Baby Hygiene
It is only natural to want to protect your baby against germs and we go to great lengths to do so. We sterilise baby's feeding bottle, use 
anti-bacterial soaps and cleaners, and do everything we can to bar germs from baby's world. At the same time, the number of children suffering from allergies has rocketed compared to 30 or 40 years ago. Is there a connection? Could we be protecting our children's health too much?
To function properly, your child's immune system needs to be in contact with germs. A newborn has some protection through the antibodies you give her in breastmilk, but this won't protect her from every germ. When she is exposed to a germ her immune system hasn't met before, it sends out antibodies to combat the bacteria. Sometimes the bacteria wins out and baby gets an illness, maybe a cold or cough. The immune system then retains a blueprint of that bacteria and next time she comes into contact with that particular bug her immune system will be better able to cope with it. An immunisation jab works on the same principle - introduce a tiny amount of the bacteria to the immune system so that it can fight off a larger invasion later.
However, this does not mean it is wise to go to the other extreme. Basic hygiene rules are a must.
Wash your hands. Encourage your child to wash her hands after going to the loo and before eating.
Do sterilise baby's bottle and teats. Milk harbours bacteria that cause gastroenteritis. Always throw out unused milk, don't reheat it for the next feed as this encourages the growth of bacteria.
Clean her nappy area thoroughly to keep nappy rash to a minimum and avoid infection. With girls always clean from front to back.
Be careful and sensible with food. Defrost frozen food thoroughly; be wary of eggs - cook them so that both the yellow and white parts are solid to avoid the risk of salmonella, and keep raw eggs away from other food in the fridge; if you're reheating food (only do this once), heat to a high temperature and then let the food cool; store cooked food in containers in the fridge.
