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Hand-Washing - Am I OCD?

MamatoJacksonMamatoJackson
in Stay at Home Moms

I really don't consider myself to be anal-retentive or a "germaphobe," but I have noticed that since having Jackson, I wash my hands pretty often compared to what I see other people do and am wondering if it's normal.

I wash my hands about twice an hour, I'd say.  Obviously after everytime I use the restroom and then just randomly.

Before I make a bottle, after I eat, before I eat, after I clean the counters with 409 (I do this a few times a day), after handling trash, after loading the dishwasher, after picking up things around the house.

Is this nuts?  DH washes his hands... a few times a day (and after the bathroom, I assume...lol).

What's normal?  Do I have a problem? 

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Re: Hand-Washing - Am I OCD?

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    Koala77Koala77 member
    No, I'd say I wash my hands about as often.  I actually don't wear my rings at home because I was getting a rash below my rings because of all the water.  BTW- I do think cleaning the counters with 409 a few times a day is a lot! :-)  I just wipe down with a sponge and dish soap or paper towel as I see ick.
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    tara07733tara07733
    As a person whose husband has been diagnosed with OCD for over 15 years now I can safely say that you do not have it. from what I understand about OCD it's not just the action itself, it's the constant thinking about the action. Meaning when you're not doing it your brain is still obsessively thinking about it to the point that almost everything else takes a backseat. It's being constantly worried that if you don't do it bad things will happen. That's the obsession. The compulsion would be the excessive washing, clothes changing, etc that you'd do to feel better for a short time before you had to start all over. It's can be very debilitating. If you don't feel those things more than likely you don't have OCD. Don't worry.
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    EnglishMajor03EnglishMajor03 member

    Completely normal.  I was just thinking if I was more of a germaphobe these days too!  But it's so important to have clean hands while handling baby or baby stuff.  In fact, with two I feel like I wash my hands much more...every meal Parker or Rowan eats, etc.

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    HarrietNJMommyHarrietNJMommy

    It sounds over the top and compulsive to me. I don't do all that handwashing or wiping down the counters. Even when my kids were newborns. Just not me. I'm so not a germaphobe though. I'm not filthy by any stretch, but I don't do anything that others may deem excessive.

    That being said, I do wash my hands when I use the restroom, when the kids use the restroom, I wash them a LOT when I'm cooking, when I've changed L's diaper, etc.

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    ShozziesShozzies member
    My first reaction was that it is a little much.  I was my hands after going to the restroom, before preparing food, before eating, after diaper changes, after doing my hair if I use product, etc.  It adds up to a lot more than I realized.
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    MAprincessMAprincess member
    imageHarrietNJMommy:

    It sounds over the top and compulsive to me. I don't do all that handwashing or wiping down the counters. Even when my kids were newborns. Just not me. I'm so not a germaphobe though. I'm not filthy by any stretch, but I don't do anything that others may deem excessive.

    That being said, I do wash my hands when I use the restroom, when the kids use the restroom, I wash them a LOT when I'm cooking, when I've changed L's diaper, etc.

    This is me.  I don't wash my hands for absolutely no reason.  I do wash them if there is a reason.  As far as I am concerned, it is fine for children to be in touch with SOME dirt and germs or else they are in trouble come school time!

     

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    Sawyerplus1Sawyerplus1 member
    imageMAprincess:
    imageHarrietNJMommy:

    It sounds over the top and compulsive to me. I don't do all that handwashing or wiping down the counters. Even when my kids were newborns. Just not me. I'm so not a germaphobe though. I'm not filthy by any stretch, but I don't do anything that others may deem excessive.

    That being said, I do wash my hands when I use the restroom, when the kids use the restroom, I wash them a LOT when I'm cooking, when I've changed L's diaper, etc.

    This is me.  I don't wash my hands for absolutely no reason.  I do wash them if there is a reason.  As far as I am concerned, it is fine for children to be in touch with SOME dirt and germs or else they are in trouble come school time!

     

    Yep, this. I stay clean, but I don't obsess or wash for no reason. 

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    crysbenacrysbena
    I do this too.  I guess I never washed so freaking much because my hands are always so chapped now.  I even wash DD hands about 3 times a day minimum.
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