If you buy through our links we may receive a commission at no expense to you. Please see our Ethics page.
Newborns are ridiculously cute so it’s understandable when grandparents want to shower their grandchildren with kisses!
But no matter how much a grandparent wants to kiss their grandchild, you may well be feeling protective as a parent. So, when can grandparents kiss your baby? How can you politely tell grandparents when they can kiss baby?
In this mega guide, I’ll answer all your questions regarding grandparents kissing babies!
When Can Grandparents Kiss Baby?
A newborn baby’s immune system isn’t very strong and takes a few months to develop. And germs can be transmitted through close contact such as kissing, so you do need to be careful.
Also Read: Baby Suddenly Hates Grandma
It’s generally safe for grandparents to kiss a baby when the baby’s around 4-6 months old, because the immune system is somewhat developed by then and the chances of catching serious, potentially life-threatening illnesses, is pretty slim.
But that doesn’t mean that grandparents should kiss the baby on the lips or when they are sick.
Your baby might not be vaccinated yet and will be vulnerable to germs. Some of the diseases can be troublesome so it is best to limit interactions because babies will be vulnerable to chickenpox, measles, and whooping cough when they’re not vaccinated.
Another thing you have to consider is whether or not your baby was born prematurely. If so, your baby will be more susceptible to germs and bacteria, while having no way to fight effectively against them.
Usually, babies receive antibodies from mom in the third semester to fight against infections, but as premature babies are not carried to term, they don’t get these antibodies.
So you have to take special care of your premature baby and ask anyone who visits not to kiss baby, especially if they’re feeling unwell.
Try to tell your parents politely that they can come to visit later when they feel better because you don’t want baby to fall ill, too. I’m sure they’ll understand, after all, they were parents once!
Where Can Grandparents Kiss A Baby?
When a baby is 4-6 months old, it is generally safe for grandparents to kiss them on the forehead or cheeks.
However, grandparents must ensure that they are healthy and do not have any symptoms of illness, such as a cold or flu. It is also a good idea to request that the grandparents wash their hands before kissing the baby to reduce the risk of germ transmission.
However, if your baby is still a few weeks old, let your parents know that they’re not to kiss baby’s face, particularly the mouth and nose area.
Also Read: Is Blowing In Baby’s Face Bad?
Moreover, newborns tend to put their hands in their mouths all the time, so kissing their fingers and palms may not be wise until they are older.
How Should I Tell My Parents Not To Kiss My Baby?
There is no easy way to tell grandparents not to kiss baby. Sometimes grandparents will say that you’re overreacting and it is entirely okay to kiss babies even if they are a few weeks old because they kissed you too when you were little and you turned out just fine!
You might also feel bad about telling your parents not to kiss your baby thinking that they will be offended or feel sad. However, you must do this at least until your baby is a few months old if you want to keep your baby healthy.
So here are some ways you can tell grandparents not to kiss babies without coming off as being rude.
Get Into The Topic Before Your Baby Is Born
If you try to get to this topic when your parents are visiting you at the hospital or home, things might feel a little uncomfortable. So talk about not kissing your baby before baby’s born.
Also Read: Don’t Want MIL to Babysit
That way, even if they get a little offended, they will have plenty of time to process the information and then be okay with it when their baby is finally born.
Be Polite And As Kind As Possible
Just as you’re excited to meet your baby, your parents will be excited to meet their grandchild. This will be an emotional time for them too as grandparents and all they might want to do is show how much they love their grandchild by giving a simple kiss.
So try to be polite and tell them that it has nothing to do with them being bad grandparents. Instead, tell them your baby is very lucky to have such loving grandparents!
They be a bit sad at first, but when you tell them it’s all temporary and explain the health risks, I’m sure things will be just fine.
Tell The Grandparents What You Expect Clearly
As I mentioned before, your baby shouldn’t be kissed when they are just a few weeks old by anyone, not even you for that matter. Kissing once is fine but don’t try to do it excessively out of love.
Tell your parents clearly that they can’t kiss your baby when they are sick, and that they can visit later when they feel well. Even a simple cold can be very difficult for a newborn baby (and for you with the additional care needs, doubly so if you catch it as well…), so make sure that no one kisses your baby until they are 100% sure they are not unwell.
Show Them Research On The Health Risks Involved
Even after being all polite and kind about the topic, sometimes your parents won’t think that the “no kissing” rule for your baby is reasonable.
They might say you’re overacting, so make sure you have some research articles that you can show to your parents written by healthcare professionals on the health risks involved when kissing a newborn baby.
You could also say that it was what the doctor advised, so even if they won’t believe it when it comes from you, they will certainly follow the doctor’s advice on not kissing baby. You can also talk to your doctor and then to your parents.
Final Thoughts
Grandparents will enjoy caring for their grandchildren and smothering them with kisses to show their unconditional love. However, as a parent, you may feel protective of your child, especially if this is your first child or if the baby was born prematurely.
While there is nothing wrong with grandparents kissing a baby, there can be health risks in some cases. So politely explain to the grandparents the health risks involved and reassure them that it won’t be long before they can hug and kiss their grandchild to their hearts content!
When your baby turns 6 months and has received most of the vaccines, grandparents can kiss them as much as they want.