Washing hands after nappy change - MIL thread, sorry

[StarlingMurmuration]

My PIL are staying with us at the moment to look after DS, after I have had an operation. I appreciate is is very generous and lovely of them, and I am grateful.

However, MIL isn't washing her hands after pooey nappy changes. AIBU to be bothered by this? How can I get her to do this without basically implying she's being disgusting? We do have hand sanitizer at the nappy change station, but I found she as using that BEFORE she changed his nappy instead of after! DS is 8 months old, just for info, and my operation means I can't lift or carry him, or bend over/ kneel down, so I can't do it myself at the moment.

Always wash my hands before I touch food, after going to the toilet and always before I eat. Was once in a restaurant with my sister and went to the toilet and she walked out without washing her hands. I actually felt sick when I saw her going to the buffet for food and eating knowing she hadn't washed her hands. Makes you think twice about going to buffets.

I hate it when people don't was their hands after changing a nappy - gross! Especially when they offer you a cuppa afterwards. Same as going to the loo in my opinion. Hand washing is obligatory.

It's not just nappies it's the people who CBA to wash hands before prepping food or before eating. I did a cookery course with my kids at the local children's centre. 10 mums and kids, on the first day we were all about to start handling ingredients and cook, I took my straight to the sink in the corner and washed our hands. All the other mums didn't bother, although they did do for the next exercise because I could tell they were looking at me with that look, 'oh great we've got a hand washer in the room best set an example to our kids then!'

Truth is I'm pregnant and don't want to pick up nasty bugs. I also washed all the salad veg before using it and the woman running it said not to bother as I wouldn't catch anything bad from salad. No love, it's been passed around about 15 mini grubby hands before I got to it, I think I'm going to wash it first!!

Also do people not realise that poo is used as a natural fertiliser, and that when growing veg you need fertiliser to get nice big vegetables.... The mind boggles.

I am pretty shocked by some of these replies! I am at the "germs are good" end of the scale but always wash my hands after changing a nappy, poopy or not. To me it's the same as if I go to the toilet - I always wash my hands. When people say "but I just touch the outside of the nappy and the wipes" I just wanna scream "but it's not just about the poo, it's the germs!" and I am not a germophobe.

Why do they advise washing hands before nappy changes?

I am a hand washer, even DS (2) washes his hands after a nappy change, but that is mostly because he has had to check that his willy is still there at least twice during every change...

Cluttered okay, very untidy house, clean hands, here. I had a D&V bug a couple of months ago to practice my hygiene skills, and no-one else got ill - hurray! (and thank goodness: it was vile, especially when both ends went at once).

All the comments on this thread about home baking have me worried now. I was recently with some relatives who have dogs, and - God - the smell was bad enough, but when one of the couple (no, it's not my MIL ) packed up some cakes for me in between stroking the dogs, I felt a bit ill, and binned the cakes as soon as I could.

However, I kind of thought that was a one-off, and it hadn't occurred to me to think this would happen in other people's houses!

It was my first thought, argh, the cupcakes! I will never buy at a yummy mummy stall again. Also remembered my old aversion to communal nibbles in bars. Eurghh.

I wash hands after any contact with anything toilet-related, also on getting in to work, getting home and loads of other times during the day. House is averagely grubby but I am always careful about food hygiene.

Lol Wuthering My DS is exactly the same with his willy checks!

Perhaps Mumsnet needs to run one of their campaigns on the Home Page for the hard of understanding "Nappy changed? Wash hands you Mingers" or something a bit more snappy than that.

Coconutpie about the coins: I used to know a girl who sucked coins. Also people who keep coins in their pockets with their hankies. Vom.

And as pp said just generally touching them after changing nappies, going to the loo, scratching their balls etc and then fondling them.

MrsD

Well, are the non hand washers ill? Sicker than the hand washers? If not then there is an awful lot of evidence that it's pointless.

Presumably you're advised to wash your hands before nappy changes in case you've been handling raw meat/in contact with pets etc.

Rollermum - I literally LOLd when I read sucking coins - WTAF?! What age was this person who sucked coins?! Bloody heck.

Coins are gross. I hate sorting out our piggy bank - hands are always filthy afterwards.

Oh and to add about questions on hand washers and how tidy their homes are - our place is fairly tidy but isn't a show home, but hand washing and kitchen hygiene is non negotiable. Yes, they say that a bit of dirt is good for the immune system but e-coli or any of those rotten things does NOT come under that heading of being "good for you" as it does not boost your immune system. Nobody needs a D&V bug to put them out of action for a few days, some people can be hospitalised with D&V.

Also, it bugs the crap out of me when people don't wash their hands after coming into the house, and then proceed to use the kitchen. Drives me fucking crazy!

LittleLionHeart - D&V bugs, colds, flu, etc are all so rampant because people are so bloody stupid with not practicing proper hand hygiene! That's how all this crap spreads.

I did wash my hands very regularly when both mine were babies; ever since I've had eczema on my fingers and palms which has been impossible to shift. I'm sure it was the over-zealous handwashing that did it.

What l don't get is that if people dont immunise and rely on herd protection they are feckless for putting people with compromised immune systems in danger.

But those that cant be arsed to wash their hands because they have stomachs made of leather () are fine to pass on germs to those that might not be able to tolerate them me.

I honestly don't understand some people's logic

Our house isn't immaculate by any means - baby toys everywhere for one thing and we have two black cats, one fluffy, so even after we've just hoovered, there's black fluff on the floor within half an hour! But the kitchen surfaces etc are immaculate, and I'm very keen on hand washing after going to the toilet, nappy changes and before and during food prep. We also don't wear shoes in the house.

DS is crawling and I'm sure he's getting germs on his hands throughout the day - I don't follow him round with antibacterial spray and wipes, but I also don't want him to be exposed to fecal matter if it's avoidable.

Is it just because a baby or a young child looks cute that some aren't washing their hands after a nappy change? Would the non-washers have the same attitude if they were asked to change the incontinence pads of an elderly person?

Ugg I can't believe the level of ignorance and general mingingness on this thread! How can people be uneducated and bloody stupid enough to not wash their hand after touching dirty nappies! I wash my hands coming into the house, after touching animals, before cooking, after handling money / public transport, just wet nappies. Toilets and poo too obvious to mention!! My god some people are revolting.