Babies and germs: what parents should worry about

After having a baby, there are a lot of things new parents have to think about. How should they give their newborn a bath? What's the best way to feed them? When should their baby start babbling? All of these questions can occupy the minds of moms and dads.

And, on top of all those things, couples have to worry about keeping their new bundles of joy safe. To do this, parents will often go to great lengths to make sure everything their baby comes in contact with is germ-free. But, a past article published on the popular parenting website, What to Expect, detailed some measures parents should take and skip when it comes to sterilization of baby toys and other items.

Mommies and daddies should always keep their son or daughter away from items that have come in contact with damp or wet surfaces. Items like teething toys and rattles that have moisture on them are a perfect breeding ground for mold and bacteria, which can make the baby sick.

When it comes to surfaces like the floor or carpet, the article said that parents shouldn't worry about going to extreme measures to disinfect. In other words, save your money and skip the $10 carpet cleaner at the grocery store. Regular floor cleaning with water and a mild soap will ensure that germs don't spread.

Parents should always keep their baby away from leftover baby food, formula and breast milk. The website said that any saliva that is on the nipple of an unfinished bottle or that gets transferred into a jar of food from a little spoon will help spread bacteria. Mommies and daddies should fill up bottles with only as much formula as they think their little one will consume in a feeding. The saying "less is more" applies here.

On the other hand, couples shouldn't worry about sterilizing items like pacifiers and baby bottles. It isn't necessary to buy pricey sterilization equipment or immerse them in boiling water on a stove. Scrubbing these items using hot, soapy water will get these items as clean as they need to be.

It's natural for parents to be overly cautious when it comes to germs and their little prince or princess. However, keeping the advice above in mind will help ensure that parents don't drive themselves crazy trying to keep their their baby items bacteria-free.