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h1n1/illness/visitors, incl. family

mamaseeta
0 Recommendations

wondering what you're all doing about protecting your little baby from the illnesses out there?? we'll be getting the h1n1 (swine flu) shot, but have to wait until after next week's surgery. i've heard of some mothers requesting all family members who will be visiting to get the shot and flu shot. so, i'm considering asking them to get the shots, but i'm also thinking about not allowing anyone to hold our baby until like april of next year!!?? does this seem crazy?? in reality all our baby needs is mom and dad anyway... :p

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Surgery Mental health Stress

17 replies

violetsmom

I asked everyone who will be visiting regularly...friends, family to get the flu shot. You would think I asked them to climb a mountain. They all managed to get it done before they ran out at walgreens. I will do the same once the H1N1 becomes available to them. I will be getting it asap (healthcare worker). I won't be vaccinating Violet because she is not yet 6 months adjusted. I would love to tell my family they can't hold the baby, but I would go NUTS never getting a break. I limit the holding to a few close friends and family after drilling them on their state of health. I don't think it's too much to ask if you can pull it off, but don't be too hard on yourself if you need a break.

Hopesmom08

My daughter and i live with my parents we stay in my room 24/7. No one is allowed in our room. They are all getting vaccinated and so are we as soon as it is available. I let no one hold her or see her unless its through our window. It is not crazy, Preemies are at a high risk of dying (if they have lung issues) most likely they do. or have. Do what ever makes you comfortable and safe.

mamaseeta

my daughter was born at 26 weeks.. and is now 5 months corrected. but, should she still be getting the h1?? ill ask the ped. on monday at our appt. but so far all the medical staff has said that she needs it... i was wondering if i should be waiting until she's 6 months corrected.......??

Reagansmom

I am not definatley sure, but I think that your baby has to be at least 6 months acutal before they can get the flu(regular and H1N1) shot. If your daughter is about 8 months actual(if I did the math right), she can probably get the shot. Some doctors though wait until the adjusted age of 6 months. Like you said, you will have to ask the doctor when you go. Even if she can't get it now, she will be able to in a month or so. Most doctors probably won't even have the shot available until then anyway.
Last January, when my daughter was 6 actual/4 adjusted is when she got her first flu shot.

1pair-n-1spare

mamaseeta,

I am not sure about your daughter getting the H1N1, the BEST person to ask is probably the NICU doctors that discharged her. They would have the most up to date information on the H1N1 and adjusted vs corrected age.

As for locking your child away for the winter... Gee, as someone who did this for the first year from January to April, it takes it's toll on your psyche. I was a basket case when I finally surfaced (it wasn't pretty). I truly regret doing that to myself.

I think that if you are VERY cautious about who you let over, and very diligent about hand-washing and cold symptoms you should be OKAY.

Lisa

tantaj23

I agree...Staying away from everyone sounds like you are protecting your baby but my personal opinion is that it's no good for parents and doesn't allow baby to come in contact with some germs.. Not having germs to fight off is almost as bad as putting baby in a room full of sick people because they don't build their own natural immunity. The minute they do come into contact with someone sick by accident; you'll have a sick baby on your hands... Limit Yes! Bubble NO! My son is 5 mnths adj. 8 mnths act.. had flu shot 2day along with synagis and will get h1n1 in 2 weeks.

mygirlsmom

Tantaj23-
Unfortunately, if you expose infant preemies to germs when their bodies are still so weak and young, they could die, and would not have immune systems to build up. Preemies under 2 years old, especially those that have had any lung issues, simply do not need to be exposed to unnecessary germs - there is plenty of time after infancy to "grow" their immune systems, and most pediatricians will tell you that they come in contact each day, just by being alive, with enough germs to begin the immunity system growth. Yes, it is healthy for parents and children to get out of the house a bit, but a 5 month-old preemie is at risk, period, so if you do get out of your "bubble", you need to take a lot of precautions. We would go to an empty store once a week and stroll around, that was it, our first winter. It's not exactly fun, but my kids are still alive. And synagis does NOT stop kids from getting RSV, it only helps reduce the effects of it. And all infants still have a high likelihood of getting the flu, even if immunized. Someone recently posted a chart showing how infants do not gain immunity from vaccines the way adults do, and there are hundrends of flu strands out there, so just b/c you are vaccinated against 2 of them, doesn't mean you can't get those 2 or many more, it just means you're a little better protected.

mygirlsmom

I just want to clarify that my point is not that you should stay inside and have no visitors the entire flu season - it is important to get out a bit for everyone's mental health. But using the argument that you need to build up your child's immunity is predicated on misinformation about preemie health and immunity. So when one chooses to venture outside of the home, or bring outsiders into the home, every precaution should be taken.
mamaseeta -
this is one of those areas where you should really follow your instinct. If you are uncomfortable with someone holding your baby b/c of illness fears, that is totally valid and stick to your guns. Washing hands and getting plenty of sleep is another very good way to keep all family members healthy. Minimize your risks - yes, a fluke can always happen, and your child could get sick, but our job as parents is to do whatever we can while they are so vulnerable to minimize these chances. Good luck!

Teesa1221

I just want to say that 3 out the 4 times our son has gotten sick it's come from either myself or my husband. We practice excellent hygiene take him next to no where but he still manages to catch something. Just last weekend I suddenly started cold symptoms. Well by then I've already exposed my son and didn't even know I was sick! Very frustrating. Now he's getting sick again just after recovering from bronchiolitis.

MyMiracles

My daughter is 16 weeks actual and 5 weeks adjusted. she has had a cold twice and both times from me or my fiance.. I was also told meaning their immune systems are so week that we could have a virus that our body is immune to to and doesn't effect us so we don't even know we have it and the baby can still get it because they aren't immune to it. You can take all the precautions and still end up with a sick baby.

tantaj23

I do think that you need to use your judgement when taking baby out or inviting ppl into your home... Of course not sick ppl.... but it is my belief that if a baby is bubbled so to speak they're immune systems are weaker.... That is my belief.... My son has not been sick once. I work in an emergency room. I am a nurse, my mother is a nurse who had 4 preemies and she's did the same with us..... I take a shower before touching my son after work, I practice hand washing diligently. I'm pretty aware of the way that vaccines including synagis work. Let me also mention that I've been sick twice and my son did not get sick and I didn't take care of him with a mask on my face. I simply washed my hands and didn't kiss him. Some preemies may have weaker immune systems from different underlying causes, my son was a 29 weeker, 490 gms.... I'd never want him to get sick and I do what I think is best to protect him...but I feel like he is as healthy and strong as any full term baby...but I take the precautions that I feel comfortable taking... every 1 has the right to their own opinion.

mygirlsmom

tantaj23- "but I feel like he is as healthy and strong as any full term baby" - I hope he is, that's great you feel that way. I guess, I felt that way too, and I had 30 weekers, and they got very sick with RSV, and it was horrifying - I realized they were not just like full term babies. I am just trying to help those who haven't had their children so sick yet, it's worth taking extra precautions - mine are almost 2 now. And if some people think I'm living in a bubble, so be it. Hope we all stay healthy this season, it's gonna be a rough one.

mamaseeta

i have been warned and warned by all medical staff to live in the bubble for the first two years. my daughter has brocho pulmonary displasia and is on home oxygen. she was off and on the vent as she had several infections. after 195 days in hospital we dont want to risk any illness especially if it could be prevented. my preemie is definitely not like a full term baby, but i guess it depends on how premature and the birth weight, etc. my daughter was 470 grams at 26 weeks (iugr).

tantaj23

I apologize, I'm not a doctor and having a sick child is horrifying.... I understand any precautions a parent may take.... A good friend of mine had a full term baby who had rsv twice and was in the hosp both times with it. I don't say that children don't get sick... they do. I see it everyday so if a parent feels it's safer to just stay away from people then that is what is best.... I don't bring baby Noah to places like grocery stores or malls..... We do go out to eat, to walmart to grab something quick maybe but mostly we stay home or at his god mothers house.... so maybe I'm almost as cautious as others.... I wish you all a stress free healthy next couple of months

29weekevan

Mamaseeta,
I didn't let anyone hold my baby the first 6mos after being home. My husband, my son, and myself only. Grandparents may have gotten one chance as well as his godparents at the baptism. I just told everyone I had a blanket no holding policy because with most illnesses, you can be sick 24 to 48 hours before showing signs of the illness. Swine flu is contagious 24hrs before symptoms. This was enough to ward people off. No one even asked. No one wanted to be responsible for putting him in the hospital. I was lucky my friends and family were so good about it. We are 16 mos now actual and 13 mos adjusted. I have not taken quite as much precaution this year. He mostly gets into everything himself anyway so the holding isn't an issue. He crawls everywhere and puts absolutely everything in his mouth. I can't take him anywhere that if he "ate" everything in the room, it would not be okay. So, of course that is almost everywhere/nowhere that we can go. I do have to take him to the grocery store sometimes. I wipe down the cart with the sani wipes and try to make the trip very short. Do what your gut tells you. I have walked out of stores before because I was uncomfortable. Btw, for those that mentioned their baby did get sick, but it was from an illness the parent had, that happened to us too. I think preemies get plenty of immunity solely from the germs we unfortunately bring to the table. Parents can't live in the bubble and provide for our families at the same time. Hence we are the biggest threat. Washing your hands as soon as you walk in the door and before you touch the baby or anything in the babies room is important. And if they do get sick from you, just realize that you did everything you could.

caffeine-T

I posted a sign on the door, any visitors must wash their hands before touching anyone or anything, i keep sainitizer by the door, anyone with sniffles or a cough is not allowed over, my twins are getting the H1N1 vaccine, and RSV shots each month, and i haven't decided what to do about non-vaccinated visitors because my mom and sister are fence sitting and i can't go through the whole winter without them! lol people give me grief for keeping my twins in a bubble, but they didn't watch them fight for their lives daily for months before they could come home. staying in all winter isn't fun, but that's why i have daily phone conversations with my best friend, my mom and sister come over often, and i belong to a couple online support groups with similar-thinking parents. you have to do whatever it takes to make yourself feel comfortable as the mother of a preemie!

tkitty

that's right..all baby needs is mommy. ooo yea and daddy too sometimes :)

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