Baby due and toddler with chickenpox

[pjbean]

DS1 just broke out in CP, and I am 39 1/2 weeks pregnant with DS2. I have heard that we will have to quarrantine DS1 from the new baby if he arrives in the next 5 days. Does anyone have any experience with this? I have read that the newborn will have my immunity to CP and will continue to get it through breastmilk.

this happened to a friend of mine the only thing they couldn't do was take the toddler to the hospital. the baby is born with your immunity as far as I know - thats what she was told anyway.

If you are chickenpox immune then your baby should also have received immunity through the passage of antibodies throught the placenta. In the hospitals where I have worked they would not separate family members at home, though would advise that a child with chickenpox does not visit the hospital (protecting other patients rather than the new baby). It's simply not practical to quarantine family members from each other.

What is important is that your immunity is established, which can be done through a simple blood test (the hospital may have a stored sample they can test from booking). If you are not immune, then they can offer you and the baby short term protection with an immunoglobulin injection. Without immunity you would be at a risky time to deliver. The paediatric staff would also advise you to be vigilant towards any symptoms developing in the baby as if he was to become unwell they would want to start intravenous anti-chickenpox medication.

Your older son will be infectious until all his spots have crusted over, and you will need to make sure he doesn't come in to contact with other babies who may not be immune.

Hope this helps (I'm a paediatrician by the way so have seen this lots of times).

Thanks Kitty. My immunity was tested at the start of the pregnancy so fingers crossed it will all be ok.