HATERS

(warning: if you're not a hater, this post is not for you)

Lately other people have been sharing their opinions on why I should be at church or out in public with my one month old baby Savannah.

First of all, it is nobody's business but ours if we decide not to take our baby out.

Second, I am a pediatric nurse, and yes I feel like I know a bit more about the problems that can come with taking a newborn out in public.

Most people don't know that if a baby gets a fever before they are 2 months old, they WILL be admitted to the hospital. They will receive a lumbar puncture (spinal tap). They will be catheterized. They will have extensive blood work done. They will receive an IV (in most instances) which in a newborn is difficult to obtain and preserve.

Right now it is still cold and flu season. In most instances we don't allow people to visit us in our home. Savannah hasn't had the opportunity to go to Walmart. She has not been to church, or anywhere else except for her pediatrician's office and my OBGYN's office, which I objected to. And we won't be visiting any of those places until she is atleast 8 weeks old.

I have decided to list a few statistics about RSV, one of the leading causes of hospitalization of infants during the winter and spring months.

• Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most common cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia among infants and children under 1 year of age.

• During their first RSV infection, between 25% and 40% of infants and young children have signs or symptoms of bronchiolitis or pneumonia, and require hospitalization.

• The majority of children hospitalized for RSV infection are under 6 months of age.

• RSV also causes repeated infections throughout life, usually associated with moderate-to-severe cold-like symptoms.

• RSV is spread from respiratory secretions through close contact with infected persons or contact with contaminated surfaces or objects. Infection can occur when infectious material contacts mucous membranes of the eyes, mouth, or nose, and possibly through the inhalation of droplets generated by a sneeze or cough. RSV infections usually occur during the late fall, winter, or early spring months.
  Children with severe disease may require oxygen therapy and sometimes mechanical ventilation.

So, please understand our reasoning and keep the mean comments to yourself. Thanks.