Kissing a newborn baby may seem innocent enough but it can and has sadly been proven…

Kissing a newborn baby may seem innocent enough but it can and has sadly been proven deadly when the person kissing carries the herpes simplex virus.

There are two types of the virus, HSV-1 (oral) and HSV-2 (genital). Oral herpes often causes cold sores around the mouth but some people carry the virus without knowing it as they won't get sores.

It's best to avoid kissing your newborn near their mouth for the first 4 weeks of their life if you carry the virus. If you have an active cold sore, avoid kissing them altogether. This is when they are most at risk of serious complications associated with herpes. Neonatal herpes can cause serious problems for babies including death.

In addition to avoiding kissing a baby, If you develop a cold sore or have any signs of a herpes infection, take these precautions:

- wash your hands before contact with a baby
- wash your hands before breastfeeding
- cover up any cold sores, lesions or signs of a herpes infection anywhere on your body to avoid passing on the virus

If a baby isn't yours, avoid kissing them altogether! There is plenty of time as they grow bigger for kisses and cuddles 😊

#newborn #health #midwifemarley #neonate #babies #parenting