Do I need to change, or not?

[LetTheHayfeverBegin]

Not sure if this is the right place to post, but here goes - I hope that this is an appropriate place for this. It seems rather daft writing it down and reading it back, but I think it is beginning to restrict my behaviour and and I really think I need to address it.

Since being a child I've been very aware of dirt and germs - washing my hands ridiculous numbers of times etc etc. my skin is always knackered as a result, and it got worse with pregnancy as I didn't want to risk anything. I thought that was pretty 'normal' (for want of a better word), and still do really, and this is where my problem lies - I just don't know what is okay, and what isn't. My DP thinks that it isn't, and I can't tell whether my concerns are justified or not.

But I am desperate to not see my own DC have what I sometimes think is a bit of a hang up about it - but how can I ensure this if I'm not even sure it is a hang up? I do feel as though it is beginning to become quite a big issue for me, and even worse I can't help feeling as though my DC are missing out on things - nature trails, playing lots in the garden etc. I used to love gardening but since pregnancy have avoided soil as I read about potentially harmful toxins etc being released and haven't really been able to get back into it since.

I wash my hands after being in the garden or touching anything in there - is that a bit extreme or not? I can already see DC1 start to mirror some of my behaviour and I don't want her to never be around dirt etc, as this is obviously good for her and her immune system, but how do I know where the line is? Or is all this perfectly okay and something everyone goes through as a concerned parent?

Im on the slacker side of hand washing, and would wash thoroughly after gardening. And after raw meat, toilets, blowing nose, kitchen/bathroom bins.

What do you mean by touching things in the garden? This morning I got keys out, got an old car seat out of the shed at the bottom of the garden , then locked things back up and didn't wash hands again.

I have one child who would eat smothered in mud, and one who wants his hands wiped for a spot of food or mud. They have to wash hands after toilet, before eating, if hands have been in sandpit, soil etc or are visibly mucky or they are going to cook with me.

Does that help?

Thanks addictedtosugar. It's certainly got me thinking. I love eating meat but hate touching it, partially because of the fears of having germs on me - I get veggie DP to grill bacon for me . Thinking about it, I don't even really cook meat because I worry that I won't cook it well enough and I'll be ill.
Re the garden, any toys that are out in the garden I would wash after touching, or any plants. I would definitely wash hands to get anything out of our garage as it has an asbestos roof. I've just realised how stupid that sounds, as if you could wash asbestos away, so maybe there is a fear of contamination of some sort?