Since mom herself will be back on her period soon, there's no valid, medically-proven reason that someone's menstrual cycle would cause any harm to a newborn.
In their first two months, newborns are at the highest risk of infection, warns Dr. Hasson. So, it's advisable to avoid letting most people touch your baby and to avoid crowds, says the pediatrician.
Visitors with Illnesses
When it comes to visitors, those who have colds or other respiratory illnesses should not hold your newborn. If they do not have a runny nose, sore throat, or cough, it is ok for them to hold your baby, as long as they wash their hands or use alcohol hand gel prior to holding him/her.
Staying away from newborns when you're sick is the safest option. Try to avoid visiting babies while you have a fever, cough and cold symptoms or diarrhea. It may not be possible to distance yourself if you're a baby's sole childcare provider. Use extra caution if you must care for a baby when you're sick.
Try not to have visitors who have infectious symptoms around the baby. For example, anyone with a fever, cold, cough, sore throat, vomiting or diarrhea probably should not visit. Remember, even a person who had infectious symptoms a few days before may still be contagious.
You shouldn't let someone hold your newborn while they're on their period.
Yes. You can kiss a newborn on the head, and the cases of any infection caused by a kiss are rare. However, staying away from the baby is better if you have a cold, cough, or any contagious disease or infection.
Care and caution need to be on everyone's mind. Dr. VanVleet says it is a good idea for parents to choose who will visit the baby early on and who won't. She says it might make sense to hold off on some visits until the baby is about 3 months (12 weeks) old to allow the baby to build up their immunities.
It's OK to let your baby cry if the baby doesn't seem sick and you've tried everything to soothe your baby. You can try to leave your baby alone in a safe place, such as a crib, for about 10 to 15 minutes. Many babies need to cry before they can fall asleep. And they'll nod off faster if you leave them to cry.
The longer you hold your baby, the better. Any amount of time is good, but it is best to try for at least 1 to 2 hours each day.
Newborns need a lot of soothing, and being held by a parent or loved one is very soothing.” So, go ahead and let your baby snuggle into your chest. Those early weeks aren't the time to worry about sleep training.
In large groups, make a general announcement, such as, "We can only touch the baby's feet" or "The baby needs to eat, so we're going to give him some space." Parents need to remain strong about who can and can't hold the baby. They're made to feel guilty, but taking risks with a newborn is not worth it.
No, it's not rude to refuse to hold the baby, as long as the refusal is polite. “No thank you” ought to be enough.
In order to prevent serious health issues, anyone and everyone, including parents, should avoid kissing babies. Due to the rise in cases of RSV and other illnesses, it's extremely important for all individuals to be aware of the dangers of kissing babies.
Hugs Keep Kids Healthy
There are many health benefits of hugging and kissing your baby. Hugs can promote our physical health and help us heal. Oxytocin, released when hugging, is a hormone that has amazing power and benefits our bodies.
While the cause of SIDS is unknown, many clinicians and researchers believe that SIDS is associated with problems in the ability of the baby to arouse from sleep, to detect low levels of oxygen, or a buildup of carbon dioxide in the blood. When babies sleep face down, they may re-breathe exhaled carbon dioxide.
Most people find the first six to eight weeks to be the hardest with a new baby. And, although people may not openly discuss many of the challenges in these early weeks of parenthood (if at all), there are a number of common hurdles you may face at this time.
“Consumption of excess salt causes water retention that leads to bloating during your period,” said Dr Patil. In fact, also avoid spicy food since it can upset your stomach and cause acid refluxes. “Avoid drinks like coffee, energy drinks etc as they can cause headaches and constipation.
A lot of advice on when to conceive focuses on timing sex around your ovulation dates. However, one of the best ways to increase your chances of conceiving is to have regular sex throughout your menstrual cycle. This will mean there is always sperm waiting to meet the egg when it is released.
There are no set rules about how long to wait before taking a newborn out into the world or when to let people near the baby. Some doctors recommend that parents wait until their baby is a few months old before going to crowded public places (like malls, movie theaters, and airplanes).
Breastfed babies tend to get fewer colds and recover faster with less severe symptoms. Breastmilk is chock full of powerful chemicals called antibodies.
The truth about viruses is that they are usually pretty contagious even before you have symptoms. That's why viral illnesses are always going around. And even if you know you're sick, you still have to care for your baby, so there's definitely a chance you'll pass it along.