Due yesterday. DD1 broken out in chickpox.

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So my due date was yesterday and this morning when getting DD1 ready for nursery I noticed a little blistery spot on her neck. A quick pootle online and it looks very like a chickenpox spot even tho no other symptoms. Rang nursery & met manager outside as only across road & she confirmed was chickenpox as has seen many many cases over the years. A hour later and more spots have now developed.

I have had it so baby is safe inside. So legs crossed for next 4/5 days as if he came now, he would then be at risk, DD couldnt visit the hospital and nana (childcare cover) also at risk as low immune system. AARRRGGHH!!! also my first day ML with her in nursery & no appointments. was looking forward to reading book in garden and maybe watching some tennis. GGGRRR!!!

Great timing!

I have been reading up on chicken pox as ds has just got it.

Aparently providing you have had it then baby is immune for 6 months, so that would be fine, all the rest still tricky though. Poor you, I will try to find article.

Oh dear!

Is your DH/DP about, can he get any time off to have her if you have baby?

WTWTW I'm surprised about that, I've heard of newborns catching it on here.

Interesting to see article

Here

my friend newborn caught it at 6 weeks despite the mother having had it and breastfeeding - sorry! the good new was the dose was very mild and hardly bothered him at all.

hoping baby stays in for a few days though

At the bottom of the page, obv. baby would be at risk if mother hadn't had the virus.

Might be best to check with your mw or gp, t'internet could be wrong...

My DS1 had chicken pox at 12 weeks and a friends son had it at 7 days. My friends son went on to have it again at the age of 4 because having it so young meant his own immune system hadn't got going (so technical!) Both boys recovered quickly.

I'd speak to your midwife because I thought the risk was during delivery as opposed to being at risk of catching the disease after birth. ie similar risk to gential herpes.

Surely there is only a risk during the delivery if the mother has it, not her dd?

NHS Direct said baby could be at risk once born even tho I have had it. My friend's DD got it at 4 months.

DP has good paternity leave (3 weeks total - 2 weeks solid then another split or consecutive) & really quite understanding office. Have said he can come home early today to help me, possibly from lunchtime which I feel bit guilty about as DD chirpy as ever at moment.

However DP would like to be there for the birth & I would rather like him there too so that is the problem area re childcare.

when I say "at risk", I mean of getting it. would be mild dose, not actually risky to baby's health.

my SIL gave birth to her dd whilst her ds had the pox. my DN had a few spots but was certainly nota full blown outbreak of chicken pox. her doctor said she may or may not get it again.

Hope your DD doesn't have it too badly.

Have to say that despite me having had it, and fully breastfeeding, DD got it when she was 6 weeks old. She was fine, very spotty but not ill. Am hoping she doesn't get it again.

Poor you, that is really rubbish, is there no-one else you can call on to look after dd if you go into labour?

Fingers crossed baby will know what's good for it and stay inside for a few more days.

I know duration can vary but if it's any help ds got his first spot on Monday and doesn't appear to have any more today, so once they are all crusted ten he will be no longer infectious.

Ds is nearly 5 and it is supposed to be the younger the child the child the milder the infection. How old is dd?

WTWTW - yes the risk during delivery is where the mother has it. But you incubate CP and are infectious ahead of the spots appearing.

DD is 2.5. She seems fine at the moment. Did wake in night with itchy eyes & needing drink. Eating fine. No fever.

DP is going to do ring round to create contingency plan as I have no family round here. If it happens over the weekend, there are friends we can call on but it's finding someone who DD knows well enough that can get out of work to look after her should it happen in office hours. Also last time contractions started friday night, was kept in hospital from sunday night, DD born early hours wednesday.

I had this happen to me (DD2 had chicken pox 2wks before due date, then DD1 came down with it the day I gave birth), only I hadn;t had chicken pox, so the midwives had to give me a vaccine before I gave birth to try and prevent complications.

sadly tho, DD3 was born with it, and we have had issues since, BUT, like I say, this was mainly down to me never having had it, so was unable to pass on immunity.

HAD I had it tho, I don;t think the worry would have been so great, as the MW said that normally enough immunity is passed on the help baby fight it.

good luck...tis rotten timing having to nurse a poorly child and be heavily pregnant.

Oh no, bad timing! My 4 yr old had chicken pox when I was 37 weeks and my 2yr old came out in it last week, 2 days before my c/section with baby #6. So of course, he couldn't visit in the hospital....I was told several times by several different midwives and doctors that it would be very unlikely for my baby to catch chicken pox as I'd had it and I am breastfeeding. I suppose we'll know in a week or two as baby is only 8 days old right now.....

Good luck!

My dd has just had chicken pox, and I sympathise, it's not nice at all for them, and particularly bad timing for you!

To help with the itching generally, try Piriton - it is supposed to help them sleep too. But for my dd it had the opposite effect, she got really wired form it. So doc said try Phenergan or Benadryl.

Bathing her in a bicarbonate of soda really does the trick, and was my saviour at 3 a.m when she hadn't slept AT ALL.

I found the aqueous calamine better than the normal one, less runny and easier to apply to a wriggling and upset two year old.

But also a cream called Eurax, which has an anti-itch ingredient helped more.

Really hope she feels better soon and good luck to you too.