Reply To: Please Help…Very scared for my newborn baby

[Charlie91]

Hi Terri,
I believe I have some questions left.
My life is still consumed by worries about transmitting hsv to my children.
I am a nurse so my hands are always very dry, sore and full of open cracks. I suffer from eczema and dermatitis due to frequent washing and sanitizing. I am very scared my hand are now an open entry for contracting whitlow. I have hsv 1 orally but scared I might contract hsv2 on my hands and infect my children this way. Could you please tell me if these situations pose any risk.
1. Touching any objects with my cracked hands (doorknobs, a sofa, sheets,..) after it was touched by a hsv2 positive person who first touched his genitals.
2. Touching a toiletseat, flush, bathroomsink with my cracked hands
3. Touching a trash can with my cracked hands after an hsv2 positive person put his toilet paper or a paper towel that he used to clean up after mastrubating in that thrash can.
4. How long could the virus survive on surfaces like doorknobs, sheets, a sofa,…
5. Touching a towel used by a hsv2 positive person with my cracked hands
6. I worry about my 7 month old daughter getting hsv. I am scared of letting people holding her or myself infecting her when she touches my mouth (no sore present)
6. I am scared I could get whitlow and then infect her. Would she die from the infection at the age of 7 months?
7. If someone touches his coldsore and then would touch a changing mat and I put my baby down on it a few moments after, does this pose a risk?
8. Can I share drinks with my toddler or eat from the same plate/share cuttlery with him when I have no coldsore present (I do get them few times a year)
9. My toddler sometimes kisses me on the mouth (very quickly so I don’t always get te chance to turn my head). Is this big risk for him since I carry the virus orally?

Thanks for your answers. I feel like it is ruining my life as a mama 🙁