After giving birth, a woman will spend most of her time keeping her baby safe from many potential threats and diseases, including the spread of germs via kisses.
Numerous people are concerned about this problem and question: When can grandparents kiss baby?
If you are in the same boat, this post will tell you the perfect time for a grandparent’s kiss and introduce some helpful tips to reject politely. Stay tuned!
When Can Grandparents Kiss Baby?
Typically, grandparents could kiss your baby when it is around 4-6 months old.
At this time, the immune system has developed more, so your infant will likely be less susceptible to diseases or contagious illness.
Indeed, a kiss is conducive to the transmission of many diseases, including measles, chickenpox, and whooping cough.
They could even become more dangerous when grandparents directly put their kisses on the baby cheek and lip.
However, the above time might not be suitable for your babies; suppose they are born prematurely.
In the third semester of pregnancy, the fetus will get antibodies from its mom’s body to fight against infections.
Due to this, your premature babies might not receive enough antibodies for their immune system, being more vulnerable to bacteria and germs.
So when can I kiss my newborn? You must wait at least 4 to 6 months for their immunity to strengthen.
What Are The Potential Risks When Grandparents Kiss Your Baby On Lips?
Below are common threats and diseases rendered by a kiss that you should pay close attention to.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
As its name suggests, the RSV is a fatal virus that could wreak much havoc on the respiratory process of your baby.
It is easily transmitted through physical contact and the passing of infected respiratory droplets via sneezing and coughing.
RSV is a serious concern. If not treated well, it can result in fatal consequences by blocking the breathing airways, affecting the brain’s operation, and resulting in fatal death.
Vulnerable Immune System
At what age is it safe to kiss a baby? It should be after at least 4 months!
As you should know, the immune system of your newborn baby is weak and works very hard to ward off the threat of contagious diseases and bacteria in the environment.
Suppose the kiss spreads the germs and transmits an ailment to your baby; its immune system will be under more pressure and keep working without rest, becoming weaker in the long run.
Allergic Reactions
Let’s say your parents use skincare products, such as a moisturizer or chapstick, and kiss your baby.
In that case, it may get an allergy due to the constant exposure to the chemicals within each skincare product.
A kiss from someone with unsuitable food particles, like seafood or animal organs, is also not good. Your baby can be inherently allergic to these substances, yet you are unaware.
Fever
Fever is another warning scenario that you shouldn’t disregard.
As presented above, a kiss contains a wide range of harmful bacteria and germs, which are the underlying culprits behind numerous problems, including flu season and fever.
If your little baby’s body is abnormally hot, call a professional doctor immediately to consult her advice or visit a reliable hospital to receive medical care and overall check-up.
HFMD (Hand, Foot, And Mouth Disease)
Hand, foot, and mouth disease is quite common among children. Its notable sign is an overload of rashes and ulcers spreading over the mouth, leg, hands, and feet.
When it becomes more serious, these rashes will break, causing itchiness, pain, and severe infections throughout the body.
Unfortunately, this ailment is transmitted through saliva or saliva-related practices, like kissing.
Cold Sores
Cold sores, or oral herpes and fever blisters, afflict your baby with the symptoms of some small blisters around its mouth and lips.
After a while, they will spread out to other parts of the baby’s body, making it uncomfortable.
This airborne disease is mainly triggered by the virus called HSV 1, or the herpes simplex virus type 1.
Your baby will likely be infected with a common cold sore if someone with the same ailment kisses it.
Cavities
Cavities permanently damage the hard surface of teeth by developing tiny holes or openings, which cause much pain when chewing and eating.
The bacteria named Streptococcus Mutans are responsible for this problem.
They are often present in the human saliva. So when someone kisses your baby, he unintentionally passes the germs to your child. You’d better watch out!
How To Tell Grandparents Not To Kiss Your Baby Politely?
It is still okay to leave your baby with grandparents except for kissing. But how to tell grandma not to kiss baby?
Following are various polite ways of telling grandparents not to kiss the baby.
Be Kind And Respect Others
Apart from the dysfunctional family whose members do not bother with your child, every grandparent loves nurturing and kissing your baby to express immense love.
But for the sake of its health, you must prevent that act and take a gentle and sympathetic tone when breaking the news. Hence, they might feel less disappointed.
State That Your Doctor Does Not Allow To Do so
When you prevent grandparents from kissing the baby, they might find it silly and intend to argue against your decision.
It would be best to ask your doctor to advise them, as they will likely be more receptive to the advice of a professional doctor than you.
The No-Kiss Rule Is Temporarily Forced
The no-kiss rule is temporary and will be invalidated after 4-6 months.
This will alleviate the disappointment of grandparents and enlighten a hope within their minds that they could kiss the baby someday.
Place Your Baby’s Health In The Top Priority
Suppose you receive too many refusals and negative comments on this matter; you must remind everyone that your baby’s development is the top priority.
In other words, its well-being is more concerned and important than anything else, including other feelings.
Tell The Grandparents To Show Their Love In Another Way
If your baby’s grandparent really wants to show affection to babies but doesn’t know what to do except kiss, you can suggest other ways of expressing love via physical contact, like hugging or gently touching its nose.
Affirm Your Opinion If Anyone Rejects The Rule
As mentioned earlier, your no-kiss rule may receive much rejection; your baby’s grandparents can defy the rule and ignore you.
In this way, you must hold your ground and assert your opinion firmly again, even showing an angry face if needed.
Rely On Your Supporters
Enlisting the supporters also plays an important role.
If you want to increase the chance of successfully enforcing the rule, ask your partner, friends, and relatives to back you up by persuading them.
This is also a good way to improve your relationship with them.
Show The Grandparents The Facts
Sometimes, grandparents may think you are just overreacting; a kiss is not the end of this world!
It’s time to show them plenty of articles raising the concern about this problem. Remember to take articles written by trusted professionals or published by famous newspapers.
Have A Conversation With Them Before The Baby Is Born
Striking up a difficult conversation about this matter before your baby is born is necessary to better prepare for grandparents’ reaction.
They will have a couple of months to contemplate over your decision, read the information and comprehend the risks.
Don’t Forget The Soap And Sanitizer
Even when your little one can receive a loving kiss from grandparents, tell them to wash their hands and faces with soap to sanitize before showing affection.
Also, saying no to kisses does not offer optimal protection for your baby’s health.
Keep your baby clean by using some natural products from a famous brand instead of chemical ones, as they may not be suitable for your baby’s sensitive skin.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Your Baby Get Sick After Being Kissed On The Baby Cheeks?
Absolutely yes.
Some dangerous viruses, including the flu, can afflict your baby within a distance of 6 feet.
For that reason, instead of kissing on the lip, the rule should be extended, banning every kiss on your baby’s face, even on its chubby cheeks.
Where Can Grandparents Kiss A Baby?
Apart from the face, grandparents should put their kiss on the baby’s hand; this position is not very sensitive, reducing the risk of illness, such as the flu or cold.
Grandparents are advised to wash their hands properly before kissing the baby with the purpose of eliminating bacteria and germs on their hands.
The Bottom Line
This post has dived deeply into the question: When can grandparents kiss baby? The time of 4-6 months after labor is suitable for a kiss as your child’s immune system becomes stronger.
Yet, if you don’t feel comfortable with others’ kisses, enforce the no-kiss rule to protect the safety of babies. I’m sure everyone will understand and accept your decision.
