I wear gloves for each and every contact I have with a mother and baby
whether I come in contact with her milk or not. My concern is not just for me
but for her as well. I have a toddler whose snot, spit, and who knows what
else has come in conact with many of the surfaces in my office. i keep my
office as clean as I can, but things have a way of getting onto things and
you don't know about it. I also get my milk on various surfaces. My hands
have then come into contact with these various surfaces and  no one can tell
me that an antibacterial soap is going to clean my bare hands enough to
protect the mother.

Additionally, I see mothers who have all kinds of dermatological stuff on
their breasts and nipples. I personally don't want thrush or other contagious
things on the various surfaces in my office. When I have come into glove
contact with something of this nature, I immediately take off the gloves
before touching anything else including my clothing so I don't contaminate
charts, pens, etc. I take the gloves off in such a way so that they end up
inside out so the contaminated side is on the inside and I immediately throw
them away. I don a new pair if I have to to complete my assessment.

I have never had a mother be offended but I have had mothers who have been
relieved and insisted that I wear my gloves and change them prn.

i realize that some people feel uncomfortable wearing gloves but I feel more
uncomfortable without them.

Alison
I have no loss of sensitivity and the gloves are not that expensive. I used
to wear finger cots but I just don't think they are safe enough, for obvious
reasons.