LilSugar

Mommy Dearest: Require Baby Handlers to Wash Their Hands?

LilSugar — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 09:00:53 -0700

Mommy Dearest,

I am six-months pregnant with my first baby and I'm a wary of germs. I saw the poll you posted on people washing their hands before they hold babies and decided I want to require my baby's visitors to do so once she arrives. Is that realistic?

- Clean Hands to Hold My Baby

To read the response from Mommy Dearest, read more.

Clean Hands to Hold My Baby,

As a new mom you should feel comfortable stating your expectations when it comes to people handling your new bundle of joy. I'm sure your friends and relatives will be happy to abide by your request. The results of our poll showed that 57 percent of lilsugar readers already take it upon themselves to rinse so I don't think politely asking those who don't to wash up is out of the ordinary.

- Mommy Dearest

Submit a question for this feature at the Mommy Dearest Group on TeamSugar.
Source

Do You Wash Your Hands Before Holding Babies?

LilSugar — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 08:00:09 -0700

Having grown up in a big extended family, it's become second nature to me to wash my hands before holding a baby. When my daughter was born, my husband was amazed that each and every one of my relatives stopped by the sink in our hospital room or apartment to scrub their hands before unleashing their excitement and laying their hands on our infant.

Do you abide by this practice?
Source

Lil Links: Mom Was Right, Wash Hands to Keep Germs Away

LilSugar — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 11:00:03 -0800

Mom was right, wash hands to keep germs away - Heath
Kate Winslet's hubby, Sam Mendes says fatherhood set him free - Celebrity Baby Blog
Kingston plays with the paps - Celebrity Baby Scoop
Capture the moment photo contest! - Fit Pregnancy
Hello Barack Obama, goodbye abstinence - Parent Dish
Are you a Facebook fan? - Momversation
Nice guy award: Quaker Oats - Alpha Mom
No escape mittens - CafeMom

Tell Mommy: Handwash or Dishwash?

babysugar — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 14:00:50 -0800

Way back when, mothers had no choice but to wash their baby's bottles by hand. Possibly one of the world's greatest inventions, the dishwasher has brought pleasure and ease to many a mommy's life. One area where it may not be so handy? Baby bottles.

Moms who rely on bottles, plastic ones specifically, spend hours hunched over a sink scrubbing the milk out of the nooks and crannies of nipples, lids, and bottles hoping to keep any potential chemicals from leaching into their child's body. Aware of hazards that plastic bottles often warrant, I use BPA-free bottles but still opt to use the dishwasher. Throwing caution to the wind, I pray that Cascade and a quick rinse of water do just the same, if not a better job of protecting my wee one than scrubbing with a sponge and soap.

What's your cleaning regimen?

Source

Teach Proper Hygiene With a Few Laughs Along the Way

LilSugar — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 04:00:25 -0700

Schools have added lessons in flu prevention as students packed into classrooms and close quarters spread their germs. Even Elmo and a host of doctors and officials are touting the benefits of proper hand washing. For parents looking for some support in their health and hygiene lessons, several books break the situation down to preschool and toddler levels. The new Felicity Floo Visits the Zoo ($11) tells the tale of a little girl who infects all of the animals in the zoo with a virus when she wipes her runny nose with her hand instead of a tissue. The silly tale reinforces current personal hygiene practices without preaching to its audience. For additional literary picks, check out our selections.

Sick Days Are Not For Moms

LilSugar — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 12:00:07 -0700

Do moms ever have downtime - even when they are sick? That's what a pregnant colleague wondered when her son recently came down with an ear infection and a nasty case of pink eye. She rented him movies, set up art projects, and occupied her tot to keep him happy. At the same time, she was diligent about keeping her hands washed, the toys sanitized, and the pillowcases clean.

After a night of trying to comfort the preschooler to sleep, she woke up with crusty eyes and realized that the pesky germs must have passed through his falling tears. Instead of staying in bed and watching Lifetime movies all day like she wanted to, her "sick day" consisted of entertaining her on-the-mend son and having to ignore her own condition.

Delilicious: After School Snacks That Won't Spoil Dinner

LilSugar — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 12:00:34 -0700

Breakfast was a brain-stimulating balance of eggs, fruit and whole-grain cereal, their lunch bags may have been filled with sandwiches cut into fun shapes. But once the children walk in the door from school, all they can think about is their growling stomachs.

Satisfy your hungry students with after-school snacks that provide nourishment without killing their dinner appetite. Skip the cartoon character decorated, pre-packaged snacks and give them something inspiring. The key to keeping it healthy and exciting is having fresh ingredients on hand – be it leftovers or an assortment of fruit and vegetables that are already washed, cut and ready to go. Try some of these ideas.

Ants on a Log mixes protein and vegetables and look fun on a plate.
A brown paper bag filled with air popped corn is healthy and reminiscent of a trip to the theater.
Left over sloppy joes can be added to small whole wheat rolls for some fun-to-eat sliders.
Rachael Ray's Banana-sicles are as fun to make, as they are to eat.
Homemade smoothies can be made with frozen fruit, making them a perfect treat year round.
Open the freezer and have your children munch on frozen grapes or yogurt tubes.

What is your child's favorite after-school snack?

Do You Steal Beauty Products From Your Baby?

LilSugar — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 08:00:27 -0700

Our girl Bella may not have a baby, but that doesn't stop her from buying goodies from the kiddie aisle. She says it saves her a couple of bucks on beauty treatments, but lots of moms are guilty of borrowing an item or two from their tots. Baby wipes are great stain removers, mild detergents work wonders on hand wash adult apparel and calendula cream cures even mommy's skin issues. Tell us from gummy vitamins to fuel a tired parent to fine tooth combs for the perfect part, what do you use from your child's closet or medicine cabinet?

5 Good Reasons to Wash Wee Hands

babysugar — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 16:00:00 -0700

Germs, germs, everywhere and not a tot got sick. Kids who have good manners and hygiene know that washing hands is not just a polite thing to do, it is a healthy act, too. While many children learn to lather up after a trip to the potty or prior to a meal, it is important to educate young pupils on the preventative measures that a good sudsing provides. Youngsters can help avoid these five common illnesses by keeping their mitts clean.

View Slideshow ›

What Do You Do With Your Old Goodies?

babysugar — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 15:00:38 -0700

There's no denying that a wee one brings a lot of baggage to a parent's life. And by baggage, I mean boxes of clothes that children outgrow at record pace. Moms hoping for large families usually pack the stuff up and store them for future use. Others wash, fold, and hand them off to other expectant family members or friends to use for their tots. Philanthropic mamas donate the tiny wares to Goodwill or other outlets. Still some make a few bucks back by selling their goods through mother's groups, eBay, or Craigslist. What do you do with your child's wardrobe items when they have outgrown them?