Do you ever stop being a germaphobe???

Chiefsmom · #1 (**permalink**) 09-14-2005, 03:11 PM

OK, not sure if I'm being overly paranoid here or not

. Kieran and I were at the library yesterday, and they have some really cool baby toys there. I gave him a plush one to play with, and the first thing he did is stick it in his mouth!

Of course, I took it away immediately, but its such a shame that these toys are there, and I nervous about him playing with them. My DH is a SERIOUS germaphobe and I don't know whether its just rubbing off on me!

Do you ever stop worrying about stuff like that and just relax??

He starts daycare next month

, and I know all of those toys with be going straight into his mouth, as well as the mouths of all the other babies.

Cindy

Kara · #2 (**permalink**) 09-14-2005, 05:59 PM

I still worry about plush stuff..but the plastic stuff I don't worry about. I've convinced myself that they wash the plastic stuff regularly or I wipe it down with a wetnap or something. I could care less about dirt, grass or other outside things though. Whenever we are at the park Woody ends up shoving a handful of dirt or grass in his mouth and at first I was worried and would rinse out his mouth..but no matter how hard I fight him he's going to do it..so I don't worry. I think it gets easier the older they get. I hope.

AussieJenn · #3 (**permalink**) 09-14-2005, 08:41 PM

For those of us that do worry about germs, I don't think we ever will grow out of it, though perhaps we will relax somewhat as our kiddies grow older.

I agree with Kara, I don't worry about the outdoors "natural" stuff like dirt and leaves (except stones for the choking factor!), but do worry about toys in places like the waiting room of the doctor's office. But I'm the opposite, it's the plastic stuff I worry the most about. Sometimes I wipe the toys Mason selects with a babywipe....and then again after he has finished playing with it - in case he passes on his germs. mind you I don't think the wipes are anti-bacterial, but it makes me feel a bit better). In my mind is always that most kids are in the waiting room waiting to see a doctor coz they are sick - GERMS!!!

I don't want to be seen as an overly protective mum, but hey, who else is going to worry about my son?! Things a getting a bit better with Mason as now he is 20 months not much goes into his mouth. I've started wiping/washing his hands before he eats anything, just in case!

I wonder whether it's just normal worrying of a mother, or if because we struggled so hard to have our children, we worry a little bit more than others?????

1plustriplets · #4 (**permalink**) 09-15-2005, 05:58 PM

I constantly worry about germs since my triplets were preemies and a cold could turn into RSV and kill them. They are almost three and I have relaxed a little, but now that rsv season is around again, we will be back to enforcing the hand washer rule as you walk in the house and no sick visitors.

Chrissy

KerriM · #5 (**permalink**) 09-18-2005, 03:54 PM

I wasn't like this before Annabella, but have become a germ nut too! I work in an elementary school and am so worried about bringing a germ home...hahahah, I want so badly to take her to gymboree or kindermusik, but am afraid of germs. I think our friends are mad at us b.c I don't take her there b/c they are 3 boys...4 years and twins 2 1/2 who are always sick!

MendelZ · #6 (**permalink**) 09-18-2005, 06:54 PM

Having witnessed my DS suck on another baby's nose at day care (that was an OMG moment!), I'm pretty much resigned to figuring that he's just going to get constantly sick during his first few years of life. If he'd been a preemie or had any underlying conditions that would make it harder for him to fight illnesses I'd be much more worried, but at this point it really doesn't bother me to see Jacob sharing toys with other kids. Toys at the doctor's office or that he found somewhere would be another matter (we take our own toys to the Dr's office). And I worry more about plush toys than plastic. I actually worry more when we have play dates with friends whose babies aren't in day care, because I fear that they will catch something from Jacob since they aren't being exposed to the "swamp of pathogens" at day care.

Karen