A Guide for New & Expectant Parents
The arrival of a newborn baby often brings an outpouring of affection from friends and family. Cuddles, close contact and kisses are instinctive ways people express love. However, during the first weeks and months of life, these well-meaning gestures can sometimes pose genuine health risks.
Newborn babies have immature immune systems, making them particularly vulnerable to infections that are harmless to adults but potentially serious — and, in rare cases, life-threatening — for infants. Today’s article explains why kissing newborns can be risky, the science behind their vulnerability, and how parents can confidently encourage safer behaviour without damaging important relationships.
Why Newborns Are More Vulnerable to Infection
An Immature Immune System in the First Months of Life
At birth, a baby’s immune system is still learning how to respond effectively to bacteria and viruses. While babies receive some antibodies from their mother during pregnancy, these offer only partial and temporary protection.
In the first few months of life, infants produce fewer infection-fighting antibodies and have limited immune “memory”. This means that viruses and bacteria that cause mild symptoms in adults can potentially lead to serious illness in newborns, including blood infections (sepsis), meningitis, encephalitis (brain inflammation), and breathing difficulties. Infections can spread rapidly. The NHS therefore advises that young babies are at higher risk of complications from infections — even more so if they were born prematurely — and should be protected from unnecessary exposure wherever possible.
The Developing Blood-Brain Barrier in Infants
One lesser-known but important factor is the blood-brain barrier. This barrier acts as a protective filter between the bloodstream and the brain, helping prevent harmful substances and microbes from reaching the central nervous system.
In newborn babies, the blood-brain barrier is not yet fully mature, particularly during the first few months of life. As a result, certain viruses and bacteria are more able to cross into the brain. Infections can escalate more quickly, and therefore potentially devastating neurological complications are more likely than in older children. This is one reason why infections in newborns are taken so seriously by healthcare professionals and often require urgent investigation.
How Infections Can Be Passed to Babies Through Kissing
Why Saliva and Close Contact Increase Risk
Kissing — especially on the face, lips or head — brings an adult’s saliva and skin into close contact with a baby’s mouth, nose and eyes. This can transmit microbes even when the person feels completely well.
Commonly transmitted infections include cold and flu viruses, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), and bacterial infections carried by adults. In many cases, adults have no idea they are even carrying these microbes.
“54% of new and expectant parents would let friends and family kiss their newborn baby, unaware of the risk of serious infection.” — The Lullaby Trust
Neonatal Herpes and Kissing Newborns
What Is Neonatal Herpes?
One of the most serious infections associated with kissing newborns is neonatal herpes, caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV).
HSV-1 vs. HSV-2: What Parents Should Know
HSV-1 is commonly associated with cold sores around the mouth, while HSV-2 is more often linked to genital herpes. Both types can cause neonatal herpes if transmitted to a baby through direct contact with infected saliva or skin, especially when cold sore blisters are evident. Importantly, though, in some circumstances, transmission can occur even when no visible cold sore is evident.
In newborns, HSV can spread rapidly and may affect the skin, eyes, mouth, organs or central nervous system. Early symptoms can be subtle, which is why prevention is so important. Avoiding kisses is therefore a simple and sensible temporary precaution.
“Despite the risk, 63% of new and expectant parents would feel uneasy asking visitors not to touch their baby, worried that they’d offend someone, hurt their feelings, or be labelled an overprotective parent.”
— The Lullaby Trust (∞)
How Parents Can Reduce the Risk of Infection
The T.H.A.N.K.S. Approach (Think Hands And No KisseS)
The Lullaby Trust promotes a simple, memorable message to help reduce infection risk in newborns:
This encourages people to think carefully about infection risks, wash their hands before touching the baby, and avoid kisses, especially in the early weeks.
Hand Hygiene and Visitor Safety
Hand washing also remains one of the most effective ways to reduce infection transmission. Anyone handling a newborn should wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water, especially after travelling, coughing, or touching shared surfaces.
Why Unwell Visitors Should Stay Away
Visitors who are unwell — even mildly — should avoid close contact with newborns. This includes cold sores, coughs, stomach bugs or flu-like symptoms. Parents should explain and be confident about delaying visits until everyone is healthy.
How to Ask Friends & Family Not to Kiss Your Baby
Asking friends or relatives not to kiss your baby can feel uncomfortable, particularly with older generations. However, most people respond positively when the reason is explained calmly and clearly.
Simple phrases like “We’re being extra careful in these early weeks while the baby’s immune system is still developing” or “We’re following medical advice to avoid kisses for now, because newborns are at heightened risk” can help set boundaries without causing offence.
It’s worth remembering that protecting your baby’s health is not over-protective — it is responsible parenting. There is therefore no need to feel bad about it.
Protecting Babies in Their Earliest Weeks
So, to sum up, kissing a newborn may be a natural expression of love, but during the earliest months of life, it can carry risks that many people are unaware of. Because babies have immature immune systems and incomplete protective barriers, preventing unnecessary exposure to infections is a sensible precaution.
With clear communication, good hygiene, and approaches like T.H.A.N.K.S., parents can protect their baby’s health while still allowing friends and family to bond safely. Such an approach will give their child the healthiest possible start — and could even save their life.
Little Acorns Nursery, Hindley Green, Wigan
Little Acorns is a nursery in Hindley Green, near Wigan, and may also suit those living nearby, for example, in Bolton, Ince-in-Makerfield, Platt Bridge, Westhoughton, Atherton, Leigh, Bickershaw, and Tyldesley. We offer high-quality weekday childcare for babies and children under five and support free childcare hours for eligible families. Follow the bold links for more information, or begin your application for a childcare place or free nursery tour using the buttons below. We look forward to meeting you!
When to Seek Medical Advice for a Newborn
If a newborn shows signs such as poor feeding, lethargy, fever, unusual crying, breathing difficulties or a rash, parents should seek medical advice promptly via their GP, NHS 111, or emergency services if there are serious concerns. And parents: trust your gut feelings — you know your child best!
Children love spending time outdoors in nature, so we give them ample opportunities to do so at 
World Book Day is a special charitable event, celebrated globally, that encourages children of all ages to discover the joy of reading. Why? Because reading has the power to substantially improve children’s lives. Schools, nurseries, and libraries across the nation make the day extra special for children through storytelling sessions, fancy dress, and book-related activities.
Find time for your little one to read.
Dress up as a favourite character! There’s no need for elaborate costumes; a simple hat, crown, or themed outfit inspired by a beloved book character can bring your child’s favourite stories to life.
Families, set your diaries for the wildlife event of the year, which happens this January from Friday the 24th to Sunday the 26th inclusive. It’s free, takes just one hour, and allows children and adults to be part of the world’s biggest garden wildlife survey. During the event, families and individuals across the nation simply count the birds they spot in the garden, park, local green space, or even balcony over the course of 60 minutes. The results of hundreds of thousands of these surveys are compiled by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) to build a picture of the health of the nation’s bird populations. It’s important scientific and ecological work and children can become citizen scientists if they simply take part. Learn more about the Big Garden Birdwatch and how to take part in today’s guide for families with children.
Children will love being involved in this important nature-based activity. They’ll not only play their part in helping birds and nature, but they’ll also have fun and learn something along the way. They will discover some of the many wonderful feathered visitors who live in their neighbourhood and learn about some of the important issues affecting the natural world. They’ll begin to grasp the impact of humans on Britain’s flora and fauna and learn the importance of conservation and looking after the natural world around them. Through this endeavour, they’ll learn how they can make a positive difference. They will also become little citizen scientists! It’s fun, educational, and will give them a wonderful sense of achievement too. It may even change their outlook over the long term and help them think about their own impact on the planet, which is a wonderful outcome. And last but not least, 
Once the chosen time and date arrive, all you/your children need to do is monitor birds landing on your chosen patch. Count those that actually land rather than any flying otherwise there’s a danger that one bird could be counted multiple times. What you need to record for the survey, though, is the largest number of each bird species that have landed at any one time during the hour. So, for example, if you spot two blackbirds that have landed at the same time in the first half hour, but later in the hour you can see 4 that have landed at the same time, then you need to record “4” for blackbirds.
Since September 2024, the number of free childcare hours available for eligible children aged 9 months to 2 years (inclusive) is 570 per year. This is usually taken as 15 hours per week over 38 term-time weeks of the year*. In further good news, the allocation is set to double to 1140 hours per year from September 2025, thereby aligning with what eligible 3 and 4-year-olds are already entitled to (see below).
Meanwhile, a total of 1140 hours of free childcare is currently available for eligible children aged 3 and 4 each year. This is usually taken as 30 hours per week over 38 term-time weeks of the year*.
Draw up a short list of possible settings for your child, having first whittled down the choices by 
If your child already has a friend or neighbour of a similar age who will also attend your chosen nursery, it can be very useful. Both children will then have a friendly face to play with from Day 1. If not, it should be easy enough to ask around to find out about other local children who will start at the nursery when your child does. Arranging play dates for them in the weeks running up to the start date will help each child familiarise themselves with one another, so they each have a friend or two at the nursery right from the start. It’s a great way of settling them in.
Aside from the initial guided tours undertaken, we schedule 2 formal settling-in visits for children once a place has been offered. These hour-long settling-in sessions usually occur in the week before children are due to start at the nursery formally. They are both free of charge. Here’s how they are approached:
Reassuring your child will also help them settle into nursery – so communication is key. This is true both before they start and once they attend, particularly at the beginning. Before starting, it’s important to ensure they know that changes will soon happen, what to expect when the time comes, and that it’s going to be a big adventure with lots of fun! Encourage questions and answer them sensitively. They also need to be reassured that you will always be there, behind the scenes, looking out for their best interests. And, of course, it’s crucial for them to know you’ll be there to pick them up at home time (don’t be late!).
As we said previously in our 
Encourage children by celebrating their successes at the nursery. Whether it’s the successful completion of their first day, the first tear-free day, the making of a new friend or any other accomplishment, ensure you congratulate your child. This will give them a sense of achievement, reassure them that they’re doing well, and encourage them to keep attending and building on their progress.
With children sometimes taking as many as 2, 3, or even 4 weeks to fully settle into a new nursery, it’s also important for staff to closely monitor and nurture them. That’s indeed exactly what we do at Little Acorns Nursery in Hindley Green. We ensure the setting is a home-from-home environment for children as much as possible. Children will feel valued, loved, listened to, and well cared for at Little Acorns. We’ll reassure them when they need it, communicate well with parents/carers, discuss any challenges and work to address them speedily and in the most effective ways. We have children’s best interests at heart, so parents can rest assured that their little ones are kept safe, happy and well and, even if not immediately, they’ll grow to love being at the nursery. A couple of recent testimonials prove the point beautifully (hover over them to pause):
