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This post was sponsored by AstraZeneca as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

When you walk out of the hospital with a preemie, your world is forever changed. Feeding schedules are law, you have to memorize vitamins and medications, and every crowd becomes a threat. When I left the hospital with Baby M I was terrified. See, he was born in September, so we were just gearing up for cold season. His doctors had already taught us all about RSV, so thankfully we were equipped to do everything we could to prevent it. Apparently, though, when you have a baby on-time, they don’t teach you about RSV to the same extent. When we came home from the hospital with Miss S in December, they didn’t even mention it! Because of that experience, I’ve decided to put together the ultimate guide to RSV in Babies.

The Ultimate Guide to RSV in Babies

This is THE Ultimate guide to RSV in babies! Prevention, Recognizing, it's all here!

What is RSV

RSV is a contagious disease that affects children’s lungs and airways. While almost every child will contract RSV at some point by the time they turn two, it can be extremely dangerous for babies. And even more so for preemies. Baby’s lungs aren’t developed fully, so they can experience the symptoms more severely.

RSV is currently the leading cause of hospitalization in children’s first year of life. While not every case of RSV will be this severe, it’s worth it to take safety measures to prevent RSV just in case!

How to Prevent RSV

Luckily, preventing RSV is not terribly complicated! There are simple steps you can take during RSV season (November to March) to help keep your baby healthy!

  • Wash your hands, always! (Seriously, this is the most obvious but useful tip ever!)
  • Avoid crowds with your baby.
  • Wash your baby’s toys and bedding often. (We don’t want to give the germs a chance to stick around!)
  • Don’t smoke around your baby, and don’t let others smoke around your baby.

This is THE Ultimate guide to RSV in babies! Prevention, Recognizing, it's all here!

How to Recognize RSV

RSV can seem like the common cold at first, but you can tell that you’re dealing with RSV a few ways.

  • Coughing or wheezing that doesn’t stop.
  • A fever.
  • A blue-ish color around the mouth or fingernails.
  • Fast or troubled breathing.
  • Spread-out nostrils and/or a caved-in chest when trying to breathe.

If your baby is experiencing this, contact your doctor right away!

When your baby gets sick, it can be really scary. Just keep in mind the signs to watch for and the different ways that you can prevent RSV in your baby and keep your little one safe this RSV season! October is National RSV Awareness Month, a month where we can help each mom learn about the signs and prevention of RSV to keep all babies healthier. You can learn more about RSV and National RSV Awareness Month here.

This is THE Ultimate guide to RSV in babies! Prevention, Recognizing, it's all here!