Cold sores and babies

[shonaspurtle]

Ds & I are both in the middle of a horrendous cold - he's bringing up most feeds due to coughing and needs his eyes unglueing every morning, I'm a veritable phlegm factory, have a pounding head and to top it all have just got my first cold sore in ten bloody years .

Now, I've read that herpes can be very dangerous in tiny babies. Is ds at 4 months at risk or past the danger point? It's awful seeing him like this and I'd feel even worse if I gave him a herpes infection on top of it but other than taking the obvious precautions don't know what I can do.

bumping before bed

I know I'm not answering your specific question, but when I had a series of cold-sores after DD was born. I used compeed cold-sore plasters to treat them. As these formed a barrier over the infection I had some peace of mind with respect to not infecting DD. They are round and clear and pretty much invisible.

Many congratulations on your baby!! I didn't rest after a c-section with dd and got really run down and at 3weeks had SEVEN cold sores, four on lips and 3 below my nose. I fell over as well and cut my face and I looked such a mess!!!!!!! I didn't apply anything to them I just made sure that I didn't kiss dd, I just put my cheek against hers when I wanted closeness, I didn't touch my mouth area at all for fear of passing something on and kept my hands washed regularly. She didn't catch anything from me and it was such a relief when they cleared up and I could kiss her again.

I was so run down - have had 1 bout recently with another SEVEN coldsores (2 on chin) as I am preg with twins and really run down as not resting (I work/am busy) and have dd4.5, ds 3.5 and again was v careful and didn't pass anything on to them. Please don't worry but just be very careful which I am sure you are being.

Another thing, when I had visitors to the house whatever the age of my children, if I spotted a coldsore, I blatantly told them not to handle my baby/child until they were better. Once they are infected, it never goes and I feel very strongly about protecting my children. Hope you feel better soon.

Compeed plasters are a great idea. I remember seeing the advert for them and thought they looked clever.

Will def stay clear of kissing anyway though .

I've only had 2 outbreaks in my life so far (well 3 now). This cold has really run me down though. I'm usually one of those people who retreats to their bed when sick - ha! not any more - this is real parenthood...

Ds has just smiled at me for the first time since Saturday .