Also, babies get all the antibodies their mother has developed during her lifetime, which protects it from many things, including herpes to some degree. But these antibodies do not last forever in the baby. The longer a mother breastfeeds, the better, as the milk helps build the baby's immune system. But a pregnant woman should tell her doctor if she has herpes. If the mother is having an OB close to her time of delivery, the doctor will prescribe high doses of antivirals to clear up the infection. A baby with herpes is a very serious condition that can lead to permanent damage, like blindness, I believe, among other things. I think it's called encephalitus. The brain is affected.