What are y’all doing about having a newborn around family for the holidays?

Question

FTM here and I’ve been thinking a lot about it lately. I have a big family and i don’t want my baby being passed around and exposed to all types of germs

Answer

So my daughter was born in October of 2018 & we took her out for Christmas to see a few family members & she was hospitalized with RSV on New Years, so this year we are due with our son at the beginning of December but I’m being induced this month & we decided no thanksgiving or Christmas with our families bc I don’t want to be sick in labor or being a baby into a house with us sick. I feel like people never tell you they are sick they just act like it’s a shock to them when you mention it so I’m staying on the better safe than sorry path this year

Answer

Breastfeed and baby wear. I put my carrier on before I get in the car, as soon as I park, baby gets popped inside, so when we get inside the house baby is already snug as a bug haha. But if you need to say no to events and set a boundary, just be strong and do it. People will be mad for a little if they are sucky people, but they will get over it.

Answer

I've been thinking a lot about this as well especially knowing rsv has been going around.  I don't want to miss out on Christmas with family but I'm also really anxious about everyone wanting to hold my baby.  I was thinking about having a small list of people who could hold him but that might cause problems so I might just say no to everyone.  I'm planning on baby wearing so he will be close to me and I can more easily stop people from getting too close.

Answer

I am also a bit worried about that. 
However, I've just been to a lactation and feeding course where the following was said: if you are exposed to germs, say, someone's sneezing on you,  it takes your body less than an hour to make antibodies and put those into your breastmilk.
If you're breastfeeding you're building and transferring your immune system to your babies,  real time. 
So for me,  if I feel healthy and well and want to go and none in my family currently are down with the flu or something,  my newborn can come too.

Answer

My son was born October 2020, we only allowed immediate family around and we had thanksgiving around it house with just my siblings and our parents/grandparents. Christmas was only my parents and siblings and my fiancés parents. This time around with our daughter, I plan to breastfeed and baby wear. She’ll only be a week old at Christmas and RSV is terrifying. My son was in the nicu for a few days after he was born so he wouldn’t latch and he was a big baby so I didn’t baby wear. However, I only allowed a few people to hold him and they had to be masked and weren’t allowed to kiss him.

Answer

For thanksgiving we are just my immediate family - mom, brother, and his family at my house. But my father is in hospice and will likely pass within the same week I have my c section (within the next 12 days). I’m a little worried about the funeral and shiva that follows. Obviously I’m not going to miss that. I think the best I can do is wear my baby and stay seated most of the time.

Answer

We are just doing small immediate family thanksgiving and same for Christmas. We will not be going anywhere or having anyone else around baby the first two months. My oldest is in first grade though so there is only so much I can prevent there. I just will not be letting anyone  besides my parents to hold baby.

Answer

We are due dec 22 but being induced at 39 weeks. The only person I will allow around for thanksgiving and Christmas is my mother and because she’s very cautious about it if she thinks she’s sick in the slightest she won’t come around. Fiancés mother is a few hours away but he doesn’t want anyone else to be around either.

Answer

Baby wear. No one can hold your baby if he’s strapped to you constantly. My second was a December baby and spent the first month of her life basically attached to my chest. People weren’t offended because asking me to unwrap her was a lot of work - and risked waking the sleeping newborn. I also would put a nursing bib over her most of the time to help her nap and keep off sneezes.

Answer

No visitors at all for the first 2-3months. I’m due December 7. I’d rather they be mad than have my baby sick with RSV or any of the other viruses going around.

What are y’all doing about having a newborn around family for the holidays?

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