Keeping illness away?

[Mama2Five]

OK so I'm having a really hard time understanding how we keep our baby protected from illnesses, especially in our own home.

We have five kids-14,10,5,4 and 8 weeks. The 5 and 4 year old are super affectionate with the baby; which is fine except this stinkin' cold keeps circling around. Right now the 5 year old has it. My question is, how on earth do I keep the baby germ free? In my last post, people suggested staying away from places where there are sick people. Does that include target(my favorite store in the world!)? Grocery store? Extracurricular classes?

We have a Disney world trip planned first week of December. Can we still go? It seemed hard but doable before we had to worry about cf--now I just don't know.

Thanks for any input.

 

[Jeannie85]

I know exactly how you feel. I am constantly worrying about germs even though I only have one baby. I worry when our friend's come over with their kids. I lyscol spray (spelling? ) and wash hands and use sanitizer all the time!!! I try to spray her toys a few times a week. I realize I can't prevent everything but I sure want to try. We go to the stores but I always wipe down the cart with sanitizing wipes! Yuck! I don't think there is much you can do except be conscious of it and still live life to the fullest. So definitely go to Disney!!!!!!!!

 

[Ratatosk]

Hand sanitizer frequently. I use it when I get in my car after shopping, I use it at work after I greet someone, sit down at my desk, when I drop ds off at daycare. Get the other kids in the habit. Ds asks for it before eating, after church, gymnastics.... Avoid touching hands to face. When ds was in the nicu and I got a cold, I wore a mask. Get flu shots. At the clinic avoid touching anything and use hand sanitizer. Don't let strangers touch your baby. Weird but a friend of mine said old people in the checkout lines were always trying to touch her baby's face. Ask people to stay away from events if sick. My mil was always reminding people not to come if sick. The just a cold excuse was used a few times when people showed at holidays with bronchitis. Avoid smoke. As for Disney, we've gone a few times. Frequent hand washing.

 

[Ratatosk]

Ds was a few months old when one of the worst cold and flu seasons hit. He got synagis shots once a month to prevent RSV, he got flu shots. I did shop, but kept him in his car seat carrier in the cart, ad well as at clinic. The only place I truly avoided was Santa, didn't want ds being held someone in a grimy suit that thousands of other kids had touched. Bleah!