Should People Wash Their Hands Before Holding A Newborn?
Newborns are extremely susceptible to germs. Their immunity system is not yet well developed and hence they can be vulnerable to germs coming from any minute source. One of the most common sources is the hands of people who try to hold the newborns. Hence it is no doubt a very good practice to ask the visitors to wash their hands before they hold the baby. That way, the chances of the baby catching any unwanted illness are limited.
But Asking People To Wash Their Hands Is Rarely That Easy.
Parents often worry about coming across as rude. Most people gladly comply with this request and wash their hands before holding the infant. Still, there are always some who keep on insisting that they are not sick and hence, there is no need to wash hands. Some even argue that exposing the child to a few germs is good for the child as it makes the child tough! In such cases, the parents need to be patient and keep on gently insisting them to wash hands as it’s their child’s health which will be at stake.
It is mandatory to ask anyone who holds the baby to wash their hands. Anyone who is showing any sign of illness or ones who have come in from a day’s work; all are eligible to wash hands. At times some people might not show any external sign of sickness or dirt. That doesn’t guarantee that they are devoid of germs. They may have come in contact with someone else who is ill and hence may be carrying that virus. Some viruses are known to live up to 8 hours outside the body. Thus, to be on the safe side, it is god to make a rule that everyone who holds the baby, including the parents, should wash their hands.
Now the question comes how to ask people to wash their hands without being labeled rude. The best way to do it is politely asking the visitors to wash their hands. Most people respect the wishes of the parents and comply with them. Some parents even put the older siblings in charge of it, as most of the people wouldn’t mind it if the request came from another child. Another innovative way of asking people to wash their hands is buying certain types of baby clothes which have phrases like “wash your hands before touching me” printed on them. These generally induce laughter among the visitors and they most willingly go and wash their hands.
The bottom-line is asking the visitors to wash their hands before holding the baby is a must. It is neither rude nor a sign of being paranoid. The parents have a right to being assertive about it as it is their infant’s health which will be at stake.
