AFTER you've had a baby, it can be very normal for friends and relatives to fawn over your little tot.
But a baby charity has warned that letting them kiss your newborn could put them at risk of serious infection.
That's because young babies still have very immature immune systems and are very vulnerable to infections.
A nationwide survey conducted by The Lullaby Trust found that 54 per cent of new and expectant parents remain unaware of this risk and would let friends and family kiss their baby.
Another 63 per cent said they'd still feel uneasy asking visitors not to touch their baby, worried that they’d offend someone, hurt their feelings, or be labelled an overprotective parent.
And it wouldn't occur to one in three to ask relatives to wash their hands before touching their tot.
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Jenny Ward, chief executive of The Lullaby Trust said: “Even infections that cause mild symptoms such as a common cold in adults and older children can be life-threatening for babies."
But the charity assured parents that the risk of your baby getting a serious infection can be greatly reduced if you follow three simple hygiene measures.
As part of their campaign to raise awareness around infection prevention, Lullaby Trust shared the T-H-A-N-K-S guidelines, which translates to Think Hands And No KisseS.
The steps everyone should follow when coming into contact with a newborn are:
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- Wash your hands before you touch a baby
- Do not kiss a baby unless you are their parent or main carer – and even then, avoid kissing if you have an infection or are unwell
- Do not visit a baby if you are ill, have recently been ill, or have an infection – this includes colds, active cold sores, diarrhoea and vomiting illnesses
Jenny explained: “We have an important job to do in terms of making parents and the public aware of the risk infection poses to babies. Likewise, we need to empower parents to ask friends and family to follow the THANKS guidance to keep their babies safe."
She said the charity had created a short video that parents and carers can share with visitors ahead of them coming into contact with their newborn, emphasising that there's no need to feel uncomfortable with making people take extra precautions.
'We all want to keep our babies safe'
The charity warned that serious infections passed on by visitors can in rare cases result in the death of a child.
Campaign ambassador and children’s cookery author, Annabel Karmel, MBE shared her own experience with losing her baby after someone with a cold sore kissed her.
“I lost my first child Natasha at the age of three months due to someone kissing her with a cold sore which then developed into encephalitis.
"I remember sitting in the hospital helplessly holding her little hand until she slipped away."
The mum recalled that coming home without her baby "was the hardest thing [she'd] ever had to do.”
She wondered if Natasha would still be with her if she'd known at the time how at-risk babies are of picking up infections.
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"We all want to keep our babies safe in those first months, but a simple kiss from a passing neighbour, or a cuddle from a visitor with a cold or cold sore could increase the risk of serious infection.
"And that’s why I’m working with The Lullaby Trust to spread the message of THANKS to everyone. No family should go through the excruciating pain of losing a baby.”
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