germs and a newborn

coco--

Welcome to A2K.

Unless you plan to keep your child in a sterile bubble--and never take the baby out of doors, you're doomed to failure.

Babies need clean--not sterile, clean.

Evidence is coming out that exposure to a few bacteria here and there help a baby develop an immune system that can handle a lot of bacteria here and there.

Your baby will be born knowing how to survive "reasonable" dirt. Can you learn how in a few weeks? Try hard.

I agree with Noddy. Trying to have a "sterile" environment for your baby will not make her any more healthy, and may cause problems.

First, You should not use anti-bacterial soaps or detergents when you have an infant. They can hurt young immune systems.

Then, you should follow common sense , "scientific" advice. Any doctor will tell you the same.

1) Breastfeed. Breastfed babies have a much less chance of illness or infection as has been shown scientifically.

2) Keep a generally clean environment. We boil bottles and once in a while clean the kitchen etc. with bleach.

3) Wash your hands with soap and water.

Other than that nothing you do benefits the baby. There are products that are suppose to kill germs. If they are alcohol based (like those hand sterilizers) or bleach based, they are OK. If they have antibiotics, you should avoid them.

But, as Noddy said, your baby is designed to be exposed to germs. Studies now suggest that kids who grew up in antibiotic prevalent homes may be more likely to develop asthma.

Don't worry. When the baby comes for the first couple of months you will be busy enough. My advice is to enjoy, do your best and don't worry.

Sounds like you may be going through a nesting stage too. For my first baby I did not go through one as strongly as the second. For the second as I was re-using items like carriage, baby swing, etc. and had them stored - I was an insane woman cleaning these items.

If it does make you feel better (especially if you are "nesting" - you will not relax until you do clean certain items - even if you know it is insane), it will not hurt to clean things with a disinfectant.

Like others said though - once you have the baby you really do not need to have a hospital-like environment. I was probably like that more so with my first. Everything once dropped on the floor had to be immediately cleaned.

By the time the begin moving around and crawling - they will be reaching and grabbing their toys off the floor and putting them in their mouths. It is better that they build a strong immunity system prior to this.

Great advice all around. I was going to chime in with the nesting thing, Linkat got there first.

Congratulations, and have fun! Those little tiny wriggly helpless things are tougher than you think.

Negotiate your shower time NOW!!!

Believe it or not, for the first few weeks, it's a big deal just trying to find an extra few minutes away from the baby to take a shower.

<wish somebody had clued me in!>

Congrats coco, on your impending arrival. I agree with the others who said that some exposure to germs is a good thing. If your baby is not exposed to the relatively mild germs in your home, he/she may have trouble later when entering school or daycare or, heaven forbid, a hospital with all of its resistant bacteria. And breastfeeding, as ebrown said, is the best way to keep him/her strong and protected.

But go ahead and clean away. It feels good to get the home prepared and it will probably help in those first few weeks when cleaning won't be on the menu. Babyproofing is something you can do later when the little alien becomes mobile.

And, of course, don't forget to take care of you. Good luck, and keep us posted!

Yay for you!

congrats

Coco--

Second thoughts.

I'm sure as a conscientious mother-to-be that you've avoided drugs, alcohol and exposure to chemicals--and that you plan to continue a chemical free life after the baby is born.

Personally I avoid all super-duper cleaning products as well as anti-cling for the drier and scented candles and any other little extra additive to my environment. Each one may have been tested and found harmless, but the research isn't in yet to show what happens when these "decorative" chemicals are combined.

No one has an immune system to fight toxic chemicals.