A mother has warned visitors against kissing newborn babies after her son nearly died from a serious viral infection and spent three months in hospital.
Tilly-Rose Murtha gave birth to her son, Vinnie, in December 2025. But barely two weeks after returning home, the baby developed severe breathing problems and stopped feeding properly.
His condition worsened rapidly, forcing his mother to call an ambulance.
Doctors later diagnosed the three week old baby with Respiratory Syncytial Virus, commonly known as RSV. The infection led to a chest infection, pneumonia and a collapsed lung.
Vinnie also contracted enterovirus, which caused viral meningitis.
His condition became so critical that doctors placed him in a medically induced coma to give his body a better chance of fighting the infections.
Photos from his ordeal showed the newborn wearing an oxygen mask and surrounded by medical equipment during his lengthy hospital stay.
Murtha, from Shrewsbury, Shropshire, said her son experienced episodes where he stopped breathing for several seconds before struggling to breathe rapidly.
She said the family feared the worst as doctors battled to save the baby.
“We were preparing for the worst. You just felt out of control, not knowing what was going to happen,” she said.
Vinnie was eventually discharged from hospital on March 27, 2026, and is now recovering well.
Although his mother is not certain how he contracted RSV, she believes the experience highlights the risks newborn babies can face from common viruses.
She has therefore urged relatives and visitors to avoid kissing babies, particularly when they are feeling unwell.
“I know it is exciting when you have a new baby and family members come around to visit. Everybody wants to cuddle the baby, and that is fine,” she said.
“But if anyone has been poorly or feeling under the weather, just take that extra precaution.”
RSV is a common respiratory virus that can cause mild cold like symptoms but may become serious in newborns and older adults. In babies, it can lead to bronchiolitis and pneumonia.
The virus is commonly spread through respiratory droplets from coughing and sneezing.
Murtha said she decided to share images of her son’s ordeal to warn other families about the potential consequences of infections in newborns.
“The photos of Vinnie are obviously very triggering and upsetting, but I wanted to show the world that this is the position you could land a little baby in,” she said.
