The North Coast Public Health Unit has created a resource for new parents on protecting their new baby from infectious diseases. Here are seven things you can do to protect your baby:

• Ask people who are going to have regular contact with your baby to make sure that their vaccinations are up to date. Vaccinations against whooping cough may only provide protection for up to 10 years.
• Unless necessary, don’t take your baby to indoor areas where there are a lot of people until they have had at least their first two vaccinations (at least 4 months of age).
• If you take your baby out, don’t carry them with their face exposed. If this is not possible, cover their pram with a light-weight material, such as muslin cloth.
• Make sure that anyone who wants to hold your baby washes their hands first.
• Let visitors know that it is not okay to visit if they are sick.
• Teach your household members to ‘cover their cough’. The best way to do this is to cough into your elbow.
• Make sure that siblings and other children wash their hands before touching your baby, especially after coming home from childcare or school, playing outside, touching pets or going to the toilet.

Download PDF Resource: Tips on Protecting New Babies

For copies of this resource, please contact : colleen.nosworthy@health.nsw.gov.au