Washing your hands protects babies from illness

Babies' immune systems are not yet fully developed. It is therefore particularly important that adults protect the little ones from germs. Washing hands is of great importance here. This alone is a very effective protective measure for the baby.

It's wonderful to come home with your newborn! It's a special moment that heralds the start of a new family life - and a special beginning that the Postpartum marked. Many parents have carefully prepared for this time, perhaps preparing a nursery, certainly creating a nappy-changing area, sorting out baby's cute little shirts, shirts and rompers, possibly also cooking meals for themselves and sprucing up the flat. Everything is neat and tidy. In future, however, No. 1 of the Hygiene rules in the baby household: Wash your hands regularly! This sounds banal, but unfortunately it is not always a matter of course for some.

Washing your baby's hands properly

If you gave birth in a maternity clinic, you will most likely have used not only soap, but above all disinfectant during your stay. This is understandable, as there are many sick people in hospitals, so this measure is also sensible for the safety of your little one. 

Unless you have an infection, I don't think it's necessary to sanitise your hands after washing them at home. In any case, soap should be your main personal hand hygiene tool. Since the coronavirus pandemic at the latest, we know not only how important this protective measure is, but also how it works properly: 

- Moisten hands under running water, then lather sufficiently

- Wash carefully for 20 to 30 seconds: the palms and back of the hands as well as each individual finger including the thumb (inside and outside, spaces between the fingers, fingertips and nails). 

- Rinse well and then dry thoroughly with a clean towel, also between the fingers

It is good that this hand hygiene has become (almost) normal for most people, also and especially to protect the baby. A newborn baby comes with a certain amount of Nest protection which it receives from the mother in the third trimester of pregnancy. However, this basic immunity only relates to pathogens against which the mother herself has antibodies (as a result of a vaccination or a past infection). She can only transfer these antibodies to the child. This leaves a whole range of germs, viruses and bacteria to which the baby would be defenceless. So please don't bring them in. The best way to prevent this is to wash your hands!

And even when the baby has become a toddler who is already crawling around lively or even discovering the world on its own two legs, hand hygiene remains important for adults.

This can also be seen when looking at the hand basin in the bathroom and toilet: in many households with children, soap plays the main role when washing hands. When is this particularly important for parents? For example

• always before breastfeeding
• always before and after preparing food/meals 
• always before and after nappy changes
• always before the meal
• Whenever you come home, no matter where from
• always after every visit to the toilet
• always after contact with foreign animals, animal feed or animal waste
• always after coughing/sneezing into your hand or blowing your nose 
• always after housework (cleaning/vacuuming the home, also after using cleaning agents or washing-up liquid)
• always before (and depending on the form of administration also after) the use of medication
• always before bathing/creaming/oiling/caring for the baby
• always after contact with or medical treatment of sick family members

It's clear - the younger your child is, the more important hygiene rule no. 1 is. And this doesn't just apply to you parents, but also to your children. Guests should adhere to this. 

My tip: So don't be afraid to ask your visitor to wash their hands immediately after greeting you if they don't do it automatically. This won't offend anyone, but simply emphasises how important it is to you to protect your child. And also make sure that there are always fresh towels hanging by the hand basins. You can label those for guests with a small labelled sticky strip on the tiles, for example.

Which soap is good for washing hands? 

Always use soap to clean your hands. This is available in solid or liquid form, both types can be made from natural raw materials or synthetically.

Solid and liquid soaps, which are "real" soaps, are based on vegetable or animal fats, (unfortunately) often have strong fragrances and are usually Alkaline With a pH value of at least 8, the soap can kill viruses, bacteria and the like, but it can also attack the skin's protective acid mantle. This is the natural film of water, lipids, enzymes, horny cells, sebum and sweat. On the surface of the skin, it has a pH value at a slightly acidic level of around 4.5 to 5.7. If important components of the soap are removed from the skin through very frequent washing, it can become more susceptible to germs and other harmful substances. The higher the pH value of the soap, the greater the risk. Nevertheless, alkaline soaps can hardly harm healthy, robust skin, as it regulates its pH value itself within a short time after washing your hands.

Sensitive, dry or damaged skin, on the other hand, can be shaken more quickly by identity crises. This is why the people affected prefer to wash their hands with gentler soap-free and, if possible, fragrance-free products. These are so-called syndets (composed of "synthetic detergents"). These soaps are different and are usually offered as liquid emulsions. Although they consist of artificial detergent substances, i.e. they are not "real" soap, they are also referred to as Liquid soap. Such synthetic skin cleansing products are often advertised with the words "pH 5" or "pH neutral", because they do indeed adapt well to the pH value of human skin. They also cleanse thoroughly. But be careful: they can also sometimes contain substances that are harmful to the skin on your hands, as the label indicates. Öko-Test there.

Wash baby and children's hands properly

What applies to adults also applies to small children: hands, which come into contact with all sorts of things, are the most common transmission route for pathogens. This is because they come into contact with bacteria that are "hanging around" on objects, door handles or surfaces, for example, as well as with the body's own mucous membranes in the mouth, nose and eyes. Under certain circumstances, a smear infection can happen very quickly. 

But of course not all bacteria are harmful, on the contrary: many also live in the human body and even have very important functions there; they help us with digestion, for example, or protect our skin or ward off germs in other ways. In short: everyone needs "good" bacteria - we can largely ward off harmful bacteria by washing our hands. 

Now the question naturally arises: When and how should you start washing your baby's or toddler's hands? 

For young infants, things are still simple: in the morning and evening, and as required also the little hands carefully washed with a fresh flannel and lukewarm water (without soap products). If your baby is a little older, you can also clean their hands before they nibble on a biscuit or piece of bread, for example. In this way, the child slowly gets used to the rule: Don't forget to wash your hands before eating! If the child is already sitting in their highchair at the family table and eating, the same rule applies as for everyone else: wash your hands before (and often after) eating. 

Many parents are concerned about hygiene because little ones start to touch and put everything in their mouths at a very early age. Nevertheless, you shouldn't overdo it with your little one's hand hygiene. And certainly don't stop his habit of exploring the world with his mouth. On the other hand, you can find out how to deal with objects that your child plays with here. here read.

Then the child reaches crawling age - and the worries of many parents increase. Many now keep a watchful eye to ensure that the baby doesn't constantly bring its dirty fingers to its mouth, let alone pick up all sorts of things or even test them for flavour and consistency: Mum's mobile phone and dad's slippers, the cord from the hairdryer, the pebble outside, the sand in the playground. 

But with the best will in the world: You will hardly be able to avoid most of it. And that wouldn't even be advisable, because you don't want to disturb your baby's natural curiosity. Of course, a crawling child can't "nibble" on everything it comes across. But touching and feeling should be allowed as long as it doesn't endanger the child. Then the little hands are cleaned more often than before. A suitable wet wipe can also be used when travelling and a mild washing lotion at home - an exciting experience for a child in the second half of their first year of life when their little hands foam up so nicely between their big hands.

In this way, you will gradually introduce your personal hygiene rule no. 1 into your child's life in an age-appropriate way: Wash hands

• always before the meal
• whenever it comes home (from an outing or walk, from the daycare centre, childminders, grandparents, friends) 
• always before it touches food
• always after contact with other animals
• etc

It will be all the easier for the child if you as parents are a good role model. Then they will quickly take your behaviour for granted. You can also explain the reasons for this to slightly older children, for example like this: Even the first teeth are prettily cleaned to drive away "Karius & Baktus". There's no room for error. And the little hands are washed so that "Drecki & Bazilli" don't stand a chance. What's more, toddlers really enjoy handling water - and later also (mild) soap. Especially when they are able to wash their hands on their own at some point! Maybe even with their own fun, colourful soap?  

My tip: The 20 to 30 second rule for washing hands should also be established with your child as early as possible. If you use soap for this, you should use a nourishing, soap-free wash lotion for your child that does not contain perfume. With the Children's soap it is important that it is also suitable for children at risk of allergies.

To bridge the hand-washing time, there are lovely rhymes that children enjoy. A picture book can promote children's understanding and provide an opportunity for small conversations. For example the cardboard book "Eyes, stomach and hands: My first body book" (from 18 months) with short rhymes from the "ministeps" series from Ravensburger Verlag. For slightly older children, later small hourglassesas they are also used for tooth brushing time.