- was HV being unreasonable to say I HAVE to ask smokers to wash their hands and brush their teeth before touching/going near baby?

[LadyOfWaffle]

I hate smoking, hate it hate it hate it but even to me that seemed quite a rude thing to ask someone to do - but it that 'the norm'? I made th mistake of saying "oh, that's quite hard" to HV (said casually, not in a way that said I wouldn't do it) but to ask MIL and basically the whole of DHs family to go off and brush their teeth and wash their hands does seem...extreme. They already think I am a snob for sitting away when they are smoking, and I know you shouldn't care what people think because it's your baby but... you know. Anyway, if that is the norm or you think it's reasonable to ask i'll do it, but if you think it's abit OTT I may well bring it up with the HV who is visiting Wednesday (requested a new one because the last really did seem like she was power tripping, and I always take everything without complaint but she was just rude). Er, so what do you think to that statement?

Is there actually any evidence that the 'smell' is harmful..

Not smell, residual chemicals.

yuk I would not pass my newborn to someone who reeked of fags - how could anyone do that? I also didn't have to ask people to wash their hands - surely people do this as a matter of course with newborns?

All smell is 'residual chemicals'. Very very few of them, though.

LOW, if you ask people to do this and they object, they will not, I think, be placated by being told (or shown) that your HV "told" you to do this.

If you want to ask people to do this, go ahead. IMO, it's a bit OTT but it's up to you. If you don't want to, then don't.

You might find that your baby reacts to strong smells and cries when handled by someone who smells strongly of smoke (or anything else). If so, you would be able to suggest this to the "offender" as a way to deal with the problem.

The health visitor I had with ds2 used to turn up at my house absolutely stinking of cigarettes!

I remember reading that the residual on clothes etc may have adverse effects on children, will have to trawl the clinical evidence to find the article.

I recently went to see someone with a newborn. I was dying for a fag before I got to her house but held off because I would have felt really bad about going to pick up a baby smelling of smoke.

I don't think you can easily tell people but I damn well think it should occur to anyone with a bit of common sense!

that's not much help, is it...

I think this is hysterical power-tripping by the HV. I hate the smell of cigarette smoke as much as anyone (yuk) and would never allow anyone to smoke over a baby, but this is just a nonsense and bound to create tension and resentment in familes.
Tell them to brush their teeth indeed!

twoboots - I remember reading that and it was about parents or other permanent carers who smoke. Even if they smoke outside the house, that there is adverse effect from their clothes etc.

However, this thread is about visitors, not primary carers. Honestly, I think its OTT and a bit precious to ask people who will only occasionally come into contact with baby to go wash their hands, brush their teeth, etc. Especially since all those chemicals will still be all over their hair & clothes even if they wash hands & brush teeth.

I think it's funny. It would mean calling people to arrange for them bring a toothbrush. You might want to buy a gross of those because some people might be coming stright from work or whatever.

(if they have dentures I guess they'll need a glass and one of those tablet thing to soak them in for an hour or two)

The washing hands almost makes sense, but I gather it's not necessary if they have just been patting the dog or cleaning the drains. Only if they have been smoking.

The whole poisonous chemicals on the smoker thing is a bit of a misunderstanding anyway. Yes there will be chemical traces of that and 1000s of other things all in insignificant amounts. It will be on non smokers too amongst the traces of dog shit particles blowing in the wind and methane because someone farted next to them on the bus.

LadyOfWaffle, not laughing at you. You're just trying to decide how careful to be and that's fine. The HV is a loon though.

Do those of you that are so precious drive cars by any chance?

Or walk along roads/ cross junctions where exhausts are blasting out filth?

I got the handwashing/smoker advice from my HV. She was a very erm authoritarian type.

Message withdrawn

YANBU whats the harm in washing hands before holding a baby !! my dil smokes but you would,t think it everytime she has a cig she washes her hands and uses chewing gum !! now thats a good ideal chewing gum after a fag !!!
not wasing hands after a fag is as bad and not washing them after going to the loo IMO baby or not !!

Why the feck would you wash your hands before handling a baby?? If it's your baby, do you need to wash your hands every 10mns or half hour or what? What about buying a plastic bubble or oxygen tent maybe? OR doll if you're really that OCD about real life infecting your pfb! Such twaddle!!

As for smokers, I was one when my first 3 were little. I'm not anymore but no way would I make a smoker wash before touching my baby!!! Only 2 generations ago 80% of British people smoked and when we were born smoking was still allowed in most public places.
It's a wonder we're alive really isn't it?!!!
The only ACTUAL medical advice is not smoking in the room with the baby and smokers not co sleeping as they do breathe out chemicals for a long time after each cigarette. But there is no actual reason for handwashing at all.

Sounds very OTT and I hate smoking but wouldn't consider this really enforceable. Haven't read every post but I assume this is a HV without her children? My HV at least had the grace to admit that once she'd had her own baby she realised what utter shite she'd been spouting for years and she's now got a much more relaxed attitude - conveys all the information, explains the guidelines and so on but suggests a way of managing things that parents can actually do.

without her own children

madness!!!!
I would say, an absolute ban on anyone smoking in the same room as the baby, or taking the baby into a room where people had been smoking, because there is EVIDENCE that passive smoking is very dangerous....does your HV have EVIDENCE of smelly breath being dangerous??? I doubt it. If your family think it's snobby to protect your baby's health, don't give them reason to deride you with stupid superstitious stuff like this. OTOH, if there is some concrete evidence, would be reasonable.

Oh this is a really tricky one. I have a very old, very good friend who smokes like a chimnee.

I went to her flat when I was pregnant and as both her and her DP smoke (not just cigarettes) it was really uncomfortable being in there and I didn't stay long.

They visited when DD was born and I was so touched they'd made the journey so I just gritted my teeth about the smoking thing. To be fair she did wash her hands before holding the baby but they did have a couple of cigarettes in the back garden and I have to admit, I just didn't like it. I don't want that stuff near my baby.

Sorry, what a ramble, basically I think it's fine to ask smokers to wash their hands (teeth, not fine IMO) but I personally didn't have the guts

(I gave up smoking 4 yrs before I got pg btw)

chimnee? chimney