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What precautions should I take when others people around my baby?

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Host: What precaution should I take when other people are around my baby?

Dr. Ann Kellams: I do recommend hand washing. Even if you are just at home, you have probably touched something that came from the grocery store or the door knob when somebody visits you that has germs on it. So anytime you are going to pick up the baby I would either use the alcohol based hand sanitizer or soap and water before you pick up the baby. In the first six to eight weeks in particular, we would like for the baby not to get sick and not to have a fever because it's very hard to distinguish a common viral infection from a serious bacterial infection in an infant. So always hand washing and if anybody besides mom or dad has the sniffles or a cold or whatever, I would just recommend them not holding the baby and certainly, not kissy (ph) face with the baby.

Expert: Dr. Ann Kellams

Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Dr. Ann Lenox Kellams, assistant professor of clinical pediatrics in the Division of General Pediatrics and medical director of the newborn nursery at the University of Virginia Children’s Hospital, is an expert in newborn care and breastfeeding. Kellams teaches pediatric clinical skills to students and residents and authored the Newborn Nursery Resident and Student Curriculum and Orientation Manual for UVA More »