My dad is here to see our baby, and coughing up a storm, and I feel like a complete failure. The one thing everyone agrees on is to tell sick people to stay home. But my dad lives half the country away, I only see him once a year, and he planned a whole giant road trip around coming to see his first grandchild. He wasn't sick until the day he got here, and I just can't believe my luck on that. I've been hiding in the bedroom with the baby all day, crying. My husband keeps trying to reassure me because my dad has had the TDaP, and has been wearing a surgical mask his whole visit. But I just feel like I've already failed to protect him, and if he gets whooping cough, it's my fault.
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@Sweetpea87: ugh! I remember when my grandma came to visit and she stayed 2 days with a terrible cough. She kept blaming it on our AC and allergies!! I was a mess. Your dad probably feels terrible as well and he is even wearing a surgical mask! I would have him keep washing his hands and try to relax (impossible, I know!) how long is he staying?
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Could you call your pediatrician tomorrow and see what they suggest? If your dad is wearing a surgical mask and washing his hands, and has the TDaP shot, it sounds like you are protecting your baby.
How old is LO?
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I completely understand why you're upset. It's good practice to keep newborns away from sick people for sure but sometimes it's not possible. My newborn was exposed to several nasty colds and a stomach virus from my 2 year old and never got sick. We were just militant about hand washing and limited contact between the two as much as we could. If my baby could survive my toddler sneaking in mouth kisses from her sister while she was sick, yours will be ok hanging out with your dad wearing a mask!
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Thanks, y'all. Fortunately, my dad is being super vigilant, and won't come within a few feet of the baby. The baby is 3 weeks old. I had the TDaP while I was pregnant, and I'm nursing, but also, I live in the South, and am sincerely hoping it's just allergies.
I do intend to call the pediatrician tomorrow just to ask if there's anything I should look out for. My dad got here yesterday, and is leaving in the morning. I hate that I'm relieved, but I'm just so anxious right now. -
It sounds like you are doing or have done everything you can.
Honestly with my second child, there was nothing N I could do when my oldest came home from school coughing. And I guarantee she wasn't as vigilant about covering her mouth or washing her hands as your dad is!
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I feel like you're maybe overreacting to this. I mean, your baby has your immunity, and your Dad probably doesn't have whopping cough. He's here to visit you and you're in the room the whole time? They are babies. Unless you are dealing with a compromised immune system here they are designed to get germs and live. Enjoy your dad's visit.
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@Golden: I'm sure I am overreacting. I have anxiety, so overreacting to health issues and possible worst-case scenarios is unfortunately kinda my thing.
My husband did convince me to come out, so we're spending the last part of the day in the living room watching some movies and playing with the baby so my dad can talk to him and wave at him.
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@Sweetpea87: I have anxiety too and I completely sympathise.
If it makes you feel any better, my toddler goes to daycare and constantly brings germs back to us all, coughing and sneezing all over the baby - and my 7 week old is yet to get sick. A few nights ago, my nose started running while I was feeding her in the night and, because I'm bottle feeding, I didn't have a free hand to wipe it - it ran down my face - and my baby still didn't get sick.
My husband did convince me to come out, so we're spending the last part of the day in the living room watching some movies and playing with the baby so my dad can talk to him and wave at him.
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8 comments