Breastfeeding

[Concernedmom]

I have HSV 1 and have gotten cold sores on my mouth most of my life ( my mom has it). I gave this to my husband recently. About 6 weeks ago, while I was 9 mo pregnant, He had a healing cold sore and forgot and had his mouth was on one of my breast while we were intimate. He quickly remembered, we stopped, and I immediately washed my breasts. My son was born 4 weeks ago. So, it’s been about 6 weeks from encounter and I haven’t had any lesions. I have been breast feeding my son from the one breast not touched. But now I have a cluster of bumps (very small on my Areola without any redness) on that breast. I got the herpes swab test and it came back negative. My questions:

1. How likely is it that through minimal contact and after washing I could have contracted HSV on my breast?
2. Is there a certain timeline when a lesion would likely appear?
3. Would it be possible without lesions to transmit HSV to the other breast?
4. Without a lesion, what is the likely hood of transmitted this to my infant?
5. How accurate are the swab tests – it was TMA.
6. Is there a timeline when my son would stop being at risk for disseminating heroes and death?
7. Would pumping and bottle feeding reduce the risk of transmission if I have HSV on breast and I’m not aware of it yet?
8. Any other information you think I should know?

I’m having panic attacks everytime I feed him and it’s all I can think about – that I’m going to kill my new baby.

[Terri Warren]

To start with, once you have HSV 1 in one location on your body, it is very unlikely you would get this in a new location (ie breast)

1. How likely is it that through minimal contact and after washing I could have contracted HSV on my breast?
Incredibly unlikely

2. Is there a certain timeline when a lesion would likely appear?
2-10 days after contact

3. Would it be possible without lesions to transmit HSV to the other breast?
NO

4. Without a lesion, what is the likely hood of transmitted this to my infant?
see all the above information – so unlikely

5. How accurate are the swab tests – it was TMA.
Very accurate

6. Is there a timeline when my son would stop being at risk for disseminating heroes and death?
Around 3 months of age he would likely not die if he contracted HSV

7. Would pumping and bottle feeding reduce the risk of transmission if I have HSV on breast and I’m not aware of it yet?
Well, yes, but what a shame. but if it made you feel better, you could do it though I seriously doubt that you have HSV on the breast

8. Any other information you think I should know?
I think you have all the information that you need at this point.

Terri

[Concernedmom]

Thank you!! This is very helpful!

Both my husband and I now have cold sores on our mouths. How do I prevent my 6 week old and 4 year old from getting it?
I am wearing a mask around the baby, never kissing or getting our faces close, never sharing drinks or utensils.
Can my kids get it from our pillow cases? What about my shirt – when I put the babys face on my shoulder to burp? What if his hand bangs the outside of the masks and then he touches his face?
Thank you!!

[DissolvedO2]

Can your doctor provide valtrex to you? It might both cut down on your worries (mom with herpes here) and your actual frequency of outbreaks. I took it both while pregnant and breastfeeding, as I recall. My kids are fine and didn’t contract herpes while co-sleeping etc. Good luck – I know the worry.

[Author]

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