Panicking — think I have a cold sore coming on and have a 3-week-old baby

[Ellerdcc]

Hi everyone,

I’m really panicking right now and can’t stop crying. My baby is 3 weeks old today, and I think I have a cold sore coming on.

He sometimes puts his hand on my mouth while I breastfeed, and I kissed him last night and again this morning before I noticed anything. About an hour ago I started feeling an itch and tingle on my lip, and now it looks red and like the start of a cold sore.

Yesterday I had a brief tingle on my lip scar but didn’t think much of it because it went away quickly. Now I’m terrified I’ve passed it to him. I couldn’t live with myself if I’ve put him at risk.

Has anyone been in this position? What did you do? I’m so scared and just need some reassurance or advice.

thanks

Take lysine straight away. Avoid dairy and sugar that should keep it at bay hopefully. I had one but babies were older like 6months, they were fine.

Have you always had cold sores? If you carried the virus in pregnancy, your baby is very very low risk for illness. It is babies who are not exposed in pregnancy but have a first exposure postnatally who may become seriously ill.

Ive had cold sores for years but didn’t have any active ones during pregnancy. I’ve read if you breastfeed you can pass on antibodies to protect them…

Try not to panic - this isn’t your fault. Maybe pop and see a pharmacist tomorrow for advice and treatment.

I had a cold sore when DD was about a week old 😬 I assume all the hormonal changes brought it on.

Take lysine asap, buy those patches that go over it and I wore a face mask when breastfeeding.

It was so stressful but she didn’t catch anything!

The cold sore patches are really good- they stop you touching the sore as well

I think it’s mostly because I kissed him earlier today. I’ve gone out and got creams and compeed. Masks will be delivered tomorrow. Just praying it’s not passed to him :(

Lysine and get those compeed patches to create a barrier

Its very very very low risk if you have had cold sores pre pregnancy. Highest risk is for babies where first attack is late in pregnancy or post birth. You have passed antibodies to your baby, only concern would be if he had additional vulnerabilities like prematuriy. Of course take reasonable precautions but there's a tiny tiny risk of illness.

I got a cold sore when my DD was 3 days old. It was the day my milk came in and I was an absolute wreck with my hormones! I spoke to the GP because I read all the stuff about neonatal herpes and got myself worked up but they said if I’d had cold sores for a long time then my baby would have some immunity so just to be careful, not kiss them etc. As it turned out I had cold sores constantly her first few months and got a prescription for acyclovir in the end which knocked them on the head.