I usually just lurk, but I wanted to comment on the advice being given to
new moms to stay in with their newborn.
I know for myself, staying home with a newborn for 4-8 weeks would have
been a surefire way to bring on post-partum depression/anxiety. I have 3
children, two born in Feb and one born mid-Oct...so all were newborns during
flu/cold season.....my experience is that none of them got sick at until
they hit around 4-6 months and started putting everything in their mouths.
As newborns, I kept them snuggled up next to me in a sling and happily took
them everywhere and anywhere. Doing so, SAVED my sanity. Staying in for
weeks on end would have depressed me to no end. And, LLL meetings were a
double life-saver. When my oldest was a newborn, those 2 hours once a month
were the best part of the entire month!
Furthermore, telling new moms not to take the baby out is simply encouraging
them to go out by themselves WITHOUT the baby. They may feel the need
to pump and introduce bottles (or even worse formula). I think we can all
agree that encouraging mother-baby togetherness in the early-weeks is vital
to breastfeeding success.
I also think that by telling moms with newborns to stay in, you run the risk
of them "hearing" the message that they "need to stay home with
breastfeeding, as you can't/shouldn't breastfeed-in-public." Now, I know no
one here would ever SAY that.....but that doesn't mean, it's not what a new
mom (who may already be nervous about breastfeeding) wouldn't "hear" or
interpret those words to mean.
Babies are most at risk from other people bringing germs to them (a partner
who works outside the home, older siblings, well-meaning grandparents,
etc.). Older siblings probably carry the greatest risk and I can't imagine
keeping a child away from his baby sibling for 2 months!
I believe it is more important to teach moms how to protect their baby (ie.
keep the baby snuggled up in a sling when out. (discourages strangers from
touching or breathing on him/her), good hand-washing,... teaching older
children to cough/sneeze into their elbows, etc.)...and of course guarding
the breastfeeding relationship is the most important protective mechanism of
all.
Amelia Bentrup, LLLL, hopeful future-IBCLC and mom of 3 who is almost giddy
at the thought of going out this afternoon after being stuck home for 3 days
with a sick toddler.
> Date: Tue, 20 Oct 2009 01:10:07 EDT
> From: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: staying in with babies
>
> I agree Pat. This is the wise thing to do during flu season, especially
> this year. We have a small group meeting of moms & babes up to 1 yr. old.
> The
> moms do not come if either of them have symptoms of illness. They really
> need to be with other new moms.
>
> Laura Hart
> Winter Park, FL
>
>
> In a message dated 10/20/2009 12:02:55 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
> [log in to unmask] writes:
>
> I am pretty routinely telling parents to stay out of malls, grocery
> store,
>
> church for as long as possible this fall-winter-spring. I think small
> LLL
> meetings are safe if participants show good judgement and do not come if
> ill! Pat in SNJ
>
>
>
> >
> Date: Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:38:50 GMT
> From: Melissa <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Staying in with babies
>
> Our peds, when my 15 & 19 year olds were born, said to stay out of crowded
> places for the first month, but it was along the lines of malls, etc. Was
> not connected o vaccinations
>
> ***********************************************
> > Date: Tue, 20 Oct 2009 06:55:14 -0400
> From: Anne Nans <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Keeping babies in
>
> I've definitely been advising our new moms to keep their babies in and
> breastfeed. If they do have to go out, they can carry their babies in a
> sling and keep them close. H1N1 is very much here in our area and very
> nasty and could make the babies very, very sick. Before H1N1, I just tell
> new moms to try to avoid large groups and sick people. The first
> immunizations have little to do with my recommendations, more about the
> circulating illnesses at the time.
>
>
> Anne Nans, IBCLC, CPNP
> Sackets Harbor, NY
>
> ***********************************************
>
>
***********************************************
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