So I am firm believer of no one outside of mum and dad kissing the newborn for obvs reasons..

So I plan on letting my toddler kiss my baby just because I’m a SAHM so my toddler isn’t really going around a whole lot of other people and getting sick

So I'm going to let my toddler kiss the newborn because I want her to feel as included as possible. She goes to nursery and her grandparents so it's inevitable that if I'm kissing the newborn at any point, then they'll catch whatever toddler gets most likely. Even if I put in a no kissing for us parents my worry is that a new baby is such a big change that anything that might make her feel excluded will set of a jealousy which I want to try and avoid x

Absolutely fine. He was totally smitten with his new baby brother when we bought him home, I can only imagine how rejected he would have felt if we’d told him he could kiss him! To restrict any kisses for the purpose of spreading germs, then where do you draw the line? Would you then limit any kind of close contact where they’re breathing on/near eachother, if you’re going to let them cuddle or hold the baby, then a kiss on the forehead etc seems neither here nor there. Toddler was never super sick with anything, just normal coughs and colds, but had he been, I might have suggested he didn’t kiss him whilst very unwell. But other than that, I wasn’t too cautious about it.

I let my toddler kiss my newborn because she isn’t in school/daycare due to me being a sahm. Plus I feel that it’s hard to explain to a toddler as to why. I just didn’t let her kiss him on the lips

@Chloe I am admittedly very paranoid as my toddler everytime he gets a fever he has seizures and I am super paranoid his sister will be the same, because of these seizures I almost lost him as a new born so yes I am paranoid 100%, I absolutely want my toddler to be able to show all the love in the world but it is a very present worry in my head especially as my toddler will be starting playgroup when baby is 3MO so just trying to see where other people stand with it and tbh the nice replies have eased up my worries a little as it's proof that obviously other people's babies have lived to tell the tale. I guess everyone has their different reasons to be a different level of worried about certain things

Can’t offer any advice regarding siblings but personally think if all in the same house then a siblings is probably no more risky than the parents as likely if sibling is ill then one/ or both parents will likely end up with it too (whether they get ill or just end up as a carrier if that makes sense). Completely understand wanting to be careful though. I’m personally going to allow my mother to kiss baby but simply because we live together and she will be helping with baby as much as she can. I’m at risk of serious illness due to a medical condition so we’re very hot on hygiene and careful monitoring of at risk situations/places. I also rely on my mum so she’s very careful to still wear masks when she feels she needs too and is often using hand sanitizer while out to protect me now anyway.

That’s absolutely understandable!! I can only imagine I’d feel so much more anxious if we’d been through that experience with our eldest child. I think as well that when they’re brand new, the instinct to protect them is so fierce, and that perhaps as you ease into life with both of them, that you might begin to feel more relaxed. Also, you might not have to even decide, some toddlers don’t pay their baby siblings any attention at all and won’t be at all fussed about not kissing the baby! They’ll have a special bond either way, so do what you feel most comfortable with, if it’s going to drive you insane with worry and anxiety then you can hold off until you feel more reassured. Good luck 

Yes my toddler “kisses” our newborn. I’m a SAHM so he’s with me all the time. We’ve come in contact with the same germs. Plus he doesn’t actually kiss. Just touches with his lips. And not on her lips.