Does it bug you when strangers touch your baby?

[SDFgirl]

I would never touch someone's baby that I don't know. However, people are all over my baby when I take her out in public! They touch her hands, her face, her toes...

It doesn't really bother me, unless they touch her face or get up close to her. Squeeze her hand, tickle her feet...no problem. But I am surprised at how many people (strangers) feel free to do it!

Does it bother you?

 

[720L]

When I had babies it bothered me also. Don't people know thats how germs are spread? I really hated it if they tried to kiss them. I would stop them and say "please don't do that" as politely as I could.

 

[ez]

my son is almost 4 and spent time sick in the hospital this year...so still really does very much.

 

[Mermaid02]

Yes it did bother me. I used to say "Please don't touch the baby" a lot. I work in a pediatrician's office and I see the sweetest kids all day- it's hard not to touch them sometimes but I refrain OR if it's a parent I'm friendly with I ask and use Purell if they say yes.

 

[BoyLovesBuzz]

it should.

 

[lovetoscrap]

I used a front carrier (baby bijorn type) most of the time when I went out. My babies preferred to be held to being in the car seat anyway. But it also really helped cut down on the amount of touching. About all anyone could get to was their feet. In order to try to touch their face they would have have risked major embarassment by touching me in the process! My first one had an immunity disorder so avoiding germs was a necessity. I used a carrier with her through toddlerhood. It really helps when you keep them in your personal space. With really persistant people you can turn your body or protect baby with your hands very easily.

 

[ilisao]

Yes, it would bother me alot. Besides the germ aspect, I think people need to be respectful of others' personal space.

 

[paintnolish]

If kids are trying to touch them, I am not as annoyed. They are just curious! I politely try to steer them clear of the baby's face. Adults, however, should know better. Once at Panera, I actually had an elderly lady kiss the top of ds' head as he sat in his high chair! That went a little too far, but she was a sweet old lady!

 

[Villain-lover]

YES! It gets on my nerves...and for me with having the twin "freak show" and all, people just think that they can touch my babies. The only other thing that gets on my nerves when we are out and about is people asking if my boy/girl twins are identical ....

 

[wardfamily1]

It bother's me tremendously! My DD was 2 at the time and used to have the curliest hair, just like Shirley Temple. This woman walked up to her at the store and started touching her hair, she said "Oh I hope you don't mind I just had to touch it to see if it was real, it's so curly." I said "Yes, I do mind." and walked away. I felt some very primal rage at that point where I just wanted to pummel the lady, I didn't of course, but I sure wanted to. She was invading my territory.


Ok, rant over.

 

[paintnolish]

=Villain-lover;25234085]YES! It gets on my nerves...and for me with having the twin "freak show" and all, people just think that they can touch my babies. The only other thing that gets on my nerves when we are out and about is people asking if my boy/girl twins are identical ....[/QUOTE]
My dcs are 15 monthes apart, ds is the older one, but he is so tiny! People always either assume they are twins, or, even worse, assume dd is older. She delights in that, too. It burns ds up!
Equally annoying is when people assume your child is of the opposite sex. People used to tell me ds was "too pretty to be a boy". Umm...thanks?

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I hate it! Why do people feel a need to touch another person just because it is a child? I would love to tell them what I tell my kids when we are shopping and I don't want them to touch stuff "If you can keep your hands to yourself then keep them in your pockets!"

 

[stacy347]

I honestly don't really remember a lot of people doing that with my older 3 but my youngest is in the autism spectrum and positively can not stand to be touched and for some reason people want to touch her all the time.

She's not even a baby and people are always wanting to touch the top of her head when they are trying to talk to her ~ first of all, touching her is not going to help you have a conversation with her and second of all, this is the look you get (from her) if you do touch her ~ and here's me the whole time because I know people think she is just being a brat .

So, please, please, please unless you are really close to that person, you really shouldn't touch someone else's child.

 

[DMickey28]

It depends.

At my local Super Walmart I have been going there since DS was 2 months old, probably 3-4 times a week. Some of the older ladies know DS. They will squeeze his foot but usually don't invade our space. At our local Publix, there is this really sweet older man, he always tries to "high five" my DS and will touch his hand. My DS now does it back and it doesn't bother me. If anyone went towards his face or head or something like it would bother me.

At a restaurant if DS is reaching towards the server they might shake his hand or something like that. That doesn't bother me.

Mostly we just get the 'he is soo handsome', 'look at that smile', 'look at those eyes' comments and move on.

 

[LisaB]

A little old lady wants to touch your child and you want to pummel her. [edited]. My daughter who always goes outside in the cold no coat wet hair around germs God forbid other children has never been sick in her life except once while our friend who is germ phobic her children are always sick

 

[DISshopkeeper]

It bothered me when my kids were little. IT wasn't a germ thing, it just creeped me out.

Also hated it when people wanted to touch my belly when I was pregnant.

 

[nannerbadnanner]

Not particularly. Most people are just trying to be nice. If I get a creepy vibe, that is a whole other issue.

When my older DD was about one, we were in line at Walmart in front of this sweet elderly couple. She just smiled and babbled at them they whole time. The lady was struggling with cancer and kept saying how my DD had brightened her day. Before we left ,she reached over and kissed my DD on the head. Granted, I did find it odd, but I know she meant no harm. I figure my daughter had more germs than she did!

 

[freckles and boo]

My DD was 2 at the time and used to have the curliest hair, just like Shirley Temple. This woman walked up to her at the store and started touching her hair, she said "Oh I hope you don't mind I just had to touch it to see if it was real, it's so curly."

Both my girls had springy, curly hair as toddlers, too. Older ladies would actually ask me if I curled their hair. I can't imagine anything more ridiculous putting curlers in a two-year-old's hair.

 

[Sleepy]

I live in a culture where touching children is perfectly acceptable. It would not bother me a bit. Even before I moved here I did not care if people touched my kid. I really don't see the harm. People even discipline other peoples kids here. It helps to keep them in line.

 

[jamimb]

I don't see what the big deal is I don't mind at all if someone touches my baby just to say hello. To each his own I guess!