When Do You Stop Protecting Babies from Germs Like They're President and You’re the Secret Service?
It's hard work being 11-weeks-old; Peony takes a much-needed — and well-guarded — rest
My daughter Peony is 11 weeks old today. So far I’ve made it through her entire life without dropping her once, locking her in the car by herself (by accident, anyway) or causing her long-lasting emotional damage (at least I hope so).
And even though she’s only suffered a slight stuffy nose in the past 77 days, I’m still walking around as if she needs full Secret Service protection from germ warfare, or even regular old germs.
Remind me when I can stop doing that, please?
I mean, I’ll protect her as long as I need to. But it’ll be nice when I can cease jumping through hoops to avoid real and imaginary infections. I know it’s still too early, as she’s only just had her first round of vaccinations, it’s cold and flu season, and her immune system is still in its infancy.
But I won’t lie and say I’m not looking forward to the day when I don’t have to (gently) slap away every grubby little hand that reaches into the car seat when I go to pick up my preschooler in the afternoons. Or when I can stop pulling the cover over the car seat when we stroll through the supermarket, as if germs can’t figure out a way around it.
We’re flying for the first time this Sunday. And while I’m not dreading the flight like I will a year from now, I’m dreading the trapped air inside of the plane. I’ll likely hold Peony in a Baby Björn, and my pediatrician has advised I drape a blanket over her head, which is a nice idea in theory, but it sounds sort of warm for a 3+ hour flight.
I know there isn’t a magic age, milestone, season or vaccination, but without wishing time away, I’m looking forward to my daughter’s immune system taking over the defense against everything evil, or at least everyday and seasonal afflictions. I’ll still take care of guarding her against everything else, of course.
When did you stop guarding your babies against germs like they had a hit out on them?
Image: Meredith Carroll
I never obsessed over germs with my kids, so I can’t give an age that I think they are more germ safe. I do have one recommendation for your flight – saline drops. The high altitudes plus pressurized air will dry your babies sinuses out very quickly, which leaves her more susceptible to airborne germs. Keep her sinuses moist so they can do their job of filtering the air she breathes in. Other than that, try to enjoy your trip – once she gets a bit older it’s not as much fun.
Both of mine flew for the first time very young (one at 11 weeks, one at 17). We live on the east coast and travel to Hawaii and Oregon with frequency to visit family…so we’re talking 8, 9 hour stretches in one plane. The you I was worried more about the germs, than their behaviour or anything like that. What we do is load up on Vit. C and immune boosting homeopathic medicines (the one with the super long name that starts with O – I’m not going to spell it right!!) and water. We get children’s Vit. C (just chat with a health food store employee). In the days before we increase our C intake and start with a small dose of the O stuff (we use a homeopath as our ped. who advises us to give the babies a few tablets), I am nursing so in theory boosting my own Vit. C will boost the babies. Then, of course, we carry hand sanitizer – something I don’t normally use. While travelling we take the Vit C. And O. stuff every few hours and sanitise regularly. So far no one has gotten sick soon after travelling and we don’t vaccinate until they are older. Also I do keep them closer. No strangers hands allowed!
About the worrying in general I think it’ll just ebb away for each individual parent and baby. With my second it certainly didn’t last as long. I still get a little antsy when a stranger touches him or a kid thrusts their face at him! He’s 7.5 months now. I’d say I started to relax around 4 or 5 months.
If babies 2 months or under spike a fever >100.4 rectal, they automatically get a meningitis workup, which includes a spinal tap. That’s not pretty. Peds do this because newborns can go down really really quickly from meningitis. The primary reason I kept my son quarantined those first two months was to avoid even benign bugs that may have given him a fever, which would still result in a spinal tap. After 2 months the meningitis workup isn’t automatic, so fevers aren’t such a big deal.
My son is now 4.5 months and we’ve more or less stopped the “OMG GERMS” bit. He has had 2 rounds of shots, been on 6 airplanes (um, without anything over his head), and never had so much as a stuffy nose even though his babysitter has had 2 bad colds (but she’s really diligent about hand washing). He doesn’t seem very delicate anymore. So I’m just taking ordinary precautions (if the pacifier falls sucky part down in a pile of dog hair, I’ll probably wash it. otherwise I mostly just give it back to him).
I’m told as soon as I wean I’m in for a whole new world of baby illnesses…not looking forward to that!
We flew with my son when he was four weeks old from Korea to Washington state, it was long and uncomfortable and he got coughed on more than a few times, but he never got sick. If your baby eats breast milk, just make sure to feed her as much as possible to keep her immune system strong (advice given to me by a nurse before we left), and make sure to feed her at takeoff and landing to help her ears pop. Good luck!