5 Tips to Survive Cold and Flu Season with a Newborn
Having a newborn during cold and flu season can be not only alarming but stressful as well. As a parent, you’re wanting to make sure that your precious new little one is entering the world healthy and comfortable. The last thing you want them introduced to is dangerous whooping cough or flu-like symptoms. To take some of your worries away, we’ve come up with a few tips that will give your baby good odds that they don’t catch a virus or infection. These are 5 tips for parents to survive the cold and flu season with a newborn.
Visitors Need to Wash Their Hands
Keeping your hands washed can keep bacteria and other viruses from spreading. It’s extremely important to make sure that visitors wash their hands before they come into the room for a visit. You as a parent shouldn’t feel uncomfortable or embarrassed asking for family and friends to be courteous.
Avoid So many Public Places
For the first several weeks of a newborn’s life, it’s never a bad idea to avoid taking them to so many public places. The cold and flu season works its way around like the plague and you never know who’s got it before it’s too late. Yes, that may mean that you experience a little cabin fever from not being able to get out so much, but you’re ensuring the safety and health of your baby.
Breastfeeding Builds the Immune System
Did you know that children that are breastfed reduce the likelihood of catching a serious cold or infection by well over 60%? That’s because breast milk provides antibodies and extra defense for your little one’s immune system that isn’t present in baby formula. It’s not always easy and sometimes impossible to breastfeed, but don’t be discouraged. There are several other ways that you can give a boost to your newborn’s immune system.
Keep Hand Sanitizer and Disinfectant Around
You should have a healthy supply of hand sanitizer for everyone to keep germs to a minimum. Bacterial and germs are able to survive on surfaces for several hours. Having disinfectants wipes and disinfectants to clean countertops and surfaces is extremely important.
Make Sure the Family is Vaccinated
Newborns are not able to get vaccinated until they are 6 months old, but that doesn’t mean the rest of your family isn’t up to date on their vaccinations. This can keep the flu, whooping cough and other illnesses not only out of the family but away from your baby. If there is someone that will be coming into constant contact with your newborn, it would be good if they were vaccinated as well.
These are 5 tips that can help you as a mom or dad survive the cold and flu season with your newborn this year. What are some other ways you’ve discovered that will keep your baby healthy? Have you had a son or daughter that caught a dangerous cough or illness when they were a newborn?