Preventing infection
Babies are more vulnerable to infections than older children, especially in their first few weeks. Here you will find the signs and symptoms to look out for that your baby might be unwell.
Tell me a bit about you
I love painting and anything creative, but most of my time is spent with my son Louis. Louis is a joy, he’s at the age where he’s very alert and interactive now.
I work as a doctor, so I’m quite confident with what to look out for to spot the signs of infection in babies. This doesn’t mean that it’s been a completely smooth ride when setting boundaries with others to prevent Louis catching an infection.
Can you tell me a bit more about your worries about infection?
I was specifically worried about Louis catching herpes. He was particularly vulnerable in his first few weeks, and that, coupled with my sleep deprivation, meant I was really anxious for a while. My partner and I would do shifts, with at least one of us awake at all times – it was completely unsustainable!
I remember when he was a few days old and I kissed him on the cheek. Then the next morning I came out in a cold sore because I was so sleep deprived. I knew how vulnerable to infection babies are, so I became quite worried.
Did you ask loved ones not to kiss your baby, and to wash their hands?
Yes, I asked family and friends that would visit Louis if they would mind not kissing him as he is very young, and to wash their hands when they arrived. We thought very carefully about how to word it so as not to upset people. We did our best, although sometimes it’s difficult and there just isn’t a way of doing it that won’t upset people. Ultimately you just have to weigh up the risks and benefits and I felt that not saying anything would be more dangerous.
I often told them in advance via message so it felt less awkward than telling them when they came through the door. I made it clear that we were asking everyone not to kiss Louis, so people didn’t feel singled out. I often said that these were the boundaries we were setting on advice of our midwives, so it felt a bit less like we were telling them off.
Have you had any pushback from family?
Luckily, my family were completely fine with it. My mum is a nurse so was aware of the infection risks to babies. And my partner’s mum was unwell for a while so had a lot of contact with hospitals, and my boundaries didn’t come as a surprise to her.
As Louis has gotten a bit older, we sometimes have to remind people that he is still vulnerable, and we’d still like them not to kiss him and to wash their hands. He might not be a newborn anymore but it’s still important to us to follow the infection prevention guidance. I understand that for some grandparents, they might kiss a baby and not think anything of it, but if they do forget, I just remind them.
Do you find that strangers come up to Louis and touch him?
Someone recently started chatting to us, and then went to shake Louis’ hand. It happened too quick to say anything, but I was sure to wipe his hand before he put it in his mouth because you just don’t know what level of handwashing people are using. I’ve heard people have strangers come up to their baby and kiss them, but I’d say something if that happened.
I’m also keen to be realistic. I know I can’t keep Louis away from every germ. We go to baby groups and he shares toys with the other babies that all put toys in their mouths! But making sure anyone that visits or says hello to Louis washes their hands and doesn’t kiss him, is really important to me.
Did you find The Lullaby Trust’s infection prevention guidance useful?
The Lullaby Trust’s infection prevention guidance is really useful. When I first heard about The Lullaby Trust through my midwife and antenatal group, safer sleep guidance was the main thing I heard about. Then I found that they offer guidance on other topics such as baby safety in hot weather, and infection prevention. I saw the THANKS guidance on Instagram which was helpful, because I think I was told this at a checkup, but I was so tired, so the information I was taking in was minimal!
As a doctor, what would you say to someone who has a concern about their baby?
I agree with the motto ‘never a nuisance’. Never feel like you’re a burden or that you’re making a fuss if you have a concern about your baby. It’s easier to check a baby and rule out anything serious, than to treat a baby that should’ve been seen earlier and has developed a more serious illness.
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You might think it’s probably nothing, and usually it is, but if you have that niggling feeling that something might be wrong, it’s so much easier to just go and get it checked. I’ve been really surprised in the past about how quickly we’ve managed to get Louis seen by a GP. I know sometimes there are long waits, but not always. Either way, get your baby checked for peace of mind.
Annie
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Lan’s story
Lan lives in Crystal Palace with her husband John, and her four-month-old son, Minh. Lan spoke to us about her experience of setting boundaries with her family to prevent infection for her baby.
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