CircleBumpCheckedFilledMedicalBookmarkBookmarkTickBookmarkAddCheckBoxCheckBoxFilled

6 Ways to Keep Baby Healthy

Pediatrician-approved tips for warding off colds, flu, covid and more.
save article
mom feeding her baby a bottle and reading him a book
Image: AJ Watt / Getty Images

During cold and flu season, it’s tough enough keeping yourself from getting sick, let alone your brand-new baby (with a brand-new immune system). But it’s totally possible. We spoke with Alanna Levine, MD, the managing partner at Orangetown Pediatric Associates in Tappan, New York, to give you six easy tips for keeping baby healthy:

Watch Where You Take Them (At Least in the Beginning)

We know you want to show off your new baby, but during the first two months, try not to take them anywhere where there will be crowds of people. “If a newborn baby gets a fever of 100.4 or higher, they’ll have to go to the hospital and get a complete workup,” says Levine. So it’s just not worth bringing them around all those germs. “Don’t take them to shopping centers or restaurants,” says Levine. “Outdoor spaces are perfectly fine, but you don’t want to risk someone coming over and sticking their face close to the stroller.”

Be a Nag About Hand Washing

It may seem paranoid or nitpicky, but it really is important that you ask anyone who’s going to hold your newborn to wash their hands first. Luckily, personal hygiene is an area more people have been paying attention to since the pandemic. That will help prevent the spread of coldflu, covid and other viruses to your little one. If you know a family member is sick, ask them to wait until they’re better before they visit with the baby, no matter how excited they are about it.

Don’t Stop Breastfeeding

If you’re nursing and you’ve got a cold, the flu or covid, you shouldn’t stop breastfeeding baby. In fact, through breast milk you’ll be giving them antibodies to whatever you’ve got through your breast milk. “You’ve probably passed along immunity to them,” explains Levine.

Related Video

Get Vaccinated (We’re Talking About You)

Babies aren’t eligible for the flu shot or covid vaccine until they’re at least 6 months old. As for the whooping cough (aka pertussis) vaccine, it takes a series of shots before baby is fully immunized. You can help protect your child, Levine says, by making sure you get a covid shot, flu shot and a booster for the pertussis vaccine, if you haven’t had one recently (check with your doctor if you’re unsure whether you need one). “Get immunized soon after delivery,” says Levine. “I recommend that anyone who’ll be caring for your baby get immunized too.”

Teach Your Older Child What to Do

If you’ve got an older child in daycare or school and you’re worried about them bringing germs home, you obviously don’t want to do anything extreme, like send them off to a relative’s house for two months or freak out every time they want to touch the baby. “You don’t want your older child to feel like they’re a threat to the baby,” says Levine. “It’s important to be cognizant of [their] feelings.”

Instead, teach them proper infant etiquette: Always wash your hands before holding the baby. Cover your sneezes and coughs. Blow your nose into a tissue and throw it in the trash can. And be sure not to schedule any playdates at your home until baby’s out of the newborn phase.

Play By the Rules

Most daycares have specific rules regarding bringing sick kids in: Baby may not be allowed back there until they’ve been fever-free for at least 24 hours. Rules like this are in place for a reason, so illnesses don’t spread as easily. Sure, if your kid’s the sick one, it doesn’t help you out, but it’s important for all parents to respect the rules. The idea is that at some point, they’ll help keep your kid healthy.

Have an older baby or toddler? Levine also stresses that making sure they’re eating healthfully (a variety of nutritious foods) and sleeping enough is important for keeping them healthy. “A 1-year-old should sleep about 12 to 14 hours combined throughout the day and night,” she says. Of course, that doesn’t mean your child will never get sick. “It’s normal for a small child to get about 12 respiratory illnesses in a year—that means your child could be sick as often as once a month,” explains Levine. “That concerns some parents, but as long as there are no serious infections, it’s nothing to worry about.”

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.

Sources

Alanna Levine, MD, is the managing partner at Orangetown Pediatric Associates in Tappan, New York.

Learn how we ensure the accuracy of our content through our editorial and medical review process.

save article
ADVERTISEMENT

Next on Your Reading List

newborn baby with dry flaky skin on feet
How to Care for Your Newborn's Peeling Skin
Medically Reviewed by Lauren Crosby, MD
parent putting lotion on baby's hand
7 Best Baby Lotions, Tested by a Mom of Four
By Korin Miller
Newborn baby close-up of its face with baby acne.
The 411 on Baby Acne (and How to Treat It)
Medically Reviewed by Dina DiMaggio Walters, MD
ADVERTISEMENT
newborn with umbilical cord stump
Everything to Know About Caring for Baby's Umbilical Cord
Medically Reviewed by Dina DiMaggio Walters, MD
mother putting cream on baby's face to calm eczema
What Causes Baby Eczema—and How to Treat It
Medically Reviewed by Dina DiMaggio Walters, MD
mother wiping baby's eye with warm compress for blocked tear duct
What to Do if Baby Has a Blocked Tear Duct
Medically Reviewed by Lauren Crosby, MD
mother applying cream to eczema on baby's face
The Best Baby Eczema Creams
By Martina Garvey
ADVERTISEMENT
close up of baby's belly, legs, and diaper
Will Baby Always Have an Outie Belly Button?
Medically Reviewed by Loretta Cody, MD
close up of newborn baby
Why Babies Get Hiccups (and How to Get Rid of Them)
Medically Reviewed by Lauren Crosby, MD
fontanelle soft spot on baby's head
Fontanelles: What Are the Soft Spots on Baby’s Head?
Medically Reviewed by Loretta Cody, MD
ADVERTISEMENT
baby wrapped in towel after bath
How to Clean a Baby’s Ears
Medically Reviewed by Lauren Crosby, MD
Woman resting at home on the couch recovering from c-section.
How to Care for Your C-Section Scar
Medically Reviewed by Kendra Segura, MD
checking child's hair for lice
How to Check for Lice
Medically Reviewed by Dina DiMaggio Walters, MD
ADVERTISEMENT
best-sunscreen-for-babies-kids-HERO
10 Best Baby Sunscreens to Protect Your Little One’s Skin
By Ashlee Neuman
doctor examining infant's mouth
Seeing White Bumps in Baby’s Mouth? It Could Be Epstein Pearls
By Nehal Aggarwal
mother brushing baby's hair with baby hair brush
9 Baby Hair Brushes for Gentle Styling (and Cradle Cap!)
By Martina Garvey
mother changing newborn baby's diaper
Everything You Need to Know About Newborn Circumcision Care
By Nehal Aggarwal
ADVERTISEMENT
Cloth and disposable diaper collage with red dots.
Bummed Out! How to Treat and Prevent Diaper Rash
By Holly C. Corbett
Illustration of beach scene with umbrella and beach accessories like flip flops scattered on the sand.
Seeing Red? How to Treat and Prevent Baby Heat Rash
By Liz Kreiger
Best Toothbrush: Brush Buddies My First Soniclean
Best Toothbrush: Brush Buddies My First Soniclean
By The Bump Editors
ADVERTISEMENT
Article removed.
Article removed.
Name added. View Your List