I felt awful but I understood the seriousness of it.

it’s important you don’t touch your cold sore at all and to be honest I never kissed any babies or children (including my own) even when I didn’t have an outbreak just in case.

best wishes xx

Everything will probably be ok but you are being wise to get advice xx

Can people STOP KISSING NEWBORNS or indeed any child that is not yours!!

Honestly!

Annoys me so much

It’s her child

Oh I just saw this is your own child, but I don't even kiss my own children anywhere near their mouths as I don't see why it's necessary.

Kiss them on the head or hand or elsewhere

I don't get them very often, I only give him little kisses on the top of his head while he sleeps on my shoulder.

I spoke to a pharmacist who suggested as it wasn't an active cold sore it should be fine but to watch out for symptoms, hasn't really put my mind at ease

he will be immune from pregnancy. I had loads of them in the post partum time and my baby never got any even though i was her sole carer. I remember being so stressed about it though.

Obviously Id be careful to wash and dry your hands before changing his nappy and avoid kissing him for now to be safe, but I really don't think that you need to be worried.

Worst case scenario if he does get sick you at least know what has happened so can tell the hospital and he would be given antivirals. I read a really tragic case of a newborn dying from the herpes virus but he wasn't infected by his mum, so no immunity, and they didn't know the cause so he wasn't given antivirals.

He will be getting antibodies through your breast milk. Neonatal herpes is more of a worry for babies who’ve not had that immunity exposure through a mother who carries the virus. The pharmacist has the right attitude. Odds on your baby won’t develop anything. Keep an eye out, but even if he does, it won’t be a worst case senario because he’s getting some immunity through you already.