The holidays are here! You may have family visiting, or you may be visiting family, and your main goal – aside from enjoying some wonderful quality time together – is keeping your baby from getting sick during the holiday hustle and bustle. Here are three quick tips to keep your whole family healthy this season.
Create a GERM FREE ZONE
Time to make your home as much of a germ free zone as possible. That means everyone entering your home needs to remove their shoes, wash their hands and use hand sanitizer. You want to reduce the possibility of your child getting infected with a cold, the flu or RSV. We even have a handy printable that you can hang on your door or even email it out to family and friends so they know what to expect before they come over. We also have some resources below for reducing your child’s chances of getting infected. But making your home as much of a germ free zone as possible is a great place to start.
Avoid sick family and friends
It is so important that sick friends and family members stay home and avoid visiting you, or that you avoid visiting them. We would much rather celebrate the holidays a little later than take a chance on your baby getting sick. If you are a family member of a NICU baby or recent NICU grad, help the parents out by staying home if you’re under the weather.
Take advantage of online shopping & delivery services
Finally, take full advantage of today’s technology and choices for online shopping and delivery services. Services like Instacart and Shipt will shop for you and even deliver to your door, and many grocery stores offer a similar service with curbside pickup. This is a great option for families that are in isolation due to RSV season, or for families that just want to reduce their baby’s chances of getting sick. Avoid crowded stores, get your shopping done and have it shipped directly to your door or to friends and family you’re unable to visit during isolation. And, as a bonus, if you shop on Amazon, make sure to go through Amazon Smile, and a small percentage of your eligible purchases will be donated to Hand to Hold!
We want you and your baby to stay well this holiday season, and we know that’s what you want too. Check out these other helpful resources for avoiding colds, flu and RSV so you can enjoy your holidays illness-free!
