Preparing to welcome a new baby in the not-too-distant future? Worried about what the coronavirus outbreak means for you and your newborn? Then you’re not alone!

With our new baby due in less than month I can’t help but wonder – and worry – what it all means for me and my baby and how things will have progressed by the time he or she arrives.

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Since writing my post on Coronavirus: just how worried should we be? coronavirus has quite literally come to our doorstep with the kids’ school affected and several people quarantined in Brighton and Hove where we live.

Since then things have settled down locally, but at the same time they’ve escalated globally. So, what do we need to know? I’ve teamed up with the experts at Milton, which has been used by hospitals for more than 70 years and is the go-to brand for sterilising baby products, to get the low-down on how best to prepare for a newborn in the wake of coronavirus, and we’ve got a bundle of Milton sterilising products including their hand gel and surface wipes to give away too!

5 ways to prepare for a newborn in the wake of coronavirus

1. Wash your hands often & well throughout the day

It might sound obvious and something we should all be doing anyway, but the most effective approach to protecting ourselves and our family is through systematic hand hygiene and thorough cleaning of surfaces says family GP Dr Laura Lenihan, who is also preparing to welcome a newborn this year. “Whether it’s the latest coronavirus, influenza or rotavirus, hand washing is the most important and effective way to prevent transmission of germs,” she says. “Regular hand washing, particularly before or after certain activities, is one of the best ways to avoid getting sick and prevent the spread of germs to others. Using hygiene products, like Milton sterilising fluid can improve the results and keep us all, including our children from getting sick.”

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2. Keep surfaces clean and germ free

Milton sterilising fluid and Milton sterilising tablets are clinically proven to kill 99.9% of germs (that includes bacteria, fungi and viruses) to create a home cleaning solution that is effective on coronavirus. Both products are easy to use and can be made up with regular tap water.

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3. Use hospital grade sterilising products

“Following the latest WHO guidelines on the new strand of coronavirus, Milton recommends using Milton antibacterial hand gel, Milton sterilising fluid and tablets to stop the transmission and spread of the virus,” says Milton’s marketing and sales manager Christine Chevalier. “Milton’s range of hygiene products have been used in clinical environments for over 70 years and help protect families against bacteria and viruses and preventing the spread of germs.”

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4. Mix more concentrated sterilising solutions than you normally would

According to Christine when it comes to sterilising more concentrated dilutions must be used to fight against the coronavirus. Milton suggests mixing 1.5 caps (45ml) of fluid with 1.5 litre of cold water and to make the solution from tablets, place one tablet in 1 litre of cold water to leave surfaces germ free after a minimum of 10 minutes.

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5. Don’t panic

With sensationalist headlines and coronavirus dominating the news it can be so easy to get carried away with ‘what if’s’ and imagine worse case scenarios, especially when you’re hormonal and already feeling vulnerable. But there is currently no evidence that pregnant women are at an increased risk of adverse outcomes as a result of coronavirus, and it’s too early to know how – if at all – it can affect babies. There also seems to be a lot of misinformation flying around – for example, I’ve lost count of the number of social media posts I’ve seen questioning why people are stocking up on hand gel claiming it doesn’t kill viruses, but that simply isn’t true. Milton’s antibacterial hand gel, for example, not only kills coronavirus but the flu virus, norovirus and rotavirus too.

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And if you fancy winning a Milton sterilising bundle for your home here’s how!

WIN a Milton sterilising bundle including hand gel & wipes!

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We’ve teamed up with Milton to give away a sterilising bundle featuring everything you need to make sure your family and home are protected as much as they possibly can be.

The bundle includes:

  • 1 x bottle of sterilising fluid
  • 1 x bottle antibacterial surface spray
  • 1 x bottle of baby bottle cleaner
  • 1 x bottle of antibacterial hand gel
  • 1 x pack of antibacterial surface wipes

To be in with a chance of winning all you have to do is comment on this blog post saying who the bundle would be for, visit me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, visit Milton on Facebook or follow Milton on Twitter via the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The competition closes at midnight on Friday March 27, 2020 and is open to UK residents aged 18+ only. Terms and conditions apply. Good luck!

We were gifted all the Milton items featured in this post. As always all opinions are my own and based on my own honest experience.

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