Help a Germaphobe!

[ZeeBaby]

Our baby's christening is Saturday. She will be 3 months tomorrow and I am starting to get nervous about all of the people being around her and touching her. I am trying to come up with a tactful way to tell people that they will be asked to use hand sanitizer, because baby is so young and not to get offended. I was thinking of saying something about flu season starting and her not having all of her shots. not that they are related, but the average person probably won't figure it out, lol. Please help. TIA!

[mykidsmom]

from one germaphobe to another....

I might blame the doctor and say the doctor told you not to let the baby be passed around due to her young age and the risk of getting sick. I think I used that excuse in the past when my dd was a baby.

[JTsMom]

Ditto- blame the doctor. "Yes, I know it's silly, but the doctor INSISTS b/c of flu season."

[motherofone]

A few years ago I went to a christening and at the beginning of the ceremony the pastor said something to the effect of -"before we handle this precious gift from god, we will handle this blessed bottle of purell." He said it in a lighthearted but straightforward way. I've never been to that church before so I don't know if this is standard or something the parents requested. Nobody seemed miffed when the bottle of purell went around the gathering.

[KpbS]

You could slip on a pair of baby mittens not during the ceremony itself or for pictures but afterwards for all of the oooing and awing. It drives me crazy when people go straight for baby's hands.

[ZeeBaby]

Thanks for the suggestions. Blaming the doc is a great idea! I will probaby have the mittens too, lol.

[elephantmeg]

in reality any fever in a very young infant is an almost certain torture session of cultures and a 48 hour hospital stay. At 3 months you are almost out of it but you can always drag that piece of info out :) Purell is truely blessed :)

[C99]

Are you kidding? If a relative asked me to use hand sanitizer before I touched his or her child, I'd skip touching the child. I'd also be a little miffed. Unless you or your child is immuno-compromised, there's simply no reason to assume that anyone who would attend your baby's baptism isn't practicing good hygiene. As far as communicable diseases go... IME, all kids get them at one point or another and it's far easier to have a 3-month-old with a 2-day cold than a 3-year-old with a 5-day cold -- it's easier to treat, the child complains less, and it is generally shorter lived.

[Wife_and_mommy]

Are you kidding? If a relative asked me to use hand sanitizer before I touched his or her child, I'd skip touching the child. I'd also be a little miffed. Unless you or your child is immuno-compromised, there's simply no reason to assume that anyone who would attend your baby's baptism isn't practicing good hygiene. As far as communicable diseases go... IME, all kids get them at one point or another and it's far easier to have a 3-month-old with a 2-day cold than a 3-year-old with a 5-day cold -- it's easier to treat, the child complains less, and it is generally shorter lived.


I agree with you but to each her own, you know?

I have a cousin who had everyone washing to hold her newborn(understandably so)"because she wasn't being vaccinated". It didn't dawn on me until I had #2 that no newborn is fully vaccinated.....

OP, I don't think it's rude to ask people to wash their hands before handling baby.

[elliput]

OP, I don't think it's rude to ask people to wash their hands before handling baby.

Washing hands with soap and water is one thing. Using Purell is another. Take a look at the ingredients in Purell- it is full of petroleum products- ethanol (62%), isopropyl alcohol, glycerin, carbomer, fragrance, aminomethyl propanol, propylene glycol, isopropyl myristate, and tocopheryl acetate.

[C99]

in reality any fever in a very young infant is an almost certain torture session of cultures and a 48 hour hospital stay.

This is not true. DS1 (a preemie) ran a fever at 2 months and DD ran a fever at 6 weeks, Our ped called in an appointment for DS1 at urgent care; no cultures for him - he was diagnosed w/ a random virus and sent home w/ Tylenol. DD had to have a cath and a blood draw, but diagnosed w/ a random virus and sent home w/ Tylenol. The folks at Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago told me that they only admit babies under 6 weeks w/ fevers as a first line of action.

[traciann]

There is no tactful way to ask someone to use sanitizer before they touch a three month old. I generally wash my hands when holding a newborn, but like a pp would be miffed if someone told me to do the same for a 3 month old. Seriously if you are that worried, I wouldn't have a party.

[MarisaSF]

As Erica pointed out, Purell is all sorts of yuck.

I would use CleanWell or another alcohol-free sanitizer/cleaner. You could pass around disposable baby wipes, even.

I'm a germaphobe too. That said, I'd probably skip the hand cleaning if I were brave enough to have the party to begin with. At 3 months, your kid is rolling on the floor, has had things in her mouth, etc. Just clean her hands afterwards.

[caleymama]

I'd probably skip the hand cleaning if I were brave enough to have the party to begin with. At 3 months, your kid is rolling on the floor, has had things in her mouth, etc. Just clean her hands afterwards.

That's pretty much what I was thinking too.

[gatorsmom]

I'm a germophobe too but at a party celebrating the baby, I think you are just going to have to suck it up and let people hold her. If you ask them to use hand sanitizer, your guests might be insulted.

I'm a fanatic about germs but last Christmas when my preemies were 6 weeks old (so adjusted age of 3 weeks), i let my relatives hold the babies. It was a special moment because I don't see these relatives too often. I put mittens on the babies and they let them get passed around and just bit my tongue. As it turned out, the babies were fine- no colds and the relatives were thrilled.

hope the christening turns out beautifully!

[psophia17]

Washing hands with soap and water is one thing. Using Purell is another. Take a look at the ingredients in Purell- it is full of petroleum products- ethanol (62%), isopropyl alcohol, glycerin, carbomer, fragrance, aminomethyl propanol, propylene glycol, isopropyl myristate, and tocopheryl acetate.

This is probably why the skin on my hands literally blisters and flakes off after I have used hand sanitizer. So I don't use it. For that matter, most "soaps" you find in stores are officially detergents, and do the same thing. What about giving favors of handmade soaps, made with all natural ingredients? People would get the hint, and if you have guests with sensitive skin who cringe at the thought of using what passes for soap these days, they will be extra appreciative.

[psophia17]

I would use CleanWell or another alcohol-free sanitizer/cleaner. You could pass around disposable baby wipes, even.

What's in CleanWell that sanitizes?

[MarisaSF]

What's in CleanWell that sanitizes?

Thyme oil, I believe.

[crayonblue]

Are you kidding? If a relative asked me to use hand sanitizer before I touched his or her child, I'd skip touching the child. I'd also be a little miffed. Unless you or your child is immuno-compromised, there's simply no reason to assume that anyone who would attend your baby's baptism isn't practicing good hygiene. As far as communicable diseases go... IME, all kids get them at one point or another and it's far easier to have a 3-month-old with a 2-day cold than a 3-year-old with a 5-day cold -- it's easier to treat, the child complains less, and it is generally shorter lived.

I agree with this. At one day old, sure, ask people to wash their hands. By three months old (unless they are immuno-compromised), I wouldn't worry.

[motherofone]

I can't believe people would be offended by the request of a mom (perhaps a first-time new mom.) It is her baby and she sets the rules- reasonable or ridiculous.

[schums]

I understand that she sets the rules, but to have a party FOR the baby and then be unhappy/stressed that people will want to actually *hold* the baby is kind of crazy. If you don't want people to interact with the baby, don't have a big party.

[elephantmeg]

Are you kidding? If a relative asked me to use hand sanitizer before I touched his or her child, I'd skip touching the child. I'd also be a little miffed. Unless you or your child is immuno-compromised, there's simply no reason to assume that anyone who would attend your baby's baptism isn't practicing good hygiene. As far as communicable diseases go... IME, all kids get them at one point or another and it's far easier to have a 3-month-old with a 2-day cold than a 3-year-old with a 5-day cold -- it's easier to treat, the child complains less, and it is generally shorter lived.

actually in my experience a 3 month old has much smaller air passages (nasal and throat) and a bad cold in an infant can require hospitalization and oxygen. But just MHO

[Edensmum]

Are you kidding? If a relative asked me to use hand sanitizer before I touched his or her child, I'd skip touching the child. I'd also be a little miffed. Unless you or your child is immuno-compromised, there's simply no reason to assume that anyone who would attend your baby's baptism isn't practicing good hygiene. As far as communicable diseases go... IME, all kids get them at one point or another and it's far easier to have a 3-month-old with a 2-day cold than a 3-year-old with a 5-day cold -- it's easier to treat, the child complains less, and it is generally shorter lived.

Wow, I think your reaction is way more over the top than a request to wash your hands before touching a baby. Hands are dirty regardless of your hygiene. Just touching the door to come into the church or leaving the bathroom can spread disease. So why would you have an issue with someone trying to protect their small infant from the germs that spread so easily? I'd be miffed if a relative had so little care for my child and desires for them.

[C99]

Wow, I think your reaction is way more over the top than a request to wash your hands before touching a baby. Hands are dirty regardless of your hygiene. Just touching the door to come into the church or leaving the bathroom can spread disease. So why would you have an issue with someone trying to protect their small infant from the germs that spread so easily? I'd be miffed if a relative had so little care for my child and desires for them.

It's a good thing we're not related!

Germs are everywhere. Contrary to latent CW, they are actually good for us. A doctor friend told me that if she had kids, she'd feed them a spoonful of dirt every day to boost their immune systems! Human touch is good for babies as well. We're not talking about a newborn here, but a 3-month-old. People will be breathing on the baby too. Is there a polite way to ask people to wear facial masks to prevent that from happening?!?

[ZeeBaby]

Anyway, thanks to those that came up with some helpful suggestions. I went with putting gloves on the baby and having the purell on the table. Thankfully no one was sick or coughing and it was a beautiful ceremony and reception.

[Wife_and_mommy]

Anyway, thanks to those that came up with some helpful suggestions. I went with putting gloves on the baby and having the purell on the table. Thankfully no one was sick or coughing and it was a beautiful ceremony and reception.

Glad to hear all went well and it was a good time. :)

[cheaperthanmost]

You could slip on a pair of baby mittens not during the ceremony itself or for pictures but afterwards for all of the oooing and awing. It drives me crazy when people go straight for baby's hands.
Your idea is wonderful. You are right that people do go straight to the hands to touch.