nasty bugs from hospital bit of an essay

[Ginnymarie]

Hello

this time last year, my mother-in-law went to visit her mother in hospital and brought back a bug that made me, OH and herself seriously ill for a week. She swears she uses the hand creams there religiously???

Now her mother is back in hospital in the same ward and a few weeks ago my MIL had a vomiting episdode then a week later another vomiting episide which she put down to bugs from the hospital. She doesn't expect me to visit anymore as for the last two weeks I have had a really iffy tummy and nausea and have been told bub has not grown in x2 so you can see why I am so worried.

I now have caught a really horrible cold which only my mother-in-law has had.

She isn't the cleanest lady in the world, her dog often poo's in the house as he is badly behaved and there are animals jumping their dirty feet all over the furniture.

She knows my fears and reassures me with her using the handcream but she never actually washes her hands with soap and water, she also smokes !

How on earth am I going to feel when she is bringing bugs like that into my house when LO is born? I am paranoid now, dettol everywhere !

I keep on telling myself, a bit of dirt will help my immunity as well as babies and babies were brought up with animals and lived in terrible dirt in the olden days, maybe we are too clean.

the thing is she is a lovely down to earth, practical lady and will be a great source of support when little one is born but I can't help worrying about her hygiene standards, trips to hospital and smoking (she will be doing it outside but I worry about particles on her clothes hands etc..)

Worried ?
x

 

[kalia]

Could you speak to her about it?

 

[Tillytots]

Id prob worry too, only when babies are tiny though as their immune systems arent developed. When they're a bit bigger then I see nothing wrong with them munching dirt in the garden like we all have

Its a toughie seeing as its your MIL...its hard telling elders to go wash their hands, it just seems wrong somehow?? My MIL smokes too and I have had the same thoughts. She smoked in all her 4 pregnancies too and that is fine to her but I beg to differ. I'll just hold on tight to my bubs until the fag smell has well worn off....if ever but then again when baby is here she might not smoke when he's around? I just dont know yet until the time comes.

Try not to worry, we'll just have to wait and see what happens xx

 

[muppetmummy]

I can understand you being worried. As it's your MIL maybe ask your OH to have a word with her about it.
I don't see how using hand cream is the same as washing your hands!