Article
As we approach coughs and colds season, we turn our attention to keeping our little ones healthy. We all know that a sick baby is a miserable little one – she will go off her food, become irritable, unmanageable and of course, sleep goes out the window. It’s a very frustrating time for all.
There are two principles for developing immunity that you should be conscious of:
Building immunity by managing germs
Bacteria and viruses are the most common causes of illness and can be well managed by our own body’s immunity. Exposure to germs triggers a response within a healthy immune system that means that your body can recognize and fight off the germs the next time you are exposed. While avoiding germs with regular hand washing may be the best line of defense, it is also important not to rely too heavily on a sterile space around your baby. Your little one needs some exposure to germs in order to trigger natural immunity. With this in mind:
- Do wash hands when making your baby’s milk or solid meals and wash her hands before the mealtimes
- Wash hands regularly when you are in high traffic areas and public spaces during germ season
- Sterilize feeding equipment and dummies for the first 6 months of your baby’s life
- Once your baby is sitting and getting toys to her mouth stop sterilizing dummies and feeding equipment rather wash well in hot water
Building immunity with diet
One of the key foundations of a robust immune system is diet. A varied diet provides all the macro and micro nutrients needed for an immune system to develop. If your baby is a picky eater she may not get all the micronutrients needed. There are also times when immunity needs to be bolstered, for instance during flu season or when we travel or when little ones start creche or playgroups. At these times and if your baby is a fussy eater, it is worth taking a nutritional supplement. Choose a herbal tonic that contains all the micronutrients your little one may need to bolster immunity.
Following the guiding principles of managing exposure to germs and taking in the right micronutrients, you can be assured that you are building immunity in your little one.
