Going out with newborns

amother

Lilac

Thu, Nov 29 2018, 11:22 pm

All mom's of newborns what are you doing about taking out your babies with the measle outbreak( not looking to start a vaccine debate) does it depend on where you live? I have a baby just a few weeks old and it's almost Chanukah there is not an out brake where I live but was a case. my pediatrician told me I can't take my baby to Monsey Brooklyn or Lakewood even to a family member house so that rules out my entire family. He said it's ok to take him out where I live but I am still worried like going to a shule Chanukah event or something like that I have always gone out with my babies and don't like this feeling of not being able to go anywhere and my kids are upset about it saying the baby is ruining everything. At the same time I don't want to take any risks for my baby.

Pickle1

Fri, Nov 30 2018, 12:55 am

my dr (shanik/lakewood) told me that my newborn has my immunity for the 1st 6 months. assuming that you are immune, your baby should be fine to take to these events/places. however - its never good to expose a newborn to a bunch of ppl and germs - so best to keep baby in carseat in the corner or different room and keep checking on them or something like that

Miri7

Fri, Nov 30 2018, 1:02 am

I agree - get a sitter. Have DH take them to Chanukah events. When I had an infant during the H1N1 outbreak, my pediatrician told me that I could go outside with the baby, but not to indoors spaces where people gather a lot (and specifically, not to shul). There will be lots of kids there and who knows if they’ve been to visit family in the affected areas.

Teomima

Fri, Nov 30 2018, 2:22 am

Hopefully you've been vaccinated and thus passed on at least minimal immunities you your baby. I would not go to places like crowded shul or simchas anywhere near an active outbreak (a friend just told me about another friend who took her baby to a simcha and another woman there mentioned how she herself had measles. I am SHOCKED at the chutzpah of someone with an active outbreak going to a simcha, it's disgusting!)

I would go to a family member's but only if everyone there has been vaccinated.

Beyond that, do like others have suggested and get a sitter. A VACCINATED sitter.

amother

Hotpink

Fri, Nov 30 2018, 7:24 am

I live in Lakewood. My understanding is that baby has some immunity from me.

I took him to a wedding s few weeks ago. DH stayed with him in the lobby in the car seat due to the loud noise while I ran in to wish mazel Tov. Later it was published that someone recently had been at a chassanah hall the entire night with measles. It was a real wake up call for me.

I will go to family only parties. But I’m not taking him to big crowds in closed places.
I’m lucky I don’t have to do the grocery shopping (my DH does that) I’m not sure if I would take or not if I had to.

amother

Lilac

Fri, Nov 30 2018, 7:55 am

Teomima wrote:

Omg

that's what I am nevous about stupid people my pediatrician said not even to go to family in these places he did say Bec babies do get some immunity from there mom and Bec he is 99.9% brest feed there is less of a chance for my baby to catch it but not a garentee and in a new born it's fatel also I don't want a baby sitter for my baby who is so young it's really just unfair

amother

Lilac

Fri, Nov 30 2018, 8:01 am

amother wrote:

In Lakewood there have been 18 cases. So it’s considered an outbreak now.

Right Lakewood, Monsey and Brooklyn have a high number of cases so it's a outbreak. There is a case where I live but 1 is not a outbreak but does concern me .

amother

Beige

Fri, Nov 30 2018, 11:44 am

Even before this measles outbreak I wouldn't take a newborn out in public. There are far too many germs for a baby to get exposed to while his immune system is immature, especially in the winter and during flu season. In my area at least, if a baby under 2 months of age runs a fever 100.4° or above, then it's an automatic hospital visit with invasive tests. I don't take any chances. The only places I go with a newborn are to the pediatrician or to my parents or in laws as long as there aren't any other children around. And we're very insistent on people washing their hands before touching the baby.

I had no problem staying home with my girls. If I needed to run errands I would wait for DH to get home or find a babysitter. However when I had a baby boy, even though I generally followed the same rules, I had to take him to shul for his bris. Within a few days he came down with a cold that he couldn't shake for weeks. The poor kid was miserable and there was nothing I could do for him but nurse around the clock and keep him slightly elevated while he was sleeping so he could breathe more easily. He spiked a fever early on and we were so scared. B"H it never went too high and he eventually got better, but it was not an experience I would want to repeat. And that was just a simple cold!

Don't take any chances. Don't go or get a babysitter and leave the baby behind.

mha3484

Fri, Nov 30 2018, 11:52 am

I cant handle being inside all day so when I go out with small babies I try and babywear so the baby's face is against my chest. It definitely minimizes people getting in their faces and trying to breathe on them. Also tiny babies find it really comforting.

I also try and go to public places when people tend to be at work and school and there are less crowds. The grocery store at 10am on a tuesday is a lot emptier then 7pm on a thursday night.