Kissing grandchildren?

I'm not into kissing babies - or even holding them, to be honest, unless they were one of my own (or my grandchild). Puppies on the other hand...
But on a serious note, if that's what the parents have stipulated, then you've got to abide by their rules. However, you can't wrap a child up in cotton wool, and has been very reasonably stated elsewhere on here, children need to be exposed to germs etc in order to develop their immune systems. As I commented earlier, science and common sense go a long way...

For me, it's a pretty simple equation.

Baby gets little to no benefit from being kissed by anyone but parents.

However, the negatives from being kissed are well documented, in terms of spreading viruses and bacteria.

Ergo, no kissing seems completely reasonable to me.

None of the grandparents have had newborns during a pandemic (or, very few are having grandchildren while still having babies themselves.) Rules have changed, and will continue to do so as variants spread and delightful things like Monkey Pox are added into the mix.

No kiss from anyone is worth an infant's health being at risk.

PoppyBlue

Just give a deep breath for overly anxious first time parents. The advice is terrifying now, along with covid!

You just don't image loving anything as much as your child and the thought of anything happening to them is just. Horrible.

At the end of the day, when they are older, they all eat a McDonalds and survive.

Only 2 of my 5 have ever eaten a McDonald's, apparently.
I've never had one - and nor has my husband.
Nothing is absolute Poppy!

Give it a few years and there'll be a whole new raft of rules. I remember the health visitor giving me hell because my first baby preferred to sleep on his back 'he'll vomit and choke to death'!!! OMG the relief when second son preferred to sleep on his tummy, 'but stop that thumb sucking, give him a dummy instead' (he was born with a callous on his thumb from in utero thumb sucking!)....... babies 3 and 4 also bucked the rules current at their births. All have survived into adulthood, and for some into parenthood.
Now I'm not knocking best practice being advocated in line with current thinking, but it's the absolutism that I object to. As can clearly be seen the advice does sometimes do a 180 degree turnaround. Do 'the authorities' ever apologise for their misguided previous 'advice'? Not in my experience.

How anyone survives father eating the muck that is sold as food by McDonalds is beyond me. Now that’s something I would put a ban on if I was the parent of a young child again.

Philippa60, You are wise taking on gransnet guidance, not asking your son for anything he doesn't approve.

A friend cajoled, whinged, asked questions, gave advice.

That way leads to no contact. Well done you avoiding issues.

Just give a deep breath for overly anxious first time parents. The advice is terrifying now, along with covid!

You just don't image loving anything as much as your child and the thought of anything happening to them is just. Horrible.

At the end of the day, when they are older, they all eat a McDonalds and survive.

Yes, agreed, kissing baby's precious feet or the top of her head is more than enough, but if the parents prefer us not to, that's fine too.
With our other GCs (our daughter's children) there is no issue other than the common sense washing hands and keeping away if we are sick. Thank goodness for that!
And they are all thriving!!

I used to love puzzling my girls fluffy little head, when she was fresh out the bath.

if anyone needs to kiss anything on a baby.
And I know deep breath there's a need, kiss their feet. Honestly, nothing better than baby feet and toes.
And the safest!

No kissing the babies, no sleeping them on theor tummies, no cot bumpers, no forward facing car seats and definitely no baby yoga

Please don't Google baby yoga, there are some seriously bonkers people out there and we will all just get angry again

I'm sure babies are probably thinking the same thing.

That's absolutely good to hear

Can't say I'm ever tempted to.

Just don't kiss a baby. That's honestly all this about.

I'm not educated in any of this, and it doesn't apply to me, thankfully!

Ay?

A baby has it's mother immunity against illness until 2 months (min) as it's only tempary, which is why babies have their 1st vaccines at 8 weeks.
Breastfeeding I think is longer as the colostrum?

From 6 months, their immune system is stronger which is why weaning is advised.

You're advised to wash your hands and be careful from day dot because there's no immune system. OPs grandchild is 5 months which is still under the guidelines.

Please don't think you're the only one educated in this.

I stand corrected.

Oh, and thought it was such an interesting thing to have learned

?

The only NHS guidelines I've seen are about not kissing babies if you have herpes, or an open lesion on your face.

That was always the case.

I was hoping you'd be along Farmor15! science and common sense indeed Blondiescot!

My DD was 3 so I can't compare the under 2 thing.

Yes science. Like the NHS. Medical advise. Which is exactly what new parents are being advised. You are literally listening to science. Like medication and vaccines yet when you have a baby, every Tom, Dick and Harry have an opinion.

New parents are listening to scientific based research from the NHS.

Finally, science and common sense!

As a retired microbiologist, I know a bit about “germs”. While it is true that there are a lot in the mouth, most don’t live elsewhere in or on the body. Kissing a baby on top of the head or on another part of the body apart from face is very unlikely to transfer Herpes, though advice to avoid kissing young babies is valid.

Callistemon - Herpes can survive for a short time (a few hours) on hard, inanimate objects, theoretically, a toddler with a cold sore could infect a toy and transfer to 6 month old who puts everything in their mouth. Fortunately by that age they are less vulnerable to severe infection. PoppyBlue and Hithere - toddlers under 2 can’t understand logical explanations of how they should avoid making their baby brother/sister sick. Some siblings are less than 2 years apart and it’s not practical to keep isolated from each other.

Since science has been mentioned on this thread, it was incorrectly stated upthread that a baby’s immune system doesn’t develop till after weaning. The immune system starts to develop immediately after birth though isn’t fully developed for about 6 months. It’s sufficiently developed for current immunisations to start at 2 months. If the baby couldn’t respond and produce own antibodies, there would be no point in giving vaccines so young.

Blondiescot

Baggytrazzas

VioletSky

But not 2 million germs in a quick transferral

Your toilet seat has less germs than your mouth

Also harpies doesn't live in the carpet

I sometimes think I've seen some evidence of harpies on GN. Might be wrong though.

Oh, I don't think you're wrong at all...