10 Common And Rash Mistakes Made By Young Mothers That Could Be Dangerous For A Baby

5Wrapping a baby too much

For ages, people thought that it is advisable to wrap babies in as much clothes as possible to keep them warm. This belief is because of the general perception that the baby is used to a warm temperature similar to the mother’s womb. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. Pediatricians say that overheating is very dangerous for a baby and can increase the risk of infant death.

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How to tell if your baby is overheating

The experts say that for a baby, you should maintain a comfortable temperature between 64 and 68 degrees F. Never keep a baby covered with several blankets or linen and don’t even put them next to heaters. When they sleep, remove their caps or hats. To find out if your baby is overheating, place your palm on their bellies, it should be warm but never hot. Other signs of overheating are red cheeks and excessive sweating.

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6Sterilizing everything around the child

Till a decade ago, the general practice was to boil the baby’s utensils and feeding bottle. Sheets, lined and napkins were washed with added disinfectant and ironed on both sides. The baby’s room would be cleaned extensively several times in the day. Some families even get rid of their pets because of the presumed impact on the baby’s health. But here is what pediatricians believe.

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7Over cleaning can decrease immunity

Pediatricians feel that when you overclean everything surrounding the baby, you are decreasing the baby’s chances of developing a healthy immune system which needs to be exposed a bit to common bacteria found around us. The immune system instead becomes hypersensitive making the child grow with an increased susceptibility to catch common diseases more often.

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It is beneficial for the child to be exposed to household germs

Studies at the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center found that children who are exposed to household germs and pets in the first year of their lives posses a low risk of allergic reactions and conditions like asthma when they grow older. But, once the child crosses a year, the same exposure to pets isn’t as beneficial anymore.

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