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June 2011 Moms
MrsSC9
member
Does anyone else find this weird?
MrsSC9
member
Flame if you must....
But, I think it's crazy to wash all of your babies things and yet have no problem with your pets rolling around all over your baby's things (crib, changing pad, pack and play...)
Am I the only one?
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Does anyone else find this weird?
Well, I guess I know where my dogs have been and what not. And I also won't be letting them roll around in the crib, on the changing pad, or in the pack and play. I haven't seen anyone who said that they're letting their dogs do this.
I am washing clothes because I don't know who has touched those clothes...who has coughed on them...who has wiped themselves after going to the bathroom and not washed their hands and then touched them...etc.
THIS. I'd rather be safe than sorry!
There have been a couple posts over the last couple months with cats in cribs, and dogs in baby carriers.
Washing bedding and clothing, for me, is more to remove any weird coating or residue that's put on those items to prevent wear/stains in stores.
I was my own sheets once before putting them on my bed, even though the dog and cat try to "help" make the bed.
And Then There Were Three...
Married: 08/14/10
Baby #1 Born: 06/18/11
June Moms Blog
I worry a lot less about my clean indoor cats than I do about chemicals and germs from new & used clothes that came from outside of the house. And I don't let my cats roll around in the crib or pack n play, but they certainly do hang out in the nursery, on the glider, under the crib, etc.
If you have pets, LO is going to be exposed to their germs and hair. Unless you plan on keeping the pets out of the nursery and never letting the baby out of the nursery? The first time you lay LO on the floor, on your bed, on the couch, on your clothes after hugging your dog, etc they'll be exposed to that.
Don't get me wrong, I have a dog too.
However, that dog pisses and poops outside as does other creatures. I just imagine that even though you may know that your pet goes in your yard, what's on their feet and butt, unless you wash them at every outing is just as disgusting as the secret, unknown people whose touched, sneezed... on the babies things.
I'm not saying not to wash your babies things, I just think how strange to worry about those things but have your pet's butt where your kid sleeps.
I guess it all depends on how you view your pet.
I've washed everything that will come in contact with my baby's skin mostly b/c of the chemicals, etc. that have been used in the manufacturing process. And I washed the things I've bought that are used because I don't know if they've been washed at all, let alone with free and clear detergent.
I'm less concerned with my baby coming in contact with cat hair, since that can't really be avoided since we have 4 cats. My baby will touch things with cat hair on them...no biggie. That being said, I certainly don't let my cats in the crib or pack n play. They like the glider, but we are keeping a blanket over it for now, and one of my cats has napped in the bouncer, but the cover can be washed.
Exactly my point! I was just facinated by the amount of posts I've been seeing on different pages talking about washing all of their baby things and then they post a pic with their pet chilling in the baby's crib. I guess some people don't see anything wrong with pets in/on baby's things. I totally agree with you- close the door or why bother washing.
So, what should those of us with pets do, just say F it, our kids are going to be contaminated by our dog's germs so might as well just put anything on the baby without washing it first? I understand you think it's weird, I'm just not sure what you think we're supposed to be doing differently.
Like PPs have said, I'm more concerned about the chemicals from the manufacturing process than I am about whatever my dog tracks in from the backyard. I have laundry detergent allergies, so it's not unlikely my child will too, so anything is going to be washed in my chosen detergent before it goes on.
I find it weird, ONLY because they don't know if their child is going to end up being allergic to animals. I am severely allergic to cats. As in, if I am around them I get an asthma attack and usually ends up with bronchitis. My parents never knew this until I was made to stay with some neighbors once with cats because they had an emergency to deal with. I was around 3 yrs old. Ever since then it is an avoidance to cats. Always.
I find walking in your own fecal matter and urine and tracking it around the house not very sanitary either, allergies or no. I find it very interesting that foods are to be avoided, this and that should be avoided for the health of the baby, but animal dander, poop, and pee from the bottoms of their feet after being in a litter box, or outside is perfectly A-OK. I am not saying to avoid animals all together, but to allow them into their nursery and crib, where they will sleep and breathe the air the most is just... mind boggling to me. ESPECIALLY if you don't know if they have any allergic reactions from them.
Let's be realistic...my cats walk around my house after using the litter box, and you can bet I have cat dander on my furniture and carpet. Eventually, my baby will learn to crawl and NO, I will not be confining my baby to his nursery while the cats have free reign of the rest of the house. As I said before, my cats won't be in the crib, but I see nothing wrong with letting them walk in the nursery.
I'm really just concerned about it all UNTIL you find out how your child will react. People have lived through worse situations, dirtier, etc. But if you don't know if your child is allergic, then I would avoid them having their crib especially exposed to it all. I could only imagine how I would have practically DIED if my parents had cats. I nearly did when I was exposed to them!
This. You don't know what is on the clothing you buy from when it's made, to when it's shipped to how long it's been in the store and who's touched it. I'm pretty sure no one has clothing just laying around for their pets to lay on. And what about the germs you or anyone living in your house may bring home? It's not just a pet that carries germs. I think even thinking about this is overreacting quite a bit. If you have a pet, your baby will be exposed to it and I don't see it as a big deal whatsoever. Obviously I wouldn't let my pet sleep with my baby, but other than that, why worry?
I am washing my clothes (once baby gets here and it can be confirm she is a she) because of the chemicals on the clothes. I have highly sensitive skin and don't want to risk baby girl getting that from me and not having the clothes washed.
As for my dogs...we definitely don't let them on/in anything the baby will be lying/sleeping in. We try to keep them out of her room too--mostly because they have black hair and she has a light beige rug.
I want our daughter to get used to our dogs and play with them, so after some time, we will let her play with them so she can get used to them. They're small, so she'll be as big as them in no time. One will want to cuddle and sleep with her, the other will be her protector and will just sit there on guard. I just know it!
We won't be letting our dog sleep sleep in Jacob's bedroom for the first few months, not because we're afraid of hair, but because we're nervous about him getting into his stuffed animals and diapers. We'll put a blanket down on the living room floor for tummy time, but once he starts crawling, we won't be trying to sanitize everything from doggie germs. I have surrendered myself to the fact that I'll have to use my Hoover every day just because I don't want him being covered in dog hair (my lab sheds a lot). As long as he doesn't show any signs of allergies, I'm not worried about the actual germs. Families have had pets for years upon years and the children have survived. Our dog is bathed more than most dogs, mainly because he loves it.
As for clothing, I'm sure it won't hurt your baby to not wash everything. However, if there's an allergic reaction somewhere, you want to be able to narrow it down to what it is.
There's not a whole lot of point in keeping your pets totally separated from your baby's things at first. They will eventually come into contact with those things and your baby. My cat is a constant shedder, but I still wash my clothes and the furniture regularly. It's not like I'm going to be rubbing the cat all over my baby's things, but I'm not going to snap at him or re-wash the things he does get on.
I will be waiting to bring out a lot of my babies things until he gets here and starts using them. But, that's just because I'm worried about my cat thinking that those are his things and getting mad at the baby for taking them from him. (He does things like that, he's a very possessive cat.)
THIS
It would help if people took the time to actually read the original post which was just to say that I thought it was a little crazy to talk about chemicals and germs from random people in the store where they bought baby's things, but they have no problem with their dogs a** all over their babies things (referring to people who post their pets inside of their child's crib, on their changing pad...) If you visit other pages, you've probably seen a few of these pics too.
If you think your pet's bottom is clean enough to chill in your kid's crib until it gets here go for it! I just thought it was funny/weird.
Why am I going to wash the babys stuff? Because I always wash my own stuff before I wear it. I worked in retail for a while and I am very aware of how dirty the back room and sales floor can be. After folding clothes all day your hands get really gross.
Just because I have cats does not mean my entire house is a litter box. I am not going to keep the baby away from the cats, the cats are part of the family too. Am I going to allow the cats to sleep in the crib, pack n play, on blankets ect? No. Is it going to happen at some point? I am sure it will. Is my kid going to lick the sidewalk, eat gum off the bottom of a chair or smear themselves with poop. I am sure she will. You cant control everything, but the least I can do is put my kid in clean clothes.
I think the above poster's point was if you can put your kids in clean clothes, why not put as much effort into them having a clean bed.
I realize some people think it's normal to allow their pets full range of their home, and others, like me, have limits. What's right for you might be different from what's right for someone else.
None of which was the original point of the post.
So....are people with pets supposed to give them away before the baby arrives? We have absolutely no family history of allergies and no reason to believe the babies will have any reaction. Our cat spends about 4 hours a day cleaning himself. And there are numerous studies showing that dogs' mouths are cleaner than humans. If people don't like pets or animals that's fine and no one is forcing you to have them, but I'm finding this whole post really passive-aggressive.
I think it's crazy to own pets and think that your child won't be exposed to them and all their germs.
I guess if you really thought that people were just letting their animals have free reign of any and all baby things with no intention of washing them, then it would be crazy that they cared about washing baby clothes. But do you honestly think that's the case?
If my cats jump into the pack and play/crib/swing/whatever, I might take a picture because it's cute and then shoo them out. It wouldn't bother me or make me think of that item as less clean. Also, I encourage my dog and cats to sniff the baby things so they are used to them which will hopefully help ease the transition when LO comes home.
If something is in my house, it has animal hair on it. So, I don't consider furniture or clothes "dirty" if they have been exposed to my pets. My cats and dog are allowed in bed and on the couch and I won't keep my baby away from those things, so it wouldn't bother me that the cat had been in the crib once or something.
I find pets with full range of the house gross. No pet will ever sleep in any bed in my home, chill on my couch or share the pack and play with my baby...
But, we don't have to agree because we don't live together-LOL
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But, that really wasn't the point of the post.
This completely explains the difference in where we're coming from.
Personally, I still think that if there are pets in the home, the baby is going to be exposed to their hair and germs, so I don't find it contradictory that people are not concerned about this but still wash their baby clothes. Which I think was the original point of this post
Nope our older dog is already trained not to go near baby's things (from my son) or into the nursery. The new puppy my DH insisted we get will learn the same thing!
Before my DS was born I petsat my sister's cat (and i'm really not fond of cats). DH left the nursery door cracked and the cat go in and was all over everything. I was so mad. I had to rewash everything and vaccum.
DS is a toddler now and I know he has tried to get the new puppy to stay in his room....he really loves the puppy. So far we have always caught it before they get to his room (which he will share with the new baby).
BLOG
Yes, I plan to wash all of baby's clothing, bedding etc etc.
No, I don't think it's weird that my baby will likely come into contact with dog hair, dander while living in our house.
Mostly because the people germs and chemicals from giant manufacturing plants (likely in foreign countries) are a far greater concern than pet dander.
All things considered, I would say my actual concern over my baby getting sick from either of these things is pretty much zero. Chances are you will have some of your own family members try to hold your baby after using the restroom and not washing their hands or other similarly gross things. Much worse in my opinion.
I don't really want to comment specifically on the source of dirt/germs, however, I like this article from last year's NYTimes about how dirt and germs aren't always the enemy:
https://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/27/health/27brod.html
Also, personally I would wash baby clothes because I am worried about chemicals/dyes, etc. more than I am about the germs on them.
OP, just curious. Is your pet allowed in your home or is it an outside dog?
I totally see your point of keeping pets out of babies stuff/crib but you don't seem very pet friendly as far as realizing that LO will be exposed to pets if you have them in the house. I don't mean this to offend at all. Just asking... I just see peoples germs/chemicals from a store a little differently than I see her coming in contact with my dogs.
BLOG
I wondered about this too.If the dogs are allowed inside the house at all, the baby will come in contact with their dander and germs. Even if you try to keep a blanket under them when they're on the floor, germs, hair, dander, etc travel. The thinking that by not letting animals in the crib (which again, I don't let the cats in the crib, but they are allowed in the nursery) will somehow keep the baby away from "Gross dirty pets" makes no sense to me. If you have pets, that stuff is on your floors, in the air, etc.
The original post has nothing to do with coming in contact with your dogs other than to say that people express the need to make sure to wash their kids clothes due to chemicals and germs found in stores, yet don't consider their pets who step in their feces and can't wash their butts okay to chill in their child's gear.
Ex:
https://www.hydle.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/022510-Baily-in-Crib.jpg
That's it.
My dog is an indoor doberman. I was raised to think of my pet as a pet. we love him, but he's not in our beds, on our couches and definitely not on babies things. As I've clearly stated in previous posts, some people think of their pets as an extension of them with full range of their house with all of the rights and previledges of the humans that reside there.... I'm not that kind of owner and to each their own.
The thing is, even if the crib is kept pristine and free of cat dander, the rest of the house -- and the air -- won't be. And growing up in a household with pets has actually been shown to reduce the chances of developing allergies to those animals.
Ok, I'm sorry to be dragging this up again, but how is this not related to the original post? Your original point was that there was something "crazy" or hypocritical about washing baby's clothes (to clean off dirt/germs/chemicals) and letting pets come into contact with baby gear. Posters here are just pointing out that, to them, pets coming into contact with something doesn't make it dirty, so they see no contradiction. We are saying that, to us, a cat being in the crib won't expose the baby to anything he/she wouldn't be exposed to anyway just living in the house. So, no, we don't think it's crazy.
Also, my cat is really fat, but even he can clean his own butt. I'm not sure where you got that from.