[wanna be a young mother]

Ok so I was never a "germ crazy" person until I had Nevy. With her being preterm the Dr.'s pounded it into my head to make sure everyone washed and sanitized there hands! I was told to do it until her due date. Then just regular washing once before holding her was fine(before her due date you had to wash to your elbow and sanitize every time you touched something! We had to carry sanitizer in her diaper bag and everything!). It was hard b/c people always get offended when you tell them "You cant touch the baby until you wash your hands!". So when her due date came I was a little better about people touching her which was a big mistake b/c now Nevy has a cold! Anyway the rules were no small kids touching the baby and everyone had to sanitize. Well now that she's almost 2 months old people look at me like I am nuts when I tell them to wash their hands! So my question is.....her baptism is Sunday! BIG party(over 70 people)= LOTS of germs!! Nevy is JUST getting over her cold and I dont want her to get sick again but since this is her baptism everyone is going to be there to see her and hold her! There is NO WAY everyone is going to keep washing there hands to hold her. I dont know what to do! I dont want to tell people you cant hold her b/c you have germs! Am I going nuts? or should I really be worried? With her being preterm she gets sick so easy and it takes FOREVER for her to get over colds! Should I just calm down and go with the flow or should I be chasing people around with a bottle of hand sanitizer??




I thought I would add an update to this...
Nevy had a Dr.'s appt today and she still has a fever! It's been almost 2 weeks! It was low grade before but now it's 100.3! Anything over 100.5 means a trip to the E.R.! The Dr. said she thinks the baby may have an ear infection but b/c her ears are so small its hard to see the whole ear drum! They put her on an antibiotic and I hope it works! The Dr. checked her from head to toe and we cant find anything wrong with her! Her urine and blood tests came back ok! This is just so crazy and now we have her party coming up! I just hope she is better by Sunday!

[twinzplus3]

You are 100% right to be meticulous about germs. You are right to be obnoxious about it too if you want. Preterm babies are especially at risk for RSV and it is a big deal.

What I would do is buy extra trial sized bottles of sanitizer and set them out on every table, next to the snacks etc. Follow her around as much as possible and ask oh so sweetly 10,000 times for people to sanitize their hands. It would be super great if you could get a few other family members on board as well, like your mom, in-laws, etc. I would seriously also consider keeping a couple RSV brochures on hand--they usually have them in a pedi's office. (I'm assuming this is mostly family right?) Have sanitizer everywhere and insist people sanitize their hands. Whoever thinks you're obnoxious can read a brochure. Yes--it seems a little weird but unless they are willing to come over and help through numerous sleepless nights, or personally fit the hospital bill when Nevy gets RSV disease, or come to the hospital when she gets it then you and they will get over it.

[MiaCamille]

Good advice Val....

[wanna be a young mother]

Valorie....I was doing some reading on RSV and I think Nevy may already have it! (read up date above)! The Dr. doesn't seem to think so but she just cant kick this cold and the fever wont go away! I am really going to be germ crazy now b/c I dont want this baby to go through all this again! Thanks for the info and you better believe I will be following her around all DAY!!!

[mommy2067]

Ah sweetie...I hope that Nevy feels better soon....Hopefully once the antibiotics kick in she'll get some relief...It is so hard when wee ones are ill b/c they can't tell you where it hurts or what's the matter...((((((((hugs))))) for you and Nevy too....at least through cyber space I won't pass on any germs.... Keep us posted as to how she is doing?

BTW what will she be wearing to her baptism? Is it a new gown or one that has been in either yours or Jose's families? Just curious....

[mcmama]

My son had a low grade fever for the first two weeks after he was born. He had a bladder infection, caused by an obstruction in his ureter. In girls this is more often called a reflux. The urine goes back into the bladder - along with the germs it picked up on the way.

If the RSV is not it, see if persistent and frequent fevers might be caused by UTIs.

[wanna be a young mother]

They did check her urine today and it was clear...which is why we are lost on what else it could be...???

As for her gown its new (I'll post pics after the baptism) but the blanket and booties are my fathers who past away when I was 4.

[QueenAngie]

Sounds like a lovely Baptism and party this weekend.

Have to agree with the above friends, have those little bottles everywhere and attach a cute little poem. You could use them as party favors.


OK, this is a poem example:

Navaeh is celebrating her Baptismal Day!

Thank you for coming and helping us pray.

Jesus has Blessed, made her sins & germs go away.

Please use Purell to keep our Navaeh this way!

[twinzplus3]

You're hilarious Angie! But that's a great idea. . .purell bottles as party favors.

[VinniesMommy]

I was the same way when Vinnie was born... he was preterm too, so I wouldn't let anyone hold him. My aunt was very mean about it, because she a had preterm baby ((18 years prior)) and didn't understand because SHE didn't go through all that fuss, but I just gave her the cold shoulder. Just stick to your guns about everything, they will all get over it, and once she is a little older, they will be able to handle her more. Her not getting sick again, or keeping her sickness for that matter, is way more important then stepping on some toes! Good luck!!!