Did you expose your first baby to lots of germs/dirt?

Question

I’ve heard that parents are super clean and germ-averse with their first babies, and then the second is totally different. They relax and have a whole new set of rules and expectations. 
For example, for the first baby, floors are cleaned daily and teething toys are cleaned every time they hit the floor. For the second baby, floors are cleaned much less frequently and the baby puts everything in their mouth without a second thought from the parents. 😜

Accepted Answer

I was definitely not a clean freak with my first. Lol. 
Oh you dropped your paci? Brush it off and give it back.
Oh food fell on the floor? 5 second rule
Children need to be exposed, that’s how they build their immune systems. You can’t put them in a bubble.

Answer

Cleaning toys when they hit the floor?! Heck no, who has time for that? I check that it's not covered in cat fur (since my baby is 4 months) but that's it. Same vacuuming routine as before baby. Dirt doesn't really worry me; virus from PEOPLE does.

Answer

I didn’t rub my baby in dirt but I also was not afraid of germs. Our house is clean, but I didn’t change my habits for our first and don’t plan to for my second. We had no issue going out after my son was born as he was a very healthy baby. We will do the same with this baby. I’m a teacher and accepted germs are a large part of life years ago. He’s 2.5 now and we’ve only had to take him to the doctors once since he turned one other than wellness check ups. We went once in that time but it was due to teething kicking his butt. He was only breast fed along with formula as a supplement for the first 6 weeks so I don’t think it’s so much that but just not being shielded from everything. Even when he started daycare at 2, he never got sick.

Answer

Mine has gotten lots of dirt and stuff at home. I can’t keep him out of stuff. Out in public was and is a different story. I didn’t let people even touch him for a long time. I still don’t let people kiss him and he’s 17 months. I just don’t want their mouths on him. I don’t understand why people think it’s ok to kiss someone’s baby just because it’s a baby. If he drops his paci or cup when we are out it gets cleaned before he gets it back. He doesn’t sit in the buggies at the store. If I can’t get my shopping done with just his stroller he doesn’t go in at all. I wait until I can leave him home with husband. He’s actually never been inside Walmart. I do Walmart pick ups a lot.

Answer

Our son hasn’t had so much as a runny nose since he was 3 months old. We only rinse off the paci if it gets visible dirt/dog hair at home and if we’re out in a public place and falls on the floor. We let him him put (safe) objects in his mouth and crawl around on the floor. Babies need to be exposed dirt and germs to develop their immune system. We also give him probiotics to help develop healthy gut bacteria. He’s our first child.

Answer

Mine literally eats dirt and sand 😬 😪 that tell you enough?

Answer

I have 2, they’ve both been exposed to the same level of dirt. I’m a less-than-stellar cleaner and they go to daycare so there was no shortage of germs for either of them.

Answer

Both my kids were in daycare starting as infants. So that should answer your question 🤣.
Really though it was hard at first bc they always got sick but now they never get sick. Exposure to germs is important to build immunity

Answer

Dust and dirt can contain botulism spores just like honey.  I’m on my third and am still wary of that, especially after getting ringworm last summer either from gardening or working in the animal shelter, I had no idea you could get it from dirt.  So I’m careful.  He’s 9 months old though and crawling all over so it’s difficult to be careful outside now 😂

Did you expose your first baby to lots of germs/dirt?

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