In the first weeks of their life, newborn babies are prone to all sorts of infections and nasty diseases. While parents can rest assured knowing that children are much more robust than they are usually given credit for, it's still important to guard and protect your little ones.
One mum has been left fuming after her sister swooped in to give her baby a kiss on the lips - and did not ask for permission first. Thankfully her newborn did not come to any harm, but the parent was left outraged by her sister's choice and she blasted her sibling for putting her six-week-old at risk.
Taking to Mumsnet to voice her concerns, the parent explained she was worried about the possible transmission of HSV-1, a type of herpes simplex virus.
According to the NHS website, neonatal herpes is rare in the UK but it can prove harmful to a baby if passed on from a kiss, given by someone who has a cold sore.
Fortunately, the woman's sister has never been known to have the virus. But the mum was nonetheless infuriated that her sibling put her child at risk. " I still think it's bloody stupid to kiss a baby on the lips!" she said.
Explaining that she suffers from anxiety, the mum added: "It's freaked me out." However, her relative struggled to understand her reaction, taking offence and telling the mum she was being "ridiculous" - prompting her to turn to the internet for advice.
In a comment left on her post, the mum also revealed she was "fine" with a kiss to the cheeks or head, it was the choice to kiss her daughter on the mouth she took issue with. "Since when is it okay to kiss a newborn baby on the lips?" she asked. "They have basically no immune system."
In response, many parents were quick to agree, though they also tried to reassure the worried mum. One commenter said: "I’m a relatively laidback parent but kissing babies on the lips is gross and unnecessary.
"Kiss them on the head and get a good sniff of that new baby smell like any normal person! Your baby will, I am quite sure, be fine, but you weren’t unreasonable to say not to do it in the future."
A second agreed: "I would be really annoyed too! You were totally right to say something to your sister and the fact that she doesn't respect your boundary is her problem."
Another thought: "I am sure your baby won't have caught anything but kissing babies and children on the lips is generally disgusting and I would never do or allow it with my children let alone anyone else's! Mouth-to-mouth kissing is sexual."
NHS guidance states: "Herpes can be very serious for a young baby, whose immune system will not have fully developed to fight off the virus."
"A baby is most at risk of getting a herpes infection in the first 4 weeks after birth. You should not kiss a baby if you have a cold sore to reduce the risk of spreading infection.
"Cold sores and other blisters caused by the herpes virus are at their most contagious when they burst. They remain contagious until completely healed."
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