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.

I guess I'm late to the thread, but are there people who think you don't need to wash your hands after changing a poopy diaper?

That's grim. Of course you wash your hands every time they're in contact with poo. That's basic hygiene.

I wonder how many of the non-washers are familiar with the story of Ignaz Semmelweis, a Hungarian doctor who vastly reduced the rates of puerperal fever in Vienna, leading eventually to now-accepted theories of disease transmission? At the time, he was shunned by many obstetricians who thought that because their hands looked clean, they couldn't be transmitting disease, yet actually they were killing women in their thousands.

Not only are there people who don't think you need to wash your hands after changing a nappy, but they're also happy to admit it on here.

Either hand-washing is important (it is) or it's not. You don't get to pick and choose and only wash after some but not others. I mean, you do, but it's pretty unhygienic.

Or Dr Joseph Lister, who successfully introduced carbolic acid to sterilise surgical instruments and to clean wounds, which led to a reduction in post-operative infections and made surgery safer for patients.

"Think of all the home baking you've all eaten at playgroup, nursery, school fetes! All those bakers who don't wash after nappy changes! Mmmm, lovely!"

well I'm not bothered about baked cakes because they've been in a hot oven which I hope has killed any germs. Not sure about the unbaked cakes like Mars bar cakes though :(

I'm not hot on hygiene but even I washed my hands after changing nappies!

Ergh. I don't ever eat home baking. Also I only accept offers of brus of people at work who I have clocked washing their hands before they stick the kettle on. Which I can tell you isn't many. I'd rather just make my own bru! I love people that loom clean And fresh. Nice clean hair, clean fresh clothes. Natural amount of makeup. But on the oppersite end of the spectrum... I love to see a right messy kid who needs a good bath. I want my child to go in school looking clean and fresh and smelling delicious...and come out looking g like he's just had a fight with the paintpots and playdough

Err.. about the homebaking.

Most people have clearly said they wash their hands before cooking.

jo40 "Also I only accept offers of brus of people at work who I have clocked washing their hands before they stick the kettle on"

You wash your hands before making a cuppa?! Even though your hand has ZERO contact with anything being made?

I presume this means you disinfect your makeup brushes too?

We...about the homebaking

People have clearly said that they DONT wash their hands after changing a shitty nappy. Well then these kinds of people probably

Wash their hands before cooking
Ooo 'what's that smell, my DC has pooed'
Change nappy
Start to cook again....BECAUSE REMEMBER they have ALREADY washed their hands before cooking and they don't feel the need to wash them AFTER a dirty nappy.

And about the brus..believe me iv seen people take the tea bag out with their tips of their fingers.

0110..Just go and wash your bloody hands. It might make your nail polish stand out more if you do.

No..I don't wash my makeup brushes. That's just being silly. I buy a new one about every six months.

No..I don't wash my makeup brushes. That's just being silly. I buy a new one about every six months.

Well, that's just silly. You should invest in good ones and wash them monthly. (but that's another thread)

Well, you say that it's silly to not wash your make up brush each time, but you're transferring bacteria to/from your face/makeup each time otherwise?

I'm not saying you shouldn't wash hands to prevent infections - just wondering at what point is enough hand washing "enough"? For example, I wash my hands after poo nappies. But then the taps/door handles/whatever could get infected, so then do I wipe them down after each turn? Then I go back dress my baby, who (if using wipes) isn't actually, clean so I have to do it all again? where does 'sensible' start/end?

Eww, I can't imagine not washing hands after nappy change and I'm not a clean freak! Wee and poo can get through tissue and wipes, plus you could always get some on yourself and not notice! Better safe than getting tummy bug! I also wash hands after picking up dog poo and changing cat litter! Seems sensible! I think I'd ask MIL to wash her hands after, in a nice way, if possible!

00100001 you wash your hands after you handle poo, raw chicken, etc and then you can reasonably rely upon door handles etc to be clean.

It's all about reducing risks, not necessarily eliminating.

Well, you say that it's silly to not wash your make up brush each time, but you're transferring bacteria to/from your face/makeup each time otherwise?

The obvious difference here is that presumably there's no poo on your face.

No poo on your face. Or your makeup brush hopefully. Because we wash our hands when we reasonably should

Why not wash your makeup brushes regularly because they're more effective that way, never mind the hygiene aspect? I don't want to use a brush with six months worth of makeup on it. I think it's mad to just replace them every six months instead of washing them regularly - and I don't mean every six months.

Well isn't everyone else perfect. I don't wear that much makeup, so my brushes arnt full of makeup at all.

It should be instinctive, automatic.

In contact with toiletty things - wash hands.
Public transport, cash points, cash, public internet etc etc - wash hands.
Put rubbish out - wash hands.
Decide to cook or bake - wash hands.

Being defiant about it isn't big or clever

flipflops

If I washed my hands at every instance you mention it would be a lot of times:
In contact with toiletty things - including washing before, during and after nappy changes, and my own toileting, then I'd be about 20 times a day
Public transport, cash points, cash, public internet OK, so let's say I go out doors just once per day, then I'd be washing my hands about 10 times for those things alone
Put rubbish out - this is at least once a day for me.
Decide to cook or bake - washing before and after all food prep/handling -this would be another 8 times, at least.

That's washing my hands about 40 times a day, and that's not taking into account pets/contact with other people, sneezoing, coughing etc... which could (in my life) add another 10 hand washes a day or more.

To wash your hands that much is extreme, surely??

how many times a day do you wash your hands flipflops?

I work in a school - in the IT department, constantly touching other people's keyboards, mice, phones, mobile phones, laptops, tablets, photocopiers. Walking through about 50 doors a day, moving equipment etc. I Couldn't possibly wash my hands after every occurrence :/

001000001

You don't have to wash your hands before and during a nappy change. Who said this? You wash your hands after changing a nappy, and after your own trips to the loo.

It's good to wash your hands when you get home after a day on public transport.

It's good to wash your hands before cooking, and essential after handling raw meat/fish.

All said, that's probably 10-12 hand washes without a child in nappies. I don't find that unreasonable at all.

Errr- many people previously said that advice is to wash before nappy changes. Then as soon as you have taken dirty nappy away, and then after for food measure...

good*