Is it too risky to kiss your baby? Um...no!

Amalhopebirthing
Dec 28, 2024
4 min read

Even if you don't have little ones, you have probably heard it somewhere that you shouldn't let anyone kiss your baby. Be that strangers, or even heartbreakingly, family members. "That kiss could kill your baby", they say.

Now, it's probably easier to keep your baby away from family or strangers if you live in the West, but in other cultures around the world (like in the Middle East), family culture is a big thing, and strangers touching your baby is also very normal. So, what to do?

I think it's good to start at the beginning. Why the fear? Why are some mothers deathly worried about letting other people touch, hold or kiss their baby? Is their fear warranted? This blog post will talk about the herpes simplex virus (HSV), why it causes so much fear around parents and what the evidence says. The intention of my heart as I write this is not to scare you away or call your fear invalid. Instead, I'd like to show you some truth and let you make up your own mind about it all.

What is the herpes simplex virus?

According to the New York State of Health, the herpes simplex virus is a virus that causes skin infections. There are two types; the HSV-1 and HSV-2. HSV-1 is transmitted orally, and usually causes blisters on the mouth, eye or lips such as cold sores. Type 2 affects the genital area and is usually transmitted through sexual activity.

The WHO estimates that 66.6% of the human population has encountered the virus at some point in their life. It can stay dormant or inactive in one's body, but will resurface or shed when one's immune system is at a weak point. It is very easy to transmit to another person. Although not dangerous to older children and adults, the virus can be deadly to babies under 6 months old due to their underdeveloped immune systems.

How is it transmitted?

HSV is most commonly transmitted during a vaginal birth with a mother who carries the virus. That is why some health care providers encourage women to have cesarean births if they tested positive. However, there is still a risk of baby getting infected.

There is a 25%-60% chance that an infected mother will transfer it to her baby during birth. However, a woman who in newly infected when she is pregnant has a much lower chance of transmitting the virus.

I want to comfort you that with all of these numbers, it still is very rare for baby to get the virus. In fact only 10 out of 100,000 births globally end up with life long disability or neonatal death. That is 0.0001%. Very rare.

What are the symptoms of HSV in young babies?

Newborns and infants can get sick very quickly if they contract the virus. Usually symptoms will appear around their mouth, eyes and skin. Know that a baby might show symptoms but not show signs of being sick. Signs you can look out for are:

Low fever and poor signs of feeding (within first 2-12 days of exposure)
High fever
Small blisters or rashes
Cold sores or fever blisters
Being less active than normal
Excessive crying or fussiness
Seizures
Lethargic (floppy)

If you notice any of these signs with your baby and simply feel that something is off, it is best to make contact with your doctor as soon as possible. Some babies recover quickly with treatments, but there are some who get sick too quickly, and by then treatment might be too late.

What can you do?

Hopefully after reading all this information, you know that even though this can be a devastating illness to young ones, that it is a very rare thing to occur. There are also different precautions you can take to settle your heart.

Let anyone who wants to hold or touch your newborn wash their hands thoroughly with soap.
Feel free to ask family members, friends and even strangers to refrain from kissing your little on the face if they're under six months old. Especially if they have cold sores. In fact, anyone with visible cold sores should not be touching your baby.
If you're breastfeeding, know that your milk is building up their immune system. Make sure you are staying healthy, drinking plenty of fluids and eating nutritious foods.
Have open conversations with your doctor or midwife. Ask them for their advice about how to be wise in keeping your family well.

Know that you are doing the best that you can to keep your family safe. Don't let fear or whispers around you keep you from kissing your baby, or even stopping those closest to you from sharing love with your baby.

Apparently herpes has been around for thousands of years. Only now with technology have we been able to know more about it.

Arm yourself with knowledge and hope. There is nothing to fear. However, there is so much freedom in knowing wisdom.

Kiss your baby! Enjoy the cuddles! they deserve it.