Everywhere I look, there’s nothing but bad news about the coronavirus (COVID-19). The virus is spreading quickly. Nursing home residents are dying. Schools are closed. The President was too fast to act. The President was too slow to act. People have lost their jobs or have been laid off indefinitely. And the number of cases and deaths continues to climb. Meanwhile, many of us can’t buy paper towels, toilet paper, hand sanitizer, face masks, disposable diapers, baby wipes, or infant formula. So, is there any good news about coronavirus moms need to know? Yes!
Hand sanitizer isn’t necessary
There is absolutely no evidence that commercially-made hand sanitizer surpasses the effectiveness of good old-fashioned soap and water. In fact, much evidence suggests that gel sanitizers are not as good soap and water. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends hand-washing over hand sanitizers.
Some people make their own hand sanitizers. I suppose that’s okay, but there’s no proof that those surpass the effectiveness of soap and water, either.
The good news about coronavirus is that handwashing is your most effective weapon against spreading. I want to caution, though, handwashing is not very effective unless you wash and rub hands vigorously for at least 20 seconds, as the CDC directs.
Oh? Your kids don’t do that? In that case, you need to be a role model, and you need to insist that they learn how to do it. Then, you’ll need to supervise to confirm they really do it right. This is arguably one of the most important survival skills they’ll need to learn. Tell them to sing the “Happy Birthday” song while they are washing. That takes about 20 seconds.
If you have UV light on hand, Glo Germ is a neat product that simulates the presence of real germs to ensure good hand-washing technique. Even if you don’t have access to a UV light, the product has a how-to demonstration video.
Reusable diapers are a great option
I cannot imagine having an infant in my house without having cloth diapers on hand.
You might not like them for everyday use. I get that. But I’m telling you, cloth diapers are a great option to consider.
Never mind the killing-trees argument, or the chemicals-in-product argument. Never mind the landfill argument, and the hundreds of dollars in expense, and other arguments. If disposable diapers aren’t on the shelves, you’ll need something fresh and clean on your kid’s butt.
I’ve diapered literally hundreds of kids’ bottoms using flat cloth diapers. It’s not that difficult to do. Yes, it’s an extra step to shake the solid material off from the diapers and put them in the diaper pail. Yes, it’s another step to wash, dry and fold them. But in my opinion, cloth diapers should be in every household.
I’m not saying you need to use these every day. I’m saying that you should be prepared to use them as needed. A kid who has been in a disposable diaper too long is at high risk for diaper rash, urinary tract infections, and more. You don’t need that problem — and you certainly want to avoid visiting the doctor’s office!
The good news about coronavirus is that you’re completely in charge of keeping your infant or child dry, comfortable, and probably disease-free. Get a pack of three or six diapers to have in your house at all times. Ideally, get the hypoallergenic flat cotton or pre-folded diapers from NuAngel. NuAngel has graciously extended a 15% discount for our readers with coupon code MARIE15.
Reusable baby wipes are an option
Okay, I admit. I’d much prefer to use a disposable baby wipe. Yep. I would. The good news about coronavirus is that you have options to get kids cleaned up.
Get some reusable wipes to have on hand. Again, I’m going to recommend the reusable ones from NuAngel.
Also, consider getting your baby potty trained. Here in the US, we seem to think that’s not until toddlerhood, but in other cultures, it’s much earlier. I’m not telling you when to do it! I’m just saying, get the facts. Gwen Dewar makes a compelling argument for early potty training, and she gives the pros and cons of the earlier-versus-later potty training.
You can make your own face masks
The good news about coronavirus is that more face masks can be made. The Feds have contracted with companies like HanesBrands to make face masks. But if you don’t want to wait that long you can make your own.
Jo-Ann Stores has patterns for making face masks. There’s even a video on how to do it. I hate to sew, but if I became really worried or felt the need for a mask, I would learn how to do this project.
Don’t panic if you don’t have commercially-made infant formula
If you’re not a breastfeeding mom, you might have trouble finding formula in grocery stores that are struggling to keep shelves stocked. Don’t expect me to say that you can whip up infant formula in your kitchen. I know people do that, but I honestly don’t know if it’s safe or not. In the short haul, it might be okay, I don’t know.
What I do know is that there’s a better option. In our neighborhood, breastfeeding mothers are expressing their milk and sharing it with parents who have nothing to offer their formula-feeding babies. Understand, milk sharing does carry some risks. It is not officially approved by the CDC, but in an emergency, it may be your best option. (That’s a whole other topic!)
But milk sharing has been done for centuries. Remember the Moses story? Admittedly, that was a babe-on-breast situation, whereas nowadays, it’s more about pumping and sharing, but this concept is nothing new.
I’d need to feel pretty desperate to accept milk from a stranger. However, if you truly cannot obtain formula for your baby, I am fairly sure you will be able to find several trusted friends who are breastfeeding and who would be willing to share their milk.
Remember, too, that re-lactating is an option. But that’s a bigger discussion.
The good news about coronavirus is that it’s only a virus
Remember, the coronavirus is a virus! Most scientists consider a virus to be a non-living organism. It’s an organism that dismantles the person’s immune system. It doesn’t last long.
According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, infectious viruses can remain in the air for up to three hours. And, they showed that coronavirus can survive up to
- four hours on copper,
- 24 hours on cardboard,
- two to three days on plastic and stainless steel.
Good news, you will last longer than the virus! You are more alive, more creative, and more in charge of your family’s health than the virus is.
Moms have so much more power than they realize
For more than 40 years that I know of, effective handwashing has been touted as the most effective means of stopping the spread of viruses. Now, that includes the coronavirus! Similarly, the good news about coronavirus is that you’re not stuck with options that are or aren’t on the shelves. What you do or make or switch to is up to you.
You are empowered to do more than you thought.
If you can think of others who need good news about coronavirus, please share this!