Monday, January 17, 2011

Baby Etiquette 101

I was going to title this post 'I'm an over paranoid mom' but I just happened to run into a 'Baby Etiquette' website and it reinforced everything I feel... So if you are planning on being around my infant- or anyones infant for that matter here are some do's and don'ts you should know....

1) Wash your hands. Even if you JUST washed them right before you entered the room do it again... oh, and washing your hands isn't a smear of soap and a rinse with cold water, it's a full shot- scrub for 15-20 seconds then wash with warm/hot water. And don't complain or make a big deal out of doing it either.

2) There's no need to put your hands on the baby's face, in fact you don't really need to be touching their hands either. Their hands are in there mouth most of the time. Kissing the baby's face is another no no. Don't do it, even if you really really want to.

3) DO NOT put your hands in the baby's mouth, yes baby's love to chew on fingers but it doesn't mean it's okay. Seriously, don't let your fingers get nibbled..

4) Keep your toddler away. They have more germs than any other organism on this planet (okay that's not fact, just my opinion). If you work at a day care, school or other institution where there are lots of children stay away from your friends infant till cold and flu season is over.

There are others that you can check out here http://pregnant.thebump.com/new-mom-new-dad/newborn-basics/articles/infant-etiquette.aspx Keep in mind that it's NOT PERSONAL and that the incubation period for most illnesses are the most infectious and prior to any symptoms. If you find that these common courtesies don't suit you well then feel free to have your own baby.