Is it true that people should wash their hands before holding a newborn?

The BabyCentre editorial team

Our panel of health writers.

While your baby is a few weeks old, it is a good idea to ask visitors to wash their hands before touching her. Cleanliness around newborns makes sense, because newborn babies' immune systems aren't fully developed.

Once your baby is more than a month or two months old, you won't need to be so vigilant about protecting her from germs. However, it is probably still a good idea for visitors to wash their hands, just in case.

Your baby's immune system will strengthen as she grows. The first few years of your child's life is when her immune system is most likely to be influenced.

There's a theory that children raised in very clean homes may be more likely to suffer from asthma and allergies later in life. Cleaner homes are thought to limit a child's exposure to germs, which means that the immune system is not taught how to fend off germs and infections properly. As a result, some children's bodies become primed to see harmless substances, such as dust and pollen, as unwanted invaders.

However, this is still a theory, so it's certainly best to be cautious and keep your baby's environment clean and safe.

If your baby was born early, you'll need to be particularly careful about cleanliness. That's because your baby may be more vulnerable to infections. So do make sure friends and family have washed their hands before they hold her. Also keep your baby away from crowds and anyone who is ill with coughs, colds, or flu.

Last reviewed: February 2014


This article was written using the following sources:

BLISS. 2006. Going home: Your questions answered. [pdf file, accessed February 2014]

LaHood A and Bryant C. 2007. Outpatient care of the premature infant. American Family Physician 76 (8):1159-64


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What if visitors use hand sanitiser would this play the same effect as washing hands?

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