Kissing grandchildren?

The baby in the OP is 5 months old.

Lol herpies

But not 2 million germs in a quick transferral

Your toilet seat has less germs than your mouth

Also harpies doesn't live in the carpet

Sometimes, what we think is the best, is actually not- and we may have to re-think.

''Parents often believe that the environment that their children live in should be as clean as possible. However in order for a child’s immune system to develop, it needs to be exposed to germs. When a child is in the womb, it is protected by its mother’s immune system. When children are born, they have to develop their own immune system. This is done through exposure to germs so that we can educate our immune system to recognise them. Research has shown that children who are raised in a very clean environment are actually more likely to develop hay fever, asthma and allergies; this is termed the ‘hygiene hypothesis’

Common sense evolves, when you know better

Not kissing babies is now common sense

The same way wearing seat belts is

I know, mental isn't it.

When the NHS advise not to kiss newborn babies and people think they know better. Crazy.

PoppyBlue

Yes and I guess that you did what you thought was best for your children?

Which is exactly what we are trying to do.

Having two of our grandchildren live with us straight from maternity hospital (currently 7 & 2 1/2) I am
Not a complete dinosaur with regards babies/childrens health and hygiene.

Sometimes common sense is the best way, it works in our family, but obviously not for all going by this thread.

Yes and I guess that you did what you thought was best for your children?

Which is exactly what we are trying to do.

This thread just could not be on any similar Forum in Italy or anywhere in the Med, lol.

It does make you wonder doesn't it GrannyGravy.

Reading this thread I am totally amazed our five children survived, as for the eight grandchildren, all being raised with cats, dogs and horses …

SO much easier. My eldest was in nursery when her sister was born and that's all we had to say and she understood because no, she doesn't want to make her sister poorly.

When our son came along they were both old enough to understand about immune systems and the fact that their brother didn't have one. They would come home from school, change their clothes, have a wash and then interact with their brother.

Toddlers, despite terrible 2s and 3a are easier to deal with than some adults, sadly

Yup poppyblue

maybe because they are not prejudiced, the toddlers are willing to accept the reasoning and follow instructions.

Lol!

*How do these super-anxious parents cope with a toddler or young child in the house alongside the newborn? How do you avoid the baby getting all the germs from the older child(ren)?
Or is this super anxiety only a first time thing?*

Oh the anxiety is still there, but because you've parented for 2/3 years you explain to a toddler not to kiss the baby because of germs, they usually listen and understand more than grown adults.

The amount of parents, mine included, thought they knew better because they had a child 30+ years ago is mental.

When I had my first 13 years ago, my mom knew better and got me in trouble with the health visitor when it came to making bottles up..the look she gave me when I said 'well my mom told me to do it this way' STILL makes me cringe to this day. I felt I was about 5!

the parents are following medical advice, so those who want to belittle them, maybe go tell the HCPs that they are OTT.

or 3, or 4, or nursery, or kindergarten, and school? No cats, no dogs ...

Then it doesn't need to be said that new mothers are anxious or I did x and it was fine and all my children survived...

That is just invalidating young mothers for simply trying to do what is best for their children on the advice of people who correlated data and looked for ways to avoid illness and death...

We are supposed to support our children so I will just do as asked and honestly won't think anything of it because my parenting journey has been a very long one and I have watched literally everything change between 1st and last.

Doesn't mean I should feel guilty that I did x and x is now not advised.

Certainly doesn't seem worth complaining that I can't kiss a baby when I can just adjust expectations. I don't want to put that baby at risk of a disease like herpies that I might unknowingly carry either.

Maybe when we are told new guidelines it is best to research them so we can understand why they are in place and just how much following them is actually a demonstration of love.

Nobody said to trample the parents choices. Nobody.

Some have allowed they did differently. I'm 77, we did as this couple, can't be too careful.

GP don't "bond" with GC, what's that about? Parents bond. I'd add that I doubt GC know anyone excepting parents until nearing a year and that's as it should be.

There's definitely a first time parent phenomenon. Not all 1st timers suffer from it, but some! My dil confessed to me when 2nd child reached about 3, that she was no longer afraid that children would die! She wasn't joking, and was a particularly anxious mother.

No one's suggesting that anyone trample over their AC's wishes. The OP has said on several occasions that she will adhere to the parents wishes about not kissing her GC.

I haven't seen anyone suggest that she go against the parents wishes. Some are simply saying that they find the parents decision OTT, that's all.

OK let's try this a different way

New parents are now given many guidelines on how to prevent risk of illness or death to babies and children.

New parents holding the most precious bundle they have ever seen will generally adhere to these guidelines.

Do you respect your adult child enough to also follow those guidelines ?

Or do you feel that you know best and can trample over your own child's wishes because you did x and it turned out fine?