"Cocooning" is a way that parents, siblings, grandparents, and caretakers create a safe space for a newborn. Inside that protected space, everyone works to keep germs at bay. Relatives are up to date with immunizations and practice good hygiene, like hand washing. Young children are gently reminded not to kiss the baby or get too close, especially if they're coughing or could be sick. Parents keep track of daycare illnesses alerts for siblings.
Cocooning helps avoid diseases like
whooping cough,
flu or
RSV until it's time for the baby to get their
immunizations. Some infections can cause severe illness and complications such as breathing problems, pneumonia, seizures and brain damage. When you cocoon a newborn, you make them less likely to be exposed to bacteria and viruses that can make them sick.
Why is cocooning important to you?
Newborns have higher chances of getting sick from viruses and bacteria than older children and adults. Their immune systems haven't yet learned how to resist most infections. They need the support of vaccines, but they are still too young to get some of them.
In the meantime, newborns may be exposed to diseases like
whooping cough (pertussis). Babies can't get the first dose of the vaccine that protects against pertussis until they are 2 months old. Getting the vaccine in the third trimester of pregnancy protects the baby for a while after birth. Still, the baby will need their own shots to keep their immunity.
As the baby gets their own vaccines and their immune system develops, family and friends can stick to the cocoon strategy. That means staying up to date with immunizations and good hygiene. Older adults, grandparents and babysitters let you know when they are sick and only return to care for the baby once they are well.
Dr. Joanna Parga-Belinkie explains what cocooning means and why it's important in this video, "How Can I Protect My Baby if They're Too Young to Get Vaccinated?"
A message for your friends & family: we are in this together
Welcoming a baby into the world is a joyful event you want to share with family and friends. You want them there for the first cute smiles and tiny yawns. Plus, their support is important while you adapt to nighttime waking and feedings. You want to welcome them in but keep infections out. What is the best way to communicate this this?
The key is helping them see how their support keeps your baby healthy. You can explain that committing to a cocooning strategy is the best support you can get now.
Here is a sample message you can post on your chat groups with friends and family, or use as inspiration for social media posts:
Friends and Family!
We feel so grateful for all the love you've shown us at this important moment! We can't wait for you to meet the baby as soon as possible and make you part of their life.
It's important for us to keep flu and whooping cough germs away from the baby. We want to make sure we are on the same page with hygiene and immunizations. Newborns who catch whooping cough often get so sick that they need to be hospitalized (yikes)! We know that's something nobody wants that for our little one.
The best way to support us is getting up to date with vaccines before your visit. No big deal if you are not up to date now! You can always get the whooping cough (Tdap) and the flu vaccines at your doctor's office. Pharmacies also offer vaccinations. Make sure you complete the Tdap shots at least 2 weeks before visiting.
When in doubt, rely on the cocoon strategy
In addition to the message above, you can share these facts about vaccination and cocooning with your friends and family:
5 facts about cocooning you can share with loved ones
Newborns get sick easily, and some diseases can cause serious health problems.
A newborn's immune system needs to learn how to recognize harmful germs. Vaccines help them do this and prevent serious illness.
Vaccination takes time to work, so support from family and friends is crucial.
Family members, friends and caregivers who are up to date on recommended vaccines are less likely to be infected, contagious and make the baby sick.
Good hygiene like handwashing helps prevent infection. But this alone is not enough to protect your baby from infection. Making sure household contacts such as siblings, grandparents and caretakers are up to date on vaccines is an additional layer of protection. It prevents the flu and whooping cough in newborns and is more effective than just a baby's parent getting the recommended vaccines.
Cocooning and vaccination go hand in hand
Vaccines have helped millions of kids grow up strong and healthy, free from
more than a dozen dangerous diseases that were once common. For this to continue, we have to stay a step ahead of these diseases.
Pertussis spreads by sneezing and coughing. Most newborns get it from people they live with. That's why relying on your loved ones is so important. Whooping cough can be deadly to newborns. But if everyone around them is up to date with vaccines and sticks to the cocooning strategy, the odds that babies get sick is close to zero.
OB-GYNs give the
flu,
RSV and
Tdap vaccines to eligible pregnant people. They will also test them for a variety of infections, like
hepatis B or syphilis. Moms and babies usually get sick together. This is why doctors want to make sure moms are
as healthy as possible before and after the baby is born.
Remember
When your family and friends commit to cocooning and up-to-date immunizations, they play a key role in the baby's life. They are giving your little one the support they need to grow and thrive.
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