Please Don’t Touch My Baby!cute baby

Picture This:  Out to lunch with my family and the waitress thought my baby was so cute that she kept bending down to talk to him.  Brody was acting like his normal, flirtatious self and just when I was about to take a bite of my salad, she did the unspeakable.  She picked up my baby, right out of his high chair.

OH NO YOU DIDN’T… Why yes she sure did!!!

Just because I know you for five minutes, doesn’t mean you should pick up my baby out of his high chair.  When she saw the horror in my face she knew to make her unwanted cuddles short-lived.  However, when she tried to put him back in his high chair, he wasn’t having it.   She officially ruined the momentum and lunch was now in a to-go box.

But it doesn’t end there.  A friend of mine recently asked me if Brody was teething and before I could answer she took her finger and swiped his gums.  I gasped quite loudly and was mortified that she would stick her finger in his mouth.  I have so many stories and for some reason its taken four kids for me to be so in tune to this violation of my baby’s space.   What is a mother to do to get people to adore him from afar?  I know he’s cute, but must everyone touch his hands, mouth and even pick him up without asking?

One of the biggest causes of the spread of germs comes from other people’s hands.  I totally get it that everyone wants to touch him, he’s quite adorable, but your fingers just touched that doorknob and who knows what germs are creeping on them.
happy babycute baby

baby at pool

baby with beanie

 

 

 

 

Ways to Handle Strangers Invading Your Baby Space

  • Get A Sign–  There is now a baby sign that you could clip to your stroller or car seat that reads, “Please wash your hands before touching mine… Doctors Orders.”  It comes in bright colors and in English & Spanish.  For $7.99 you could save your baby from wondering hands.  I kid you not!
  • Be Firm– Once that stranger lays eyes on your baby, you better believe and know he/she will try to touch his little fingers and possibly hold him.  Right from the start you need to say, “I am worried about germs right now, so please don’t touch his hands.”  Please note I have said that before and the person decided to touch his face instead, so simply say, “DONT TOUCH.”
  • Blame The Baby–  This one works like a charm for setting some boundaries.  Right from the start when the stranger looks at him say, “Don’t get too close he is just getting over an awful virus.  Poor baby has been vomiting for days.”  You can be sure people won’t want to expose themselves to that kind of bug.
  • Bundle Them Up– Another tactic that could have you hashtag #winning is bundling your baby.  If the baby is swaddled and/or has baby mittens on then at the very least their hands are covered and protected.  There are plenty of pajamas that have built-in mittens, I suggest you pile up on them.
  • Stroller Coverage–  Most strollers today have baby nets that cover the stroller to protect little ones from unwanted insects.  Who knew it can also protect your baby from googling eyes?  Works like a charm!  No way is a stranger going to move the netting, but if they do just keep a fly swatter in your stroller’s basket.  Maybe then they will get the hint. (wink wink)
  • Walk Away–  This one is a little hard with my jovial personality, but if all else fails just walk away.  Say, “I am so sorry we are late for an appointment,”  You will know if the stranger is oohing and ahhhing that they are gearing up to touch your baby.  If you wait, its your own fault.  This may be a little rude, but you have to protect your baby from these unwanted germs. You have to simply walk away.

Strangers touching my baby with dirty hands is just as gross as someone licking your cheek.  You see, every time someone puts their unwanted hands on his, he nine out of ten times puts his hands right after the gross encounter in his mouth.  It’s unsettling for me as his mother.   This unwanted encounter exposes my sweet baby to being sick and you can bet it will run through my entire house.  Smile, wave, talk in baby blabber, dance and spin, but please DON’T TOUCH!  Cool?

I would love to hear from you, comment below and let me know your baby’s gross encounters.

baby sticking tongue out

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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23 thoughts on “Please Don’t Touch My Baby!”

  1. Oh Danielle! You’ve hit a sore spot with me. Wish people would acknowledge–even babies have personal Space! Bravo! Thank you for putting it out there!!

    Reply
  2. I don’t have kids, but it is a huge peeve of mine when anyone touches a baby’s hands! It’s the first thing they put in their mouths!!! It drives me nuts! Finally someone is addressing it.

    Reply
  3. Wow Danielle, that’s beyond nervy, why would anyone think it’s ok to do that?? Totally agree with you, no one should touch your child unless you give permission. I love babies (who doesn’t) & always say hi or talk to them when I’m out at a store but def hands off. Good luck Mommy keeping them away from baby Brody, he is damn adorable ?

    Reply
  4. My kids are older now but I’ll never forget an encounter I had in a department store when a group of elderly women were just loving my 6 month old Jillian. One of the women actually started to unbuckle her carriage straps to take her out. I am usually very friendly and extremely non confrontational but I boldly told her to take her hands off of my child then walked away. The reaction was typical as they thought I was not so nice. They looked at me as if it were me who was wrong. Not only did I think of the germs, but I was more concerned about the safety of my little girl. She could have been dropped or much worse (here’s where the alarmist in me comes out) but that nice old lady could have been part of a baby theft ring. I know that sounds very extreme, but the thought did cross my mind. Just say no and walk away. I never saw that woman again, so I really didn’t have to worry about sparing her feelings.

    Reply
  5. I got same thing with my little man! I just started using my Covered Goods nursing cover as a car seat/stroller cover. The whole sickness and germs things was a major concern. Also I live in AZ and with child kidnapping and being so close to a border it made me paranoid. I had a little follow us at Target trying to get close to my son! I am all about being vocal now when it comes to my son.

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  6. I actually slapped hands. Anyone who reached for my baby without permission got a hand slap. I blame the new mommy hormones. It shocked the crap out of a few granny types.

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  7. I introduced my 7 week old baby to a coworker who promptly washed her hands before holding. To my horror, she kissed him on the mouth! I almost died.

    Reply
  8. UGH! This has happened to us more than once….Amelia looked like a pookie doll with giant black eyes and a mop of hair…she was a target. I routinely had to block. Poor J ended up in the hospital with a fever of unknown origin at 3 weeks….after that, I had no problem asking folks to let her be. It really is an awkward position to be put in. My friend used to tell people her children were premies, they didn’t have their vaccines yet, so please don’t pick them up etc., that left people feeling less offended.

    One other issue I would love to hear about is forcing your kids to be affectionate with far off relatives and/or family friends? Not a good thing IMO…Our children understand they must be polite (say hello, a knuckle bump or hand shake is acceptable), but no forced hugs or kisses.

    Reply
    • I was one of those kids who had to hug and cheek-kiss every single person in a room when I was brought in. This ranged from relatives and family friends to complete strangers (to me, not my parents). It’s expected in my culture. Unfortunately, I was one of those kids who hated anyone but my parents touching me and I remember it being torture and super gross. To this day it makes my skin crawl.

      I am about to have my first baby and this will not be a practice that will be passed on outside of our immediate family and grandparents. Everyone else can deal with it. Period. I plan on explaining that I didn’t appreciate it when I was a child and I will not be forcing my own child to do the same. A handshake or smile will be sufficient. She can choose how touchy feely she will be when she is older.

      Also, Danielle, thank you for writing this article. I have been so immersed in how to tell people not to touch my belly that I overlooked how to tell people not to touch my future daughter!

      Reply

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