By Jeri Ford, RN, BSN and Kayla Loschky, RN, BSN
Consistently throughout the pandemic we have heard how Covid-19 seems to effect children and infants less than adults. Although that may have previously been true, the recent Omicron variant has proven to effect children more than past variants. As pediatric nurses, we have seen a large spike in hospital admissions with this variant. Children younger than 5 have already consistently had the highest hospitalization rate of all children’s age groups for Covid-19 (Vox). Couple this with the already present stress of bringing home a newborn, and new parents have a lot to worry about.
Below are practical tips we have gathered from years of working with newborns and families as pediatric registered nurses.
Psst…The 9 Best Baby Thermometers Parents Need at Home
1.) Wash your hands….and often! This is not a new concept, but we cannot stress this enough. In nursing school, we would make the joke that if there was ever a multiple choice question with an answer of “hand washing”- that was always the answer. Handwashing is so important that nursing schools and post-nursing school exams continuously reinforce the topic.
How you wash your hands matters, too. Make sure you are washing your hands for at least 20 seconds with warm water and soap to kill the most germs. Make sure to get all the cracks and crevices! If a sink is not close, an alcohol-based hand sanitizer should be used. Hand sanitizer is wonderful if you are in a rush, but hand washing is always the most effective.
2.) Wear your mask. After two years into the pandemic, we finally know that Covid-19 is transmitted through droplets. This means that you are most likely to spread the virus by speaking closely with someone or by being around someone coughing. The best way to add another layer of protection against this is by asking visitors to wear a mask, especially while holding the baby.
3.) Get your Covid-19 vaccine. As of the time this article was written, the Covid-19 vaccine has not been approved for infants. The best way to protect your infant is by having visitors and yourselves be vaccinated.
4.) Keep your newborn inside. It is often recommended if you have a newborn to keep him or her inside for the first two to three months of life. Infants are still adjusting to their new environment and there are many new germs around in general, let alone during a pandemic. If it is not realistic for you to stay inside for a couple months, keep your newborn covered. This means in the stroller with a cover over it or in a baby carrier with a lightweight cover to help block airborne germs.
5.) Breastfeed if you can. If you have had the Covid vaccine or had Covid naturally (or both), your breastmilk is incredibly valuable to your newborn baby. Breastfeeding your baby as much as you can, even if just a little, can help them. You can even breastfeed your baby while you have Covid-19 as long as you wear a mask. For more information about breastfeeding during the pandemic, visit our blog post about breastfeeding during Covid here.
6.) Limit visitors. Limiting visitors can be an incredibly difficult thing to do during this time. Your newborn is here, and family is eager to meet him or her. Although difficult, limiting visitors can be key in preventing a Covid-19 infection in you or your newborn. We have spoken to many new parents during the pandemic who have said that this time to focus on themselves and the baby, without constant distraction with visitors, has been a wonderful gift to them. Focusing on your health and the health of your newborn is the first priority.
7.) Know the symptoms of Covid in babies. Reported symptoms in newborns with Covid-19 are fever, being overly tired, runny nose, cough, vomiting, diarrhea, poor feeding, and trouble breathing. If your baby develops symptoms, get in touch with your baby’s pediatrician as soon as possible. If your baby is having warning signs such as trouble breathing, call 911 or take to ER immediately.
For more information about preventing other newborn viruses (like RSV), visit our blog post about RSV here and more Covid-19 newborn information here.
Baby Whisperers is the only private baby nurse agency that matches families with baby nurses who are licensed Registered Nurses. To find out about the different types of newborn caregivers, check out our Baby Nurse, Nanny, Newborn Care Specialist, Oh My! blog here. For more information, visit our website at www.yourbabywhisperers.com.
Stay happy and healthy!
The Baby Whisperers
Jeri Ford, RN, BSN and Kayla Loschky, RN, BSN
