That’s my little princess when she was just a tiny baby. She wasn’t my first (well she was my first and only girl) but that didn’t mean my concerns were any less. Was I doing everything right? What should I be doing different? What if she gets sick? One of the big concerns I think I had (and a lot of other parents have) was RSV. RSV is one of the biggest threats to new babies and it’s a very common virus that spreads so easy. As a mom I wanted to make sure my babies were each protected from RSV (as well as other forms of sickness).
Newborns are itty bitty humans whose systems haven’t been built up to the germs and gunk we can sometimes weather as adults. So it’s our job to do what we need to do to protect the new little life in our home. We have to take certain precautions when we are new parents to do everything we can to protect our little ones from RSV and other nasties. RSV is short for respiratory syncytial virus. It’s so concerning because it spreads easily and is very common which makes more of a risk for our babies. It can live on surfaces for several hours and is easily spread through harmless acts such as touching, holding, hugging, kissing, etc.
One of my things was not allowing too many visitors at first and when I did allow visitors everything and everyone was sanitized before it could come near my little ones. It’s not just up to the parent, remember as the guest you want to do your part in preparing for a visit to the new little one. Just always remember how babies can catch germs very easily so do all you can to make sure you are clean and germ free before visiting, it takes a load of the parents and helps them not feel awkward for having to ask you to wash your hands.
A few tips to remember when a loved one has a new baby:
- Call before you visit. New parents need time to set up a routine and bond. By giving them time to do so before you visit, you are respecting the new family.
- Postpone a visit if you feel that you may be getting sick, have recently been ill or exposed to illness.
- Wash your hands frequently—upon entering the home and especially prior to holding the baby. Parents, and the new baby, will appreciate it.
- Leave toddlers at home, especially during the winter months. Young children, especially if they attend day care or preschool, often carry germs and viruses, like RSV, that are easily spread.
A few facts about RSV that all parents, caregivers and loved ones should know:
- Serious RSV infection is the leading cause of infant hospitalization, responsible for more than 125,000 hospitalizations and up to 500 infant deaths each year.
- RSV occurs in epidemics each fall through spring. The CDC has defined “RSV season” as beginning in November and lasting through March for most parts of North America.
- There is no treatment for RSV, so it’s important for parents to take preventive steps to help protect their child (e.g., wash hands, toys, bedding frequently; avoid crowds and cigarette smoke).
- Symptoms of serious RSV infection include: persistent coughing or wheezing; rapid, difficult, or gasping breaths; blue color on the lips, mouth, or under the fingernails; high fever; extreme fatigue; and difficulty feeding. Parents should contact a medical professional immediately upon signs of these symptoms.
To learn more about RSV, visit www.rsvprotection.com.
I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of MedImmune and received promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate. Bulleted information in post also provided, stories and opinions are my own experiences. For more please see my disclosure.
Toni Patton
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I was so protective of my first child. He had breathing problems from the start. I didn’t want to add to it.
RSV is so scary. Thankfully neither of my girls had it
My middle daughter was born 5 weeks early and has always had breathing issues. Even now she’ll keep a cough longer than my other kids. These are wonderful tips!
I read of a blogger who lost her little boy to RSV a few weeks ago. It is heartbreaking and there definitely needs to be more awareness.
I always freaked out about everything with my little ones, well I kinda still do!
My daughter and my neice where both hospitalized with RSV. It’s scary
So glad that I don’t have to go through all of this again. 🙂
Oh with every child I had there was always such fear of this..
My neighbors daughter had this so thanks for sharing this information. Makes me feel like I know more of what she is going through
RSV is really scary! It’s important for people to know more about it, even if they don’t have small children of their own.
RSV is very scary! It’s always so nerve racking when you have newborns or infants. It’s hard taking them to the doctor or shopping because of the germs.
It’s seriously scary…my son is premature, and I’m soo careful!