Genius! Karel Marquez Sets Up Son's Nursery With 'Hygiene Nook'

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Karel Marquez Fariñas, who is soon to give birth to her third child, is currently deep into nesting (or getting the house ready for the new baby), and we are glad she shared a spot in her son's nursery that all moms might want to try when they fixing their newborn's space.

Near the entrance of Kobe's room (she and husband Sean Fariñas shared they are naming their baby Kobe Federico) was a nook that contained dry and wet tissue, masks and alcohol. The area came with a note from Karel that read: "Kobe's safety is my priority. No viruses, smoke, and infectious germs inside. Thank you for understanding. Sanitize and mask if you want to touch my newborn son."

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"Call me strict, OA, exag, and some may roll eyes, but my own son's safety and health comes first always, especially during the first few months," Karel wrote on Instagram. "I can take it, and I would rather people judge me, than my baby getting hospitalized because of a visitor's cold or virus that you may be unconscious about," she added.

Sanitizing is a needed precaution not only for visitor but also for Karel, her family, and anyone who will interact with the baby. Karel asked for everyone to respect each and every mom's parenting styles, "even just during the first few months."

Karel also added that visitors should respect their privacy as well. "Unli photos (flash) without my consent looking haggard while recuperating after my CS operation and during breastfeeding wag naman po, ha?" she half-joked. "All those can wait when we're relaxed."

At 0 to 3 months, babies are protected from virus and bacteria through the antibodies passed on to them by their moms through breastfeeding. But their immune system is still gathering strength so prevention is really a must during their first few months.

We think Karel's idea for a hygiene nook in the baby's room is genius. Many moms have taken steps to help protect their babies from getting sick by send out the same message — ask mom or dad first before doing anything with the baby. Here are some more ways that might work for you as well:

Offer visitors a lampin

Ideally, you and your family should change into home clothes first before carrying the baby (and sitting on your bed). A muslin or lampin is not just for spit-ups, it can help act as barrier against germs that may come with their clothes. Instruct visitors to put the lampin over their chest or shoulders before picking up the baby. You can offer a clean robe as well.

Put up a "no kissing or touching baby sign"

Don't be afraid to tell family relatives and friends not to kiss your baby, especially on the face. If they really must, maybe they can stick to kissing the little one's toes, but they still need to ask for permission. Many illnesses are transferred from one infected person to another through direct contact such as touching or kisses. There has been even one case reported where the baby died after contracting meningitis via a person who had herpes.

Send photos you want to be posted on social media

Giving birth is not an easy feat, and moms need time to recover as babies need to adjust to their new environment outside the womb. Even if you obliged to pose for photos, tell your visitors beforehand if you don't want those photos to be posted on social media. You might want to compromise and just choose they ones they can share with a group instead.

Limit visitors as much as possible

The best way to limit newborn's exposure to all kinds of germs is to limit the number of outside visitors. Just inform others that you and your baby need a few days or weeks to recover — there is nothing wrong with saying so. And for family and friends who have your permission to visit, tell them to postpone if they are not feeling well.

Throw a welcoming party!

If you decide to limit visitors after giving birth, consider throwing a get-together when your baby is three months or older or when he has had his first batch of immunization. You could even have it in time for his christening. You should still have the above rules in place, but at least your baby isn't as fragile as he was when he was just a newborn.

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