Kelly Ineson and fiancé Thomas Cummins' daughter Kiara is thought to have picked up the herpes simplex virus through a well wisher kissing her.
The couple are now sharing their story in the hope of helping another family to avoid such a tragedy.
Mum Kelly, 30, who has three other children, told The Daily Star: "We were always so careful, not letting anyone near her if they seemed poorly or hadn’t washed their hands.
“I never in my worst nightmares imagined a kiss could kill my baby, and I don’t want any other parents to go through this.”
Little Kiara was taken to hospital at just 10 days old by her concerned parents after falling ill.
WHEN THE COLD SORE VIRUS TURNS DEADLY
NEONATAL herpes is when a newborn is infected with the herpes virus.
It's caused by the same strain of herpes that triggers cold sores and genital ulcers in adults.
It can be extremely serious for a young baby, whose immune system won't have fully developed to fight off the virus.
While it's rare, it's important all parents are aware of the dangers.
Newborns can catch herpes in a number of ways.
It can be passed on during birth, if mum has genital herpes for the first time within six weeks of her pregnancy.
After birth, a baby can become infected if a person with a cold sore kisses them.
Or if mum breastfeeds with herpes sores on her breasts.
The warning signs to watch for in your baby are if they:
- lacking energy and being more sleepy than usual
- stop feeding
- floppy
- have a high temperature
- have a high-pitched cry
- have breathing difficulties or start grunting
- breath rapidly
- have a blue tongue
- have a rash
It's important to get your baby checked over if you suspect they've caught or been exposed to herpes.
It can develop quickly and spread to their brain or other parts of the body, proving fatal.
Doctors there told the new parents she had contracted a strain of the highly contagious herpes simplex virus, which causes cold sores in adults.
She was placed in an induced coma but doctors advised she would still probably be brain damaged from the illness.
Marian Nicholson, director of the Herpes Viruses Association, told the paper: “Please don’t kiss other people’s babies.
“You might be one of the people who has cold sores that are so mild you haven’t noticed them, yet your mild infection could be transferred to a new baby."
She added: "Catching cold sores before the baby is six to nine months old can be serious as their immune systems aren’t well developed."
Last month we told how Presley Trejo, from Forth Worth, Texas, urged people NOT to kiss babies after her newborn daughter died at just 12 days old.
And earlier this year we reported how Jeff Gober from Phoenix, Arizona, watched as his newborn baby girl slipped away over the course of two weeks.
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