Armed with this antimicrobial information you’ll minimize the exposure of your baby to household germs that can cause serious illness.

How Germs are Spread:

There are four ways that germs are spread from one place, or one person to another:

• Direct-Contact
• Indirect-Contact
• Airborne Contact
• Ingestion

Continue reading to learn how to protect your baby from each of these germ transfer methods.

To Protect Your Baby from Germs Transmitted by Direct-Contact:

Direct-contact is by far the most common way to spread germs. Direct-contact requires some form of touch – such as brushing the hand of someone who is sick.

Hand-Washing: The most important and effective way to avoid direct-contact germs is regular hand washing. Make it a rule that anyone who handles your baby, yourself included, must wash their hands for at least 30 seconds with soap and warm water before doing so.

Since they can’t do it for themselves, be sure to regularly wash your baby’s hands as well, to remove any germs they picked up throughout the day. Be extra diligent after feedings, and after diaper changes.

Anti-Microbial Wipes: If you are away from running water for an extended period of time, carry disinfecting wipes with you to sterilize your hands before handling your baby. Wipes are better than liquid hand-sanitizers. Wiping with fabric helps scrub any remaining dirt from your hands, in addition to disinfecting germs.

Pets: Direct-contact is not limited to people. Germs are also transported by pets and other animals. These germs can be transferred to humans through direct-contact via petting, licking, scratching or bites.

If you have a pet in your family, check your records to ensure that their shots are up to date. Keep your newborn distanced from the pet for at least 6 weeks, by which time a baby’s immune system is stronger.

Discourage dogs and other pets from licking the baby. Keep litter boxes clean and out of reach. If you have an exotic pet, be sure to inquire with your doctor about any health risks to your baby. Turtles, for example, can carry the Salmonella bacteria.

Stranger Danger: Babies – particularly newborn babies, are extremely vulnerable to illnesses brought about by dangerous microbes. For this reason many experts recommend that for the first 6 weeks (while their immune system develops) you limit your baby’s interactions with new people.

When you have a newborn they can quickly become the center of attention. Everyone wants to hold, kiss or play with them. It is in your baby’s best interest, however, to limit the number of people engaging in direct-contact.

Ask potential visitors to delay their visits for 6 weeks, by which point your baby’s immune system is less frail. If this feels rude you may be more comfortable telling your friends that this advice came from your doctor.

When new people will handle your infant, ask that they not touch or kiss your baby’s face. Their face is the area most vulnerable to germs since a baby is most easily infected through their mouth, nose and eyes.

Siblings and Other Children: School aged children can carry some serious germs home from school and it is important to your newborn that you keep these germs away.

Prior to engaging in direct-contact with your newborn, first ensure that the school aged child has bathed and changed from their school clothes, and then washed their hands again.

When bathing is not practical, be extra vigilant in ensuring that the child has thoroughly washed their hands.

Coughs and Sneezes: Encourage siblings and visiting children to cough and sneeze into the fold of their elbow as this blockage helps reduce airborne germs. It’s an easy and fun trick for kids to remember, and is the preferred method in many public schools.

To Protect Your Baby from Germs Transmitted by Indirect-Contact:

Indirect-Contact occurs by touching an item or surface (carpeting, doorknobs, dirty dishes, etc.) that is infected with germs. These tips will help reduce your baby’s indirect-contact with germs.

Shoes: Leave your shoes at the door. On any typical sidewalk you’ll find traces of urine and feces from various animals, residue from insecticides & cleaning products, food waste, saliva, sweat, and the decaying remains of various fauna.

Add to this microbial stew the germs you stepped on at the public restroom, or on the sewer grate, and you have a veritable army of germs eager to infect your floors, your carpet and eventually your baby.

Keep a pair of “indoor-only shoes” to change into when you get home. Ask guests to remove their shoes, keeping them in a designated area out of reach from your baby.

Anti-microbial wipes: These are very effective in removing germs from household objects such as toys, drawer or cabinet handles, phones, toilet handles and doorknobs.

Avoid disinfectant sprays. They may irritate your baby’s nose and throat. If you use a chemical disinfectant on an object your baby will later touch, be sure to rinse it with water after disinfecting.

Be extra vigilant in your wiping if you or a family member is ill or contagious.

Sterilize Bottles & Pacifiers: When purchasing new bottles, nipples or pacifiers, buy more than one, and choose models that are dishwasher safe. Before using a new bottle, nipple, or pacifier, boil it for five minutes.

Before each use, wash bottles and pacifiers in the dishwasher or use hot, soapy water with a cold rinse. If anything your baby would put in their mouth falls and touches the floor do not give it back to your baby without a new wash. Unfortunately when it comes to germs, the “five second rule” is simply untrue.

Textiles: Germs love to hide out on your fabrics, many of which – such as drapes, often go overlooked when it comes to cleaning time.

Lessen your cleaning time by getting rid of any heavy curtains or drapes and opting for hard wood floors instead of carpeting if possible. Area rugs are much easier to keep clean.

Wash your clothing, towels, tablecloths, curtains and any other common household textiles frequently. Always use  hot, soapy water (or with a disinfectant, like bleach) to prevent germ buildup.

Wash your baby’s laundry separately from the rest of your family. Without a disinfectant like bleach, soiled adult clothes such as underwear can transfer germs to your baby’s garments.

Once a week, after frequent use or after washing clothing from an ill family member, run a full cycle while the washer is empty. Use the hottest water setting and use bleach to disinfect the inside of the washer.

If there is a newborn in your home, be sure to check out our own Antibacterial Baby Products to see how they can help protect your baby from common infections.

Furniture: For disinfecting upholstered furniture, use a solution of tea-tree oil (a natural disinfectant) and water. Add 1 quart of water to a spray bottle, then add about 20 drops of tea tree oil.

Apply solution to a small and hidden area first, to ensure that the mixture will not damage your upholstery. If there is no adverse effect on the fabric the next day, you can safely spray the entirety of the furniture. Allow it to air dry by opening the windows.

Disinfect upholstered furniture at least once per month, more frequently if a family member is sick.

Food: Thoroughly wash counters, utensils, sinks and any others surfaces with soap and hot water after preparing meals to remove any microbes left behind from contaminated food – especially uncooked poultry.

To Protect Your Baby from Germs Transmitted by Airborne Contact:

Airborne contact occurs when germs are breathed in from the air. The air inside your house is likely much more polluted than the air outside.

We’ve all heard or used the expression, “stale air.” Indoors, the volume of air is limited and anytime you or your family talks, laughs, coughs, sneezes or flushes a toilet, new germs are expelled and subsequently trapped in the enclosed environment of your house.

Fresh Air: The best defense against airborne germs is fresh air and sunlight. By opening your home to fresh air you allow airborne germs to circulate, and eventually disperse, into the fresh new air.

By letting sunlight into your home you are tapping into earth’s natural disinfectant – the sun. High-intensity UV light, such as sunlight, kills many germs upon contact.

Vaccinations: There are vaccinations that help protect your baby from germs that are in the air. Be sure to keep up with your baby’s vaccination schedule as per your doctor.

To Protect Your Baby from Germs Transmitted by Ingestion:

Ingestion of germs occurs when contaminated food or beverages are eaten or imbibed.

Breastfeeding: Make sure to eat healthily if you are breastfeeding. Eating foods like vegetables, fruits and lean meats will boost your baby’s immunity via the antibodies passed along in your milk.

Unfinished Food: Be safe when dealing with unfinished formula, or jars of food – and always use newly-washed silverware for feedings.

A baby’s saliva backwashed into a bottle, or spittle left behind on uneaten food can promote bacterial contamination. If you wish to divide a portion for later use, do so before the feeding instead of after.

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Thanks for reading, and best wishes to you and your family!

Bye Bye Bacteria Corp.

Is your baby having trouble going to sleep? Does your baby frequently wake in the night? Here are our top ten tricks to help your baby sleep through the night:

01. Create a Bedtime Routine

By establishing a bedtime ritual as soon as possible, you are giving your baby something they need and crave. Predictability is inherently comforting to infants and they crave routine. The consistency of a daily bedtime ritual will relax your baby, increasing the likelihood that they’ll fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer – plus it’s a great bonding experience for parents!

Anything you do with regularity works for a bedtime ritual. The important part of the ritual is sticking to it – even when you’re away from home. Keeping the routine the same makes your baby more inclined to be comfortable in strange new places.

Try a combination of any 3 or more of these soothing activities, or come up with your own:

– Bath
– Pajamas
– Story
– Lullaby
– Kiss Goodnight
– Massage
– Feeding
– Rocking
– Soft Towel Wrap
– Sleeptime only Stuffed Animal

As much of your ritual as possible should take place in your baby’s sleep environment. Obviously, you can’t bathe them in their bedroom, but try to read a book, put on pajamas, or feed them their last bottle in their bedroom. This way, their crib or bassinet will feel less like a nighttime prison because they’ll associate their bedroom with good feelings. Take care to begin your ritual early enough in the evening that you don’t have to rush through it.

02. Reinforce a Specific Bedtime and Wake Time

Bedtime:

Experts say that by the time your baby is four weeks old, you should consider setting a bedtime and sticking with it. Babies have an internal clock that can be set by repetition. Keeping a specific bedtime will help acclimate your baby to a regular schedule, reinforce the concepts of daytime and nighttime, and most importantly, will assist them in falling asleep more quickly and easily.

The particular time that you choose for bedtime should complement your own schedule. It is not the time, but the regularity that matters most.

Wake Time:

Once you’ve set a bedtime, you should also wake your baby in the morning to help reinforce this internal clock (circadian rhythm). Both you and your infant will benefit from enforcing a regular wake/sleep schedule, supplemented by many naps during the day.

Like a bedtime routine, upon awakening you and your baby will benefit from the predictability of a regular morning routine. Consider the following – or find your own activities:

– Cuddling
– Feeding
– Reading
– Playing
– Bathing
– Walking
– Driving

03. Give Your Baby a Chance to Fall Asleep on their Own

It is important to a baby’s development that they learn to fall asleep of their own accord. One way to initiate this is to put your child into the crib or bassinet when they are sleepy, but not yet sleeping. Leave the room and let them fall asleep on their own. This way, there will be no dependence on you for them to fall asleep, and they will more easily return to sleep without waking you if they wake in the night.

04. Teach Your Baby the Difference Between Daytime and Nighttime

Like establishing bedtime and morning rituals, there are other effective methods of reinforcing the concepts of nighttime and daytime. Once a baby learns that nighttime is for sleeping, they will sleep more easily, so it is very important that they learn as soon as possible.

During the Day:

Light helps regulate babies’ circadian rhythm, so it is important to allow plenty of sunlight into the home, and to make sure that the home is otherwise bright and well lit. Daytime naps, unlike the nighttime sleep, should take place in a well-lit room.

During the day when your baby is not napping, interact with them as much as possible. Be playful and speak in regular voices compared to nighttime when you should begin hushing your voices to signal the ending day.

Experts say that babies can be encouraged to sleep more soundly at night if they are fed well and regularly throughout the day.

During the Night:

To encourage sleepiness at night, install dimmer switches into common rooms and the bedroom. Two hours before bedtime – perhaps at the start of the bedtime ritual, dim lights in any rooms where your baby will spend time.

If your child wakes in the night, be sure not to turn on lights, or bring your baby into a well-lit room. The light change will confuse them into thinking it’s time to wake and be active. Keep lights, noise and interaction low to keep your baby sleepy.

If your baby wakes before morning, check to see if early morning sunlight is the cause by installing drapes or dark shades.

05. Use “White Noise”, or Other Soothing Sounds

The sounds your baby heard in utero can be compared in volume to the combined noise from two hair dryers. This is to say that it is impractical and unnecessary to tiptoe around the house while your child sleeps. Instead, focus on finding a way to keep your baby sleeping through everyday sounds such as telephones, closing doors, televisions, car alarms, dogs barking, vacuuming, etc.

Monotonous or rhythmic noises are a great way to minimize the jarring effect of other more sudden noises. Better still, babies are often lulled to sleep by these repetitive sounds. Consider any of these options:

– Fan
– Humidifier
– Radio tuned to static “White Noise”
– Any disc or music device that plays “White Noise”, nature sounds, heartbeats, rain, crickets, etc.

06. Make Sure Your Baby’s Room is the Correct Temperature

The optimal temperature is different for every baby, but the recommended range is between 65 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. That said, if you find your infant’s feet or hands are cold to the touch – or if they are sweaty when they wake, you should adjust accordingly.  If you are using a fan for white noise, be sure that it does not blow directly onto your baby, and that their crib or bassinet is far from any windows.

In cold weather, you must overdress your baby, as blankets should not be used for infants under 1 year old, as the use of blankets, quilts and comforters has been linked with Sudden Infant death Syndrome (SIDS).

When pajamas are not warm enough, consider a swaddling blanket or a sleep sack. These are safe for babies, and offer additional warmth. Don’t jump to the conclusion that your baby dislikes being swaddled just because they struggle when being wrapped. Babies are not even aware of their arms and legs, and the containment of their limbs will actually help them feel more secure and sleep more easily.

Tip: If the crib or bassinet is cold to the touch, to avoid the jarring sensation of a cold sheet, consider using a hot-water pad to warm the babies’ sheets about 15 minutes prior to bedtime. Be sure to remove the pad before you lie the baby to sleep in their nice warm bed!

07. Use Appropriate Bedding in your Crib or Bassinet

Here are some tips to help you find the best baby bedding:

– Choose soft, breathable, and (most importantly) machine-washable fabric, like knit cotton, or flannel.

– In addition to the sheet already on your baby’s crib, have at least one extra crib sheet clean and ready to go at all times.

– Buy a fitted crib sheet with Velcro or elastic straps that attach under the mattress to keep the sheet taut. This will prevent bunching, which can be a smothering hazard to your baby.

– Use a plastic mattress cover on your baby’s mattress. It will reduce clean-up time by protecting the baby’s mattress from spills and messes.

– Purchase bedding separates instead of bedding sets. Many experts suspect that the blankets and crib bumper pads included in many bedding sets could be choking hazards.

Does your baby wake sweaty or clammy? The Bye Bye Bacteria brand of fitted sheets (found here) are made from pure silver yarn. This anti-microbial fabric also has natural thermal properties to help balance your baby’s body temperature! Learn More…

08. Quit Caffeine if you are Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding mothers should make an effort to avoid caffeine. Newborns are more susceptible to caffeine than adults, and experts say that a caffeinated drink can impact breast milk enough to affect a newborn for more than 80 hours!

09. Don’t Obsess Over the Baby Monitor

A baby monitor is an important tool for every parent, but when using one, avoid obsessing over normal nighttime noises. Everyone – babies and adults alike stirs and wakes briefly in the night. As adults we may not even remember because we’ve learned (from experience) to put ourselves back to sleep.

It is critical to your baby’s development for them to learn to get back to sleep on their own. By attending to your child each time they make a sound, you actually encourage them to wake more often. Instead of rushing into the room for every nighttime sound, wait a few minutes to allow them a chance to fall back asleep on their own.

10. Limit Nighttime Diaper Changes

While it can be difficult to resist the urge to regularly change your baby when they wake in the night, experts say you should let them continue sleeping whenever possible. The interaction will needlessly stimulate your infant, which combined with bedroom lights and being wiped with cold, wet towels can rouse your baby enough to make getting back to sleep difficult.

Instead, invest in quality nighttime diapers and change your baby only if their diaper is soiled. If you must wake your baby for a nighttime diaper change do not turn on unnecessary lights, don’t talk, and use a warm washcloth for wipes.
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To Recap:

01. Start a routine leading up to bedtime.
02. Establish a set bedtime and wake time to set your baby’s daily clock.
03. Encourage your child to fall asleep independently.
04. Teach your baby the difference between day and night.
05. Use “White Noise” and other soothing sounds.
06. Regulate the temperature in your baby’s room.
07. Use simple, soft, washable crib bedding.
08. Stop your caffeine intake (if you are breastfeeding).
09. Cut your tie to the baby monitor.
10. Relax the rules on changing diaper at night.

Hope this helps!  Bye Bye Bacteria welcomes your input – please let us know what you think of this article.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, these pink, brown, green or black fungal colonies grow indoors at 50 percent and greater humidity and temperatures above 40 degrees. People can experience harmful effects of mold and mildew when they inhale the airborne reproductive spores.

Itchy Eyes and Skin

In the presence of mold allergens, sensitive people may notice hay fever-type health effects in the eye area. MayoClinic.com notes that the body’s automatic release of histamines in response to mold or mildew irritants causes itching and burning. Patients may rub their eyes, which become watery and teary.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, histamines can induce further inflammation in patches of skin. Irritation, redness, itching and swelling can harm skin, especially where patients directly contact mold or mildew. This may happen while handling tainted foods, building materials or cloth items on which spores have settled.

Nasal and Bronchial Symptoms

Respiratory inflammation triggered by mildew and mold allergies attacks the nasal passages, as MayoClinic.com relates. Runny-nose symptoms may alternate with nasal and sinus congestion and postnasal drip. Cases brought on by severe mildew problems can cause sinusitis, a painful sinus condition that may take longer to resolve than the usual irritation and allergy symptoms.

Lengthy exposure or high levels of fungal allergens can extend inflammation to the throat and airways, generating coughing and wheezing as the lungs work harder to inhale and exhale. Health effects from isolated incidents may not recur in patients with low-level sensitivities. MayoClinic.com reports, however, that these symptoms can cause asthmatic persons with mold allergies to experience shortness of breath and potential respiratory emergencies. These symptoms can arise from any level of mold contact.

Infection and Illness

Mildew problems pose especially harmful risks to patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or other conditions that suppress immune system function. As the Merck Manuals Online Medical Library notes, fungal spores can invade the lungs and begin to grow, causing symptoms such as blood clots and bleeding that can quickly escalate to life-threatening proportions.

Continual mold and mildew problems may lead otherwise healthy children to develop chronic breathing problems, per the CDC. Adults with intense mold allergies can develop serious respiratory health effects such as asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, chronic bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/221627-harmful-effects-of-mold-mildew/#ixzz1leDHzoQo

Silver is capable of rendering stored drinking water potable for a long period of time (several months). Water tanks on ships and airplanes are often “silvered”.

Disposal of even small quantities of Silver Nitrate connected to a septic tank is guaranteed to destroy the septic bacteria and require pumping out, flushing and seeding with fresh bacteria.

Silver Nitrate has antiseptic properties. A very dilute solution is sometimes dropped into newborn babies’ eyes at birth to prevent contraction of gonorrhoea or chlamydia from the mother.

Fused Silver Nitrate, molded into sticks, was traditionally called lunar caustic. It is used as a cauterizing agent. Silver Nitrate is melted at 212°C ( 413°F ) and poured into a mold of the desired shape.

Silver Chloride is used as an Antibacterial agent for concrete ( 1 Lb Silver Chloride per cubic yard of Concrete (4,050 lbs) ).

Silver Chloride is used to help prevent bacteria from growing on Glass (when melted into the glass).

Silver Carbonate is used as an Antibacterial agent for concrete ( 1 Lb Silver Carbonate per cubic yard of Concrete (4,050 lbs) ).

Silver Carbonate is used as a biocide against bacteria, yeasts and molds in some Paints and Resins.

Read more at: http://www.saltlakemetals.com/Silver_Antibacterial.htm

In 1893, the antibacterial effectiveness of various metals were noted and this property was named the oligodynamic effect. It was later found that out of all the metals with antimicrobial properties, silver has the most effective antibacterial action and the least toxicity to animal cells (Guggenbichler et al., 1999). Silver became commonly used in medical treatments, such as those of wounded soldiers in World War I, to deter microbial growth (Saltlakemetals.com).

Read more at: http://microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/Silver_as_an_Antimicrobial_Agent

The silver ion (Ag⁺) is bioactive and in sufficient concentration readily kills bacteria in vitro. Silver also kills bacteria in external wounds in living tissue, so physicians use wound dressings containing silver sulfadiazine (Ag-SD) or silver nanomaterials to treat external infections. Wound dressings containing silver are increasing in importance due to the recent increase of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, such as MRSA. The disinfectant properties of silver are used in medical applications, such as urinary catheters and endotracheal breathing tubes, where the silver content is effective in reducing incidences of catheter-related urinary tract infections and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), respectively. Silver is also used in bone prostheses, reconstructive orthopaedic surgery and cardiac devices,as well as on surfaces and fabrics to reduce the spread of infection.

Since the 1990s, “colloidal silver”, a liquid suspension of microscopic silver particles, has been marketed as an alternative medicine, often claiming impressive “cure-all” qualities. The effectiveness of these products has never been scientifically proven, and in some jurisdictions, it is currently illegal to include such claims in product advertisements. Medical authorities and publications advise against the ingestion of colloidal silver preparations, because of their lack of proven effectiveness and because of the risk of adverse side effects, such as argyria. Historically, colloidal silver was also used as an internal medication to treat a variety of diseases. Their use was largely discontinued in the 1940s, due to the development of safe and effective modern antibiotics and concern about adverse side effects.

Read more at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_uses_of_silver#cite_note-Lansdown2006-11