As a new parent, you will want to protect your baby from everything. So, how do we best protect them from something we can’t see? Germs, bacteria, and viruses can pose a serious problem to infants. Newborn babies generally keep infections on the skin, mouth, and nose, but if germs get inside, they can cause more inconvenient and occasionally severe issues. For this reason, ensuring your baby is protected against germs and illnesses in the first few months is of paramount importance.
So with that in mind, here are some essential tips for keeping your newborn baby protected from germs and illnesses.
Ensure Your Baby’s Toys Are Clean
It may seem obvious but storing and cleaning toys and other things your baby comes into contact with is essential in looking after your newborn. If your baby has any cuddly toys, be sure to wash them regularly. And if your baby has a pacifier, be sure to wash it regularly and keep it in a clean pacifier case when not in use.
Limit Outside Visitors
Whilst you can’t keep your baby in a bubble for 6 months, you can limit who visits. Outside visitors can bring in harmful bacteria from outside, so be sure to limit visits only to close family and friends for the first few months. Young children, who aren’t siblings, should be kept away from your baby. Children can carry more colds and generally be less clean than adults.
Keep Yourself Clean!
Whenever you go out to a public place, be sure to wash your hands when you get in. Try to stay away from antibacterial soaps as these contain harsh chemicals. Regular soap should be fine, although there are gentle/sensitive-skin soaps you can get that are better.
When you wash, be sure to rub your hands together, as it helps remove outside germs from the skin. Simply running soapy hands under some water will not suffice.
Things such as door handles or railings can play host to harmful germs for up to two days in the outside world. When transferred to your face, these germs can cause illnesses. Of course, you can still leave your house with your baby, but keep some hand sanitizer and wet wipes on hand to keep clean.
Vaccinate Your Baby and Yourself
Despite the harmful rumors circulating around vaccination, vaccinating your baby is an essential step in protecting them against some of the more harmful diseases out there. Vaccines against Measles, Meningitis, and Polio are essential to your baby’s health and it’s recommended you vaccinate them when they’re around 2 months old.
It’s also worth making sure you are up to date on your vaccinations, as well as anyone else around you. This creates a support bubble around your child, meaning that no-one around them can get ill with these diseases or pass them to the infant. This is an essential step to make sure your baby doesn’t get ill before they’re able to get their own shots.
Final Thoughts
If you follow these steps you can ensure your baby is as protected as they can be against possible germs and infections. The steps are only necessary for the first three to four months, so luckily you don’t need to live paranoid of germs forever! In fact, when they’re still infants (after their shots), it’s recommended you take your child to a farm to build up their immunity and protect against future allergies. However, if your baby does show any illness symptoms, be sure to take them to a doctor immediately.
