What if you have a baby

[Floatingstar]

What are you supposed to do if you test positive and have a baby? Look after baby as normal or isolate and not see baby for 2 weeks?

Look after the baby, the baby needs you and is unlikely to become unwell.
www.nhs.uk/start4life/baby/coronavirus-covid19-advice-for-parents/

Get well soon.

Surely if you have babies or young kids in the house you have to look after them?

I’m a single parent - if this had happened to me I’d have to just look after them?

Yep, you just have to do it. I'm afraid this is not covid exclusive but the fate of many parents who get sick.

I've had sickness bugs, flu and Covid and you just have to manage.

DH and I got Covid back in March - DD was 8mo at the time. DH got sick first, so isolated from me & kids. I’m on the shielding list so was getting messages telling me to separate myself from rest of household, but that wasn’t really practical as I was the well one at that stage! Baby then got slight temp and cough (would have dismissed it as teething/ bug in other times) - and would only settle on me. My symptoms then began about 12 hours later. I was panicking and rang shielding helpline bit of 111 and they were amazing. Explained that it was now in the household anyway, to be sensible, but that ultimately, the baby only really wanted me, and to just be with her and take care of her. Two older dC (then 4&6) also cooped up with us, showed not one symptom between them. Whole situation was awful and not one I would care to repeat, but we were only mildly / moderately ill and slept in shifts during the day - one in bed, one on sofa with CBeebies taking the strain.

Thank u. I thought as much

@Floatingstar me and my boyfriend have it now. I have a 10 week old and it's so hard. I started with symptoms 12 days ago my partner was 10 days ago. He is on immunosuppressents and its hit him bad he now has a chest infection and now my symptoms have come back I feel horrid. It's so hard as he cant help and baby is also coughing etc. Pedeatrician told me to do nothing different and care for baby as normal. Absolutely wiped out would not wish this upon anyone. My mum is offering to come and help and if I carry on feeling this way will need to get her to take care of baby.

@Mabe1991 sorry to hear! I hope you feel better soon

I tested positive 4 days ago and have a 6 week old baby, DH doesn't have any symptoms so he's helping out a lot with baby and toddler. I called 111 who told me to be sensible but that isolating in a different room wasn't practical. I am wearing a mask when holding the baby and have been extra vigalent with hand sanitising and washing. To be honest though the mask wearing is probably more for my anxiety as I was with them at home while waiting for test results and obviously before I had a cough and from what I can see you are contagious from 48 hrs before symptoms start. 111 said that babies abs toddlers seem to get a very mild version if they get it at all so I'm praying that if I do pass it on it's a mild case.

If any of you on this thread are breastfeeding wouldn’t that be a good thing? Your body will be making anti bodies and you will pass them to the baby. Hopefully that will offer some protection.

I know when dd was a baby awaiting an operation and I had a cold, I was told that bfing her was helpful in stopping her from getting it. She didn’t get it! I remember the rest of the family wearing masks around her which was a bit of a rehearsal for this year.

How old is your baby op?

If the baby's Dad is around and he's well he should be picking up more of the work, but ultimately of you've got a child from Yoder downwards I'd say, it's just tough - both physically and luck wise