Hi there,
I would be gratful if anyone has any information or advice on the above from a reliable source. I used to work in the field of infectious diseases so I am reasonably clued up (if out of date) about immunology but I am no neonatal expert, and virology was not my thing.
I am breastfeeding so there is almost no way I can avoid touching my little one altogether. The CS is on the side of my nose, not my lip, so I can certainly try to limit skin to skin exposure and am also using an alcohol spray on my hands when I pick her up.
I know she will be getting some antibodies against the herpes virus from my breast-milk, and I also have oral acyclovir tablets (considered safe for BF) to help stave it off.
I know that there is a risk of nasty neonatal herpes, including complications of encephalitis from primary infections but that the risk of this is is much reduced for secondary (i.e. recurrent) infections, which my cold sore is.
I also know that something like 90% of all people have been exposed to HSV by the time they are in their late teens, and that not all of these people will suffer from cold sores, so to a certain extent I think your genetic immunological profile determines whether or not you will be a cold sore sufferer. i.e. she will probably get exposed to this anyway and ultimately i don't determine whether she will suffer cold sores or not.
So I suppose what I am saying is - she is likely to be exposed to this virus anyway (unless I simply do not touch her for a week - barely feasible) - I am doing everything I can to reduce the impact of this by BF and taking the tablets but she is only a tiny neonate - should I realistically be thinking of avoiding all contact until it has gone (I am generally against the idea of this as I think it is knee jerk reaction/overkill, but I don't want to play too fast and loose with my LO's health.)
Thanks for any advice.