Germ alert!

[Jac1978]

My mum insists I use antibacterial hand gel each time before I pick my baby up. However there have been times where she's cried and I've forgotten to do it and also when people have come to visit and hold her I haven't asked them to do it as I was afraid it sounded too rude but have I been putting my baby at risk?

seriously? erm, no...you don't need to keep doing this. Just wash your hands after changing nappies etc.

your baby needs to be treated normally and exposed to "germs" otherwise she will not be able to fight off infection by herself. You are not doing her any favours by being ultra-clean.

what germs do you think you have on your hands? unless you have a D&V virus or flu, there is no need to use anything other than normal soap and water

In the nicest possible way, your mum is a loon.

Within a few short months your baby will be licking leaves, poking at mud and licking her finger, sharing food with other children (if our group are anything to go by, another's food is way better than your own), touching all manner of germy things, including toys in a Drs waiting room, and yet she will be fine. She'll get colds and things, but (hopefully!) nothing more serious than an upset tummy now and then.

My DS is the most unhygenic child you could care to meet, and yet he's had nothing worse than a cold to date.

As pp have said ignore your mum! You do not need to antibac your hands before picking your baby up, babies need to be exposed to everyday germs anyway to build up their immune systems. Just use your common sense as to when you need to clean your hands ie after nappy change.

Your baby will be fine. She needs exposure to germs for her immune system to start working properly. Your mum is over-cautious, to be polite say the least.

She will be fine and will prefer it if you smell of you and not alcoholic hand gel

Yes be vigilant about handwashing after mucky tasks, but otherwise stop worrying. I have a DS 2.6 and a baby. DS1 regularly sneezes in DS2's face gives him big dribble kisses and generally makes his environment less than hygienic. There's not much I can do about it, but DS2 is no more ill than DS1 ever was.

And if you are breastfeeding you will be supporting her own immune system anyway. :)