Chicken Pox - can my unborn child catch it? Post Reply

[HighchairHostess]

Sorry another post... a friend has just told me her son has chicken pox. My little girl and him are best pals and hang out loads... now, I know there's every chance she may have caught it, and I guess I'll have to wait and see how that develops - i must check her skin for spots 4/5times a day - totally paranoid! My concern is for my unborn child as I'm now 38wks. Been looking at websites, but it all seems quite confusing. Is he / she at threat?
And then say, my little girl does have it and the spots appear in a week or so - just as the baby is arriving... how typical would that be!!!! What happens then - i presume it can be passed on to the baby then? Do i keep them apart? Seems a little unfair but at the she time i really don't want the baby to get it when it's less than a week old. I may be totally panicking (damn hormones ), but would love some support / reassurance and someone to tell it 'it's fine'....

[VicksB]

A friend had this situation, her toddler got chickenpox when her new baby was less than a week old. It will make life much harder than it needs to be but the baby should be fine assuming you have had chicken pox and are going to breast feed the baby will get your immunity.

Good luck!

[ergo]

Having been that worried mum that my son had passed his chicken pox onto a pregnant friend of mine (at the same stage as you) - I know what you mean about the confusing messages. The key bit of info I took from the Nhs website is that the pregnant mum has to catch it before it can affect the baby and most mum's are immune to chicken pox as they had it as a child.

The other thing that's worth saying is that it took 4 rounds of chicken pox at my son's nursery plus playing with several infected friends before he caught it - so fingers crossed your little one doesn't get it this time round!

Good luck ....

[DeborahB]

If you have had chickenpox yourself then you need not worry. You will have immunity &if you breast feed then you will also pass this immunity along.

[Ferrywind]

Agree with above plus if you want to try and stop ur daughter getting it, the chickenpox vaccine can be effective if given for up to 5 days after exposure (best within 3 days). I just got it from local private Dr - £103 plus same again if get booster in 6 weeks. It stopped my LO from getting it after she had been exposed and I did it 2 days after. Don't worry though- most people say it comes and goes quite quickly so hopefully even if she does get it won't be too disruptive for you.

[HighchairHostess]

Thanks for the advice/support everyone.... so far so good, no spots!!!!!
What a relief!