I'm so worried and upset...

[jeliphish]

We went out to eat this afternoon with my mom and grandmother. Since Maggie is almost 3 weeks I felt ok about being out at a small setting and at a time when there were not a lot of people there. Maggie was wide awake (rare occasion lol) so I handed her to my mom since I had just gotten a salad.
A lady from my church was there and came to our table. Mom handed Maggie to her to hold -which upset me in the first place. She kissed her on the cheek and gave her back to my mom. The lady is nice and I have known her all my life but still...Maggie is not a toy to be passed around.
Well THEN she came to our side of the table and I hear my grandmother ask her if she feels better.....then I hear her say that she's just now getting over the SHINGLES.

I am terrified...and I don't know what to do. Maggie wasn't exposed to the blisters but it can also be transmitted through mucus. I'm going to call the doctor in the morning...I guess for peace of mind because I don't think there's anything I can do. In the meantime I'm going to post this in the vaccination forum because there's a lot info there


***update before I post. Apparently my grandmother just called this lady and told her to call me because I was upset. For 1, I think this was incredibly stupid of my grandmother and makes the whole freaking situation awkward! For 2, her calling me and ensuring me that she is not contagious does not make me feel a bit better!

[Asher]

Oh no! Not smart of that lady to hold her, but I bet she didn't even think about the connection between shingles and chicken pox for a newborn! I hope Maggie will be just fine and not get it.

I admit that I'd be freaking, too.

[shell_sea]

I'd be totally upset too... This happened to me when I took DD to church - My mom was holding her and then she got passed around to about 10 different old ladies before she started screaming blue murder and I ran back to rescue her. She was 4mo at the time and nobody (as far as I know) had any communicable diseases, but still. She's not a doll to be passed around!

I hope your LO is alright and doesn't get chickenpox...

[Voltige]

Not in your DDC, but maybe this will help you feel a bit better. Are you breast feeding? My friend has a 3 year old child who is still nursing a lot. She exposed him several times this winter/spring to chicken pox and he never caught them when other children exposed at the same time did. I assume you've had the chicken pox, so your breast milk should provide some protection. I understand your concern though, and I hope everything works out okay!!

[JD5351]

It depends on if she HAS shingles currently--as in broken out. If she is taking medication and the blisters are dried, she is no longer contageous. (This is info from Sweetie's dermatologist--He had them if you remember back in March.)

It would be a good idea to check with the lady and with your dr just to be safe.

I'm sure Miss Maggie is fine, but better safe than sorry.

[Kelly1101]

*hugs*

Wow, how inconsiderate. I'd be so so upset. Hopefully the PP is right and you don't have to worry and your doctor will be able to reassure you.

[lotus.blossom]

Yikes! I'd be upset too. But then again I have never had CP and I have no immunity so I am a bit scared of getting it as an adult.

Hope this passes without incident!

[j_p_i]

Oy!! Why would that woman accept holding her?! I'd be upset too mama... I'm sorry you have that worry on your mind

Chances are she's alright, the pp's have given some great reasons for this, but that doesn't make it any less upsetting for you.

[AustGirl]

I can understand how you're freaking out, and taking Maggie to the doctor is a very good idea. But don't freak out too much. I've had shingles myself twice (and stayed home like one should when they have them!), but the actual rash was so very small that I doubt I could've passed it on with a kiss.

Let us know how she goes at the doc though.

[lightheartedmom]

Originally Posted by jeliphish

We went out to eat this afternoon with my mom and grandmother. Since Maggie is almost 3 weeks I felt ok about being out at a small setting and at a time when there were not a lot of people there. Maggie was wide awake (rare occasion lol) so I handed her to my mom since I had just gotten a salad.
A lady from my church was there and came to our table. Mom handed Maggie to her to hold -which upset me in the first place. She kissed her on the cheek and gave her back to my mom. The lady is nice and I have known her all my life but still...Maggie is not a toy to be passed around.
Well THEN she came to our side of the table and I hear my grandmother ask her if she feels better.....then I hear her say that she's just now getting over the SHINGLES.

I am terrified...and I don't know what to do. Maggie wasn't exposed to the blisters but it can also be transmitted through mucus. I'm going to call the doctor in the morning...I guess for peace of mind because I don't think there's anything I can do. In the meantime I'm going to post this in the vaccination forum because there's a lot info there


***update before I post. Apparently my grandmother just called this lady and told her to call me because I was upset. For 1, I think this was incredibly stupid of my grandmother and makes the whole freaking situation awkward! For 2, her calling me and ensuring me that she is not contagious does not make me feel a bit better!

Oh my goodness! This would make me completely flip out. I'm so sorry! This is why we just completely avoid social gatherings for at least a month after birth, because I don't want to pass my newborn around at all and people get so weird when you won't pass around the baby.

Truly, I'm so sorry about this! Hopefully your little one is getting chickenpox immunity from your milk and this will all pass quickly. I've been told that shingles is not nearly as contagious...but seriously...she kissed your baby?! (::to self: calm down:.

So sorry!

[twins+1]

If it helps at all, I had a mild case of shingles last summer and before I knew what it was my twins had been climbing all over me for a couple weeks. They did not have the varicella vaccine and they didn't catch it. They were 18 months old at the time. I bet your baby will be fine.

[octanebeetle27]

So sorry mama! If it helps any, MIL had shingles for MONTHS and no one knew what it was and she was around our kids (who are non-vax for CP) a lot and no one ever came down with anything. Oh and I would inwardly DIE if a practical stranger kissed my three week old baby. Sheesh!!

Personally, the doctor's office scares me to death germ-wise. I was there with dd#2 on Friday for a check up and there was a lady there who was telling the receptionist that she was sure she had strep throat and then there was a kid who was lying on a chair who looked like death. I was so freaked out and paranoid that I held dd in my arms (she just turned 5) and stood in a corner and tried not to breathe!!

I hope your appt goes well. Let us know what your doc says!

[CookAMH]

nak

i would be pist but do believe she is ok

[jeliphish]

update

The nurse at the pediatricians office seemed to blow off my concerns. I feel a little better after a good night's sleep. I just posted in the vax forum so I hope to get some helpful research there. On the plus side while googling like a maniac last night I came across a super article about how breast milk protects the infant. It even addresses why infants lack iron and why they need to lack iron at first. I'm excited to show it to my pedi.

[SunCB]

Hugs! I would be upset to.

[Kelly1101]

*hugs*

Glad you're feeling better (and yeah, I'm thinking the breast milk issue is a big help in this type of situation)... despite the nurse, though, are you still going to be able to talk to your actual doctor?

[Limabean1975]

Originally Posted by jeliphish

The nurse at the pediatricians office seemed to blow off my concerns. I feel a little better after a good night's sleep. I just posted in the vax forum so I hope to get some helpful research there. On the plus side while googling like a maniac last night I came across a super article about how breast milk protects the infant. It even addresses why infants lack iron and why they need to lack iron at first. I'm excited to show it to my pedi.

Link?

Glad to hear your worries are eased. It's a reminder to me - I have to be careful with my mom, she has a theory that newborns are completely immune to absolutely everything ("How many newborns get a cold or a flu? See? They can't catch anything!"). She had a cold sore shortly after DS was born and I had to watch her like a hawk. (Speaking of, I have a cold sore right now...baby stay in!)

[jeliphish]

Originally Posted by Limabean1975

Link?

Glad to hear your worries are eased. It's a reminder to me - I have to be careful with my mom, she has a theory that newborns are completely immune to absolutely everything ("How many newborns get a cold or a flu? See? They can't catch anything!"). She had a cold sore shortly after DS was born and I had to watch her like a hawk. (Speaking of, I have a cold sore right now...baby stay in!)

I found the link in my blackberry so it may take me a sec....although in the forum world...it won't take a sec
....here it is http://www.promom.org/bf_info/sci_am.htm

"The molecules in milk have other valuable functions as well. Each molecule of a protein called lactoferrin, for example, can bind to two atoms of iron. Because many pathogenic bacteria thrive on iron, lactoferrin halts their spread by making iron unavailable. It is especially effective at stalling the proliferation of organisms that often cause serious illness in infants, including Staphylococcus aureus. Lactoferrin also disrupts the process by which bacteria digest carbohydrates, further limiting their growth. Similarly, B12 binding protein, as its name suggests, deprives microorganisms of vitamin B12. Bifidus factor, one of the oldest known disease-resistance factors in human milk, promotes the growth of a beneficial organism named Lactobacillus bifidus. Free fatty acids present in milk can damage the membranes of enveloped viruses, such as the chicken pox virus, which are packets of genetic material encased in protein shells. Interferon, found particularly in colostrum-the scant, sometimes yellowish milk a mother produces during the first few days after birth-also has strong antiviral activity. And fibronectin, present in large quantities in colostrum, can make certain phagocytes more aggressive so that they will ingest microbes even when the microbes have not been tagged by an antibody. Like secretory IgA, fibronectin minimizes inflammation; it also seems to aid in repairing tissue damaged by inflammation."

... and from there I found a better article that stated it more directly - but for the life of me I can't find it outside of blackberry world. I wish my phone had a search history function.

[Limabean1975]

Wow, that's really cool info!