My baby girl is 3 months old, and although she’s been out a few times, this weekend will be her first experience visiting multiple places. I’m feeling incredibly anxious about it. She’ll be visiting both sides of our family today and tomorrow, and I’m worried about how to protect her from getting sick. I can’t stop thinking about the number of people she’ll be exposed to and all the people those individuals have been around. If anyone has advice or words of encouragement, I would really appreciate it. I’m tempted to cancel our plans out of fear, but I know that might be an overreaction. This will only be the second time both sides of the family have seen her since she was born.
As someone who recently visited the grandparents with my 4-month-old, I recommend not hesitating to ask for precautions. Ask people to wash their hands, wear masks, sanitize—whatever helps you feel more comfortable. Our great grandpa ended up having COVID, and our whole family caught it. We’ve been dealing with a fever in our 4-month-old, and I feel terrible for the little guy. It’s heartbreaking to see them sick, and even harder to care for them when you’re sick too. I regret not being more careful and will definitely learn from this experience!
I agree with the suggestion to baby-wear! It’s also perfectly okay to say you’re not comfortable with others holding your baby, though I know that can feel a bit awkward, especially if people push back. I was worried about this last Thanksgiving when my baby was 2 months old. My pediatrician gave me a great tip: you can always say, “My doctor mentioned there’s a lot of sickness going around, so I’m going to hold the baby today to be safe.” I still use “my pediatrician said” as a way to set boundaries or share concerns about my son, and it always works!
I recommend baby-wearing! Do you have a baby carrier or a Boba wrap? It’s a great way to keep people from asking to hold her or getting too close (unless they want to be right in your armpit or chest, which they probably won’t!).
Thanks for the help Sandra I really appreciate you taking your time to answer this
I suggest trying baby-wearing! Do you have a baby carrier or a Boba wrap? This way, people are less likely to ask to hold her or get too close since they’d be right up against you.