Should Babies Be Exposed To Germs?

There are no limits to germ sources that your baby may be exposed to in daily life. From rubber toys to wet grass in the backyard and food scraps on the kitchen floor... all of these are lessons to teach your child and expand his knowledge in tastes, textures and other types of information. Some experts believe that the association between germs and children is very good and beneficial for the kids, as it strengthens their immune systems and enables them to fight infections and allergies that may get into their way later in life.

But that doesn’t mean that you have to forget all about your precautions and let your baby roll in germs night and day, for not all parasites are innocent and beneficial to your child, and some of them may be even a real danger to his health and safety.

Here is the instruction checklist that you must follow in order to save your little one from bad germs and keep his great relation with the good ones:

• Don’t worry if your baby picks a piece of dropped bread and food scraps from the carpet or the floor. As long as you clean your house regularly, there is no reason to fear the germs that accumulate and multiply on these scraps, as they are likely harmless.
• Prevent your baby from grabbing and tasting things after they get wet or soggy, as germs and bacteria growing in moisture can harm your baby and make him sick.
• No need to sterilize your baby’s pacifiers and bottles after he’s 6 month old and after he starts to eat solid foods. At this point, your child should have begun to acquire immunity, and thus it would be enough to put his bottles and equipments in the dishwasher or clean them with hot water and soap.
• Don’t serve your baby any canned food leftovers or any leftover expressed breast milk, as the saliva that may get stuck on the bottle’s nipple or move from the spoon to the can, is harbor to harmful bacteria.
• Do not fear to expose your baby to the pet that lives in your house and makes part of your family. Studies confirm that children exposed to animals early in life are less likely to develop allergies. But beware of your pet’s toys and waste! Make sure you take good care of the animal, in terms of giving it the necessary vaccines and take it to the vet on regular basis, so your child won’t get contaminated.
• Don’t worry if your baby gets in contact or tastes grass and sand from your backyard, as they won’t get him any harm!
• Don’t let your baby grab things or food dropped on the floor outside the house, as they might get contaminated from dog feces or passers-by spits or other kinds of wastes like pesticides, fertilizers, cigarettes, etc.

Protecting your baby from viruses and germs can be a very difficult and complicated thing. But, don’t forget, his immune system will develop and mature with time, and eventually he will be more able to fight germs that exist throughout our environment. Until then, just stick to our advices and your baby will be fine!

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