Sick visitors

Later in life kids get sick and get each other sick at nursery etc it’s one of those things that can’t really be avoided unless you stay indoors 24/7 but ultimately it does build their immune system. HOWEVER your baby is v young. At this stage every invite during the cold and flu season was a firm no. I rather have annoyed friends and family than an unwell child who is just a few weeks old. Iv declined weddings, hens, birthdays etc etc because ultimately my family and newborn come first always 🤍

Not condoning them as I felt the same with my first but when you have a toddler at nursery they are literally ill week after week through the winter so you do kind of forget and just go places as you would never leave the house otherwise. My third is 12 weeks and already on her 5th cold because I cannot keep her away from the other two. Maybe tell your friends how you feel as it is awful watching them be ill - they may well not have considered it an issue.

Aw if it's def just a cold unfortunately toddlers have these snotty noses etc pretty much 24/7 as long as they arnt sliming your baby with their face I don't see the issue, however if it's uncomfortable for you just ask them beforehand to double check x

As said before toddlers and children are basically snotty and ill from September to April. I was appalled at first as well but when mine got older I realised that I basically wouldn’t ever be able to see anyone or leave the house, have play dates or go to playgroups if I wait for us all to be healthy. If it’s just a cold and snot it’s okay, it will be good for baby’s immune system. I would just make sure your child doesn’t get smothered by the snotty toddler or you just refrain from seeing friends with children until summer. I had a friend bring her child once with hand-foot-mouth to a birthday party. That was less fun.

I wouldn’t mind but he’s not a toddler, he’s a newborn. He’s been to hospital once for a fever already and he’s only seven weeks old. If my three year old brings home some plague from nursery that’s unavoidable. A friend visiting with a sick child is avoidable and is selfish. Why do we need to be sick too? Or risk another trip to the hospital where the baby is poked and prodded? Seems so unfair.

Plus a cold can also be RSV, Covid, or many other things that start with cold symptoms. A cold for one person can have more serious consequences for another 🙄

I couldn't care less that toddlers are sick pretty much the whole couple years of nursery. I know because I struggled with my daughter. But I'd never risk babies health due to us being unwell. I've missed out seeing my nephew first month because I had a cold and then my daughter and I refuse to risk it. It's a nightmare when a younge baby has a cold. I've always mentioned to people with toddler that I or my daughter have a cold and it's then upto them if they ok with us over still. Most of the time it's OK. But our friends daughter struggle regularly getting bronchitis when near others who are sick. Tell guest if unwell even a sniffle can they let you know before coming over. You can then decide yes or no x

i personally do think it should be common sense to every parent to not take their sick child, even if it’s just a cold or slight cough, around other children especially young babies but unfortunately not everyone has that thought. going forward, if you’re going to have people around your baby, just send them a text beforehand saying “hey! excited to see you on *x* day, please do let me know if anyone’s poorly so we can reschedule for another time to keep us all safe and well x”

That’s frustrating. I feel people should contact you ahead of time and then you can make the choice to cancel or not.

It is SO good see other mums talking about this. I have underlying health conditions that mean a sniffle for someone else could wipe me out for up to a fortnight, & one of my children has an immune-mediated disorder that can result in severe OCD & aggression & debilitating motor tics when the immune system gets activated, so we have to be cautious. I don't mind if we catch something just through trying to enjoy life & taking a calculated risk to do a fun outdoors activity, or meeting up with friends for a muddy walk when we can't guarantee who we'll come across & what lergs we might be expoaed to, but I do really mind if people don't tell me they're ill before turning up to see us so we can't make our own decisions about what risks we're willing to take. I think it should be common courtesy to mention about having a cold before meeting, because we never know how something inconsequential to us might affect someone else more severely.