I don't like people touching my baby either - mainly because I don't think there is any benefit in it for my baby, it is for the self gratification of the person doing the touching only. I had a baby capsule for DS that sat in the top of my pram and when he was asleep I could close the pram hood and the capsule hood. I had a few people do laps of the pram trying to figure out where the baby is . . . it was really quite comical to watch them.
As far as germs go - I am not concerned too much about that. DH is hilarious with dummies and food. If my kids drop stuff on the ground (assuming we are not in a shopping centre of somewhere really gross) he puts it off to the side until he is sure that anyone who would have seen it fall isn't around and then gives it back to whichever child dropped it. It makes me laugh. My kids will have great immune systems
This is why I always took my bubies out in slings when they were tiny.
Yep i'm all for building healthy immune systems, dirt, didn't do the sterilising dummies etc but I think there is a difference between healthy germ exposure and random strangers at shopping centres esp in cold and flu season
I tend to get a little over protective with strangers approaching/touching my kids too.
I especially can't stand my MIL picking my babies after she has had a smoke, and I haaateee my little nieces putting their grubby hands on my newborns dummy and repeatedly putting in my newborns mouth, whilst my SIL looks on and laughs. grr
I find this really confronting, too. A few weeks ago I was at my chiropractor, and without a word the chiropractic assistant came up to me, placed her hand on my daughter's head, and kissed her! It happened so quickly I didn't know what to do. I know that people go crazy for babies, but still...that's my baby! I always try to explain to my daughter what is going on, and what I am about to do before I do it, so for a stranger to wordlessly plant a kiss on her without asking me or my baby...it's about respect, I think. I know I'd feel strange if someone I didn't know came up to me and planted a kiss on my face! I suppose sometimes babies are just considered public property - and as Townsvillegirl mentioned, it's about the self-gratification of others, too.
I completely sympathise with you here. I had some strange lady just walk up to me when DS was a couple of weeks old and she touched his feet. I nearly freaked it!! I was like - why are you touching his feet?? Why are you touching him at all??? I didn't say anything 'cause I didn't want to be rude. I would this time - who give a toss if she doesn't like it. She's invaded my space.
I'm going to buy a hug a bub - I can't stand the thought of that happening again............
People are going to be surprised at me walking down the street saying, "Don't you be touching my baby!!" Especially with all the flus around at the moment (being a winter baby - they'll probably still be an issue). I'll also have to contend with a son who'll still be going to Day Care once a week and catching all and sundry from other kids.
I also think there's an air of creepiness about it - I don't know why I think that, I just do.
I HATED people kissing DS when he was a baby and I HATED people who were sick touching him then saying 'I've been sick for a week...'. He was a very sickly baby, he went from the 90 percentile when he was born to the 20th percentile at 6mths old because he was always sick. Anyone come a metre of him with anything he would get it. If you are sick stay away from my kids!!
Mum2 - I agree - I hate it when people say they are sick but still hover. A few weeks ago My FIL had a cold so said he wouldn't have a cuddle (wouldn't have gotten one anyway being sick) and then proceeded to blow his nose into a used hanky, put it in his pocket and then stroke my sons face with the same hand - it made my skin crawl but luckily I was holding him at the time so moved away
DH & I used to have issues with this all the time... DS1 had loads of black hair & people used to come up & stroke his head ... DH in particular HATED it.
I've heard the germ argument already... that they need to build their immune systems.. and I was definitely of the 'rinse the dummy' school after they were a few months old.
But by then they are collecting their own germs, I think it is entirely different when they are so litle still, and you are talking here about a stranger's germs.. IMO it is different to a baby crawling around finding her own germs!
Letting someone else's child suck your toes.. that is just rude!!
i remember when ds was born, he too had sooo much hair which reallly attracted alot of people to touch him, after a few weeks I ended up putting a muslin wrap over his pram or carrying him in the sling so people couldn't touch him. There is plenty of time for your kids to get germs from various places, but not while they are so young. Afterall isn't that part of the reason that breast is best to build up antibodies etc etc instead of letting strangers touch their face or hands to let them build up immunity!
It really did pi*s me off when strangers or even family who didn't wash their hands would touch my ds and god forbid if you had been smoking, you would have to change your clothes and wash hands, face before going anywhere near him!
Yes i am a germaphobe and I have heard it all before that you should let them get exposed etc etc, but sorry, i'm not about to let strangers put their hands all over my son, you never know where they have been, there is plenty of other ways to get some germs into them.
ahh that feels better for getting that out. Thanks!
Yes, I got SO annoyed when people would come and touch Jazz when she was a newborn. Yes she may put everything in her mouth in a few months but RIGHT NOW she is tiny and new and vulnerable! So don't touch her! GRR! I empathise. Maybe buy a sling LOL I loved being able to be protective lioness and wrap my arms around her whenever a hoard of handy-hyenas came near her!
I like the suggestion of warning people that she has just had a highly infectious disease... that should send them packing... old people tend to be very worried about Shingles (related to chickenpox) so maybe Chickenpox is the way to go!
I struggle with people invading my (and my childrens) personal space more so than their germs though. I think it's really wrong that adults think it's ok to impose their presence on our children... it's like saying "of course you won't mind... if I want to touch you i will because you can't tell me not to and you had better give a smile because I want to be validated". And of course, so often, if your child rejects their advances they are being "silly" Makes my blood boil!
it was really quite comical to watch them.
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Makes my blood boil!
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