This is surely completly impractical in today's world. Besides, how would their immune system develop if they never came in contact with germs. If you breastfeed as well, the baby gets your immunity. I'm quite happy for people with a cold etc to play with Kaya as it challenges her immune system.
I dont know if standard of care is different in the UK, but here in the US, if you're a baby
months old and you get a fever (100.4 or higher, which is 38 C), you get stuck for blood, a catheterized urine specimen and spinal fluid taken and you are admitted to the hospital for at least 3 days (until all those cultures are back) on strong IV antibiotics.
This is b/c newborns dont give very many signs of being seriously ill and we would rather be safe than sorry. Generally, they may be a little more fussy or may not eat quite as much as normal, or may be a bit less active or have a low fever (100.4F/38C). Babies tend to look "ok" until they are literally on death's door, they arent like older kids who have a period of looking worse before they really go bad. It's why daycares over here will generally not take babies until 10-12 weeks of age.
Ive taken care of babies who got taken out, got sick, parents didnt realize it was serious and their babies end up with horrible meningitis (b/c they dont have good barriers between blood/brain) and are either severely brain damaged for life or dead.
At 5 months, it's perfectly fine to expose babies to colds and stuff, bearing in mind that they STILL may end up hospitalized, and possibly with permanent lung damage, depending on the type of cold bug it is (RSV, metapneumovirus, etc come to mind as bad ones) but at 1-2 months? not my child. I dont want to spend days in the hospital with him for something i could have prevented.
I mean, he will likely come with me to the grocery store before 2 months old, but he will stay in his carrier (or in a sling) with blanket over him, and I will NOT have random strangers coming over to coochie-coo him on the cheek with their dirty hands.
For that matter, at home, any visitors will be illness-free and washing their hands before touching him, too, at that age.
Of course, Ive seen a lot of the "worst case scenarios" so that does influence my perspective (Im a pediatrician - I graduate from residency in 4 weeks).
Oh, and we dont get chucked out of the hospital at 6 hours, babies HAVE to stay at least 24 hours, and preferred is 48-72. The only exception I know of to this rule is when we evacuated for the hurricaine 2 years ago.
So, to clarify my position - going OUTSIDE or IN THE CAR is fine. Going to places packed with strangers you dont know who may or may not be sick and may or may not touch/sneeze on/otherwise pass germs to your baby is not - and that applies for the first 1-2 months.
Star