Hosting Xmas with new baby

[Anonymous]

I cannot believe that a pediatrician would give this the OK.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My friend has a baby just a few weeks old, and shes is very strict about who she has around her baby. And those people she is allowing to see the baby must have the flu vaccine and updated COVID booster. She said once her baby gets her first round of shots she'll be a little more relaxed about it but so far she's only had the vaccinations given at birth.

Covid vaccines and boosters don’t stop people getting Covid or passing it on. If anything, I’d probably prefer only unvaccinated people visit my newborn because they’d have a better chance of knowing they’re sick and not coming.

Better to just not have any visitors at all in the first few months.

[Anonymous]

My 7 week old was hospitalized and needed a spinal tap so...no I wouldn't take my baby around 20 people right now.

[Anonymous]

Absolutely do not host. It’s not fun to be in the hospital with a new baby and worry about whether they’ll make it. Not fun, not worth it. Every story I heard about a young baby with RSV started with them attending a family party and being passed around. Your main job is to cocoon that baby. Rent an Airbnb or other venue for the party and stay home. Much easier to control exposure to preschooler germs than this kind of situation.

[Anonymous]

Uh, hopefully OP has already made the call. I would be super annoyed if the host waited this long to cancel when she could’ve figured out it was a bad idea a long time ago.

[Anonymous]

I did it, but it was pre-COVID and pre-"tripledemic". It was a smaller crowd than this, no kids, and no actively sick people. Very vaccine-aware family with all their flu shots/etc.

I'm really lax about COVID caution but probably wouldn't do a large-group Christmas with a newborn, at least not this year. 3+ months old, maybe.

[Anonymous]

Did you plan this Op?
2 weeks post partum and you're hosting 20 people? Good thing you didn't have a c-section. Good thing your baby didn't have any complications or jaundice that woukd have required extra long hospital stays.

[Anonymous]

Hell no. I would not host. With RSV/covid/flu/whooping cough risk I wouldn't even let anyone near the baby, much less hold her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid was SGR and that (in and of itself) has nothing to do with immune system, so that’s kind of a silly excuse. You didn’t say when you gave birth but if it was recent (as in plans changed - you weren’t supposed to have him and now he’s here) then yes obviously you can and probably should cancel, though should do it soon. If you gave birth 8 weeks ago and are regretting your decision then be honest about that, and ASAP. You have a right to do so and in that situation your guests also have a right to be a little annoyed.

I gave birth on Friday. The baby will be two weeks and two days on Christmas.

OMG. You already know the answer to this. No way.

Congrats, by the way!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like a question for a pediatrician.

+1

This is a good idea, primarily because then you can say “his/her doctor said…”

And if for any bizarre reason the ped says this would be fine, you’ll know you need a new ped.

[Anonymous]

I would not host or attend with a baby that small even during normal times, and right now illness is everywhere and some hospitals are overwhelmed. It honestly surprises me that this is even a consideration. Has your pediatrician not had this conversation with you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I might be willing to "host" in the sense of letting my partner host while I mostly hid the bedroom with the baby (assuming everyone is only coming for a few hours) and no one would care if I was in and out as I was comfortable with and I liked all the people coming. I think the risk for RSV/flu/Covid could be okay for me at a dinner party provided the baby is mostly not in the room and none of the guests are the kind to demand to hold the baby. If they are, or you think it would be even slightly stressful/miserable for you, or you just plain don't like any of these people, I think the risk is big enough you should feel zero guilt in cancelling.

uhhhh that's not how viruses work

if dad gets sick he's giving it to mom who will give it to baby

that being said the real viral door here is the older sibling in preschool