This months letter of the month:

My sister is 29 weeks pregnant. They have 3 dogs that basically stay in the house, (hair etc everywhere). I have discussed this with her and indicated that it is a good idea to get the dogs out of the house now as this is not very hygienic and good for the baby. Have you maybe got articles regarding the unhealthiness that I can send to her?

Your concern over this issue is understandable. The thinking for many years has been that babies should be kept in clean environments and not subjected to allergens such a animal hair, in order to allow their immune systems to develop.

What may be reassuring for you to know is that the current research indicates the opposite scenario. Investigations have shown that babies who are exposed from early on to pet hair, are less likely to develop allergies to animals than those who are protected during babyhood. And it seems that having more than one pet increases the protection from allergies.

I hope this will help you feel less concerned about the environment that the baby will be born into.

Regards
Nurse Penny