Germs: Taking Preventative Action

     There’s no question that today’s sanitized world is littered with products to help us wage war against an omnipresent foe: the germ.  Lotions, sanitizers, gels, wipes, and antibacterial soap are just a few of a multitude of items that can be purchased to combat these villains who invade our bodies and interrupt our daily flow.  However, no matter how many times you wash your hands or apply sanitizer, germs find a way to break through your defenses and inflict damage for a time.  Children, especially infants, are more prone to illness due to their developing immune systems, making them ideal targets for germs.  In an effort to help you fend off these attackers, below is our preemptive strategic defense to minimize the number of full-on assaults you encounter.

Pregnancy

     An unborn baby developing in the womb depends heavily on her mother’s condition and can be directly affected by what happens to her, especially when the mother is ill.  Any infection a woman encounters during pregnancy can be passed to her baby.  Therefore, it is important to understand what kinds of items around you pose a risk of infection.

• Certain foods can contain many different germs, such as listeria and taxoplasma, which can harm your baby.  Consult your physician and learn what to avoid.
• Contact with animals can expose you to various germs that you do not want infecting you or your baby, especially during pregnancy. Make sure you wash thoroughly after animal contact.
• Outdoor activities such as gardening or having a picnic in the park can expose you to germs in the grass or soil. Wash your hands, as well as your clothes and shoes to avoid bringing these germs inside your home.
• Make sure you are fully vaccinated prior to becoming pregnant. Contracting chicken pox, measles, or rubella while pregnant can put your unborn baby at risk.
• Even pregnant women can get sick. Consult your physician before taking any medication to avoid indirectly affecting your unborn baby.

Infants

     Protecting your baby from germs is a difficult task due to the fact that a baby’s immune system takes years to strengthen.  Mothers transfer antibodies to their baby at birth, which protects the newborn from infections.  However, those antibodies diminish around the time the baby is 8-10 weeks old, leaving her susceptible to infection. Here are some tips to help ensure a healthier baby and a happier home.

• If you are able, breastfeeding can continue passing along your antibodies to your baby.
• Keep your baby’s room as clean as possible. Floors, curtains, and furniture should be cleaned regularly in order to avoid germs.
• Consult your physician on which vaccines your baby needs and proceed accordingly.
• Change your baby’s sheets regularly.
• Wash anything that touches your baby’s skin (clothes, washcloths, sheets, etc.) with laundry soap specifically made for her.
• Keep your kitchen and bathroom extremely clean. Even though your baby won’t frequent these rooms for some time, adults who will be handling your baby will.
• If someone wants to hold or touch your baby, ask them to wash their hands first. Touch is the most common way germs are transmitted.
• Have different shoes for inside and outside your home. Shoes used outdoors can carry a multitude of germs.
• Make sure bottles and pacifiers are properly sterilized. If your baby drops them on the floor, do not give it back to her until you’ve re-sterilized it. The “5 second rule” does not apply in this situation.
• Wash your baby’s toys to remove germs. Most toys have cleaning instructions on their label.

     Despite constant cleaning and preparing a rigid defense system, germs will always find a way to fly under the radar and cause damage.  When that happens, your best offense is to consult a physician and get medication so those infectious germs get blown away.  By being proactive and preemptive, you’ll have those germs waving the white flag in no time.

Anthony Ripo
Mommy & Me Correspondent