How Do I Handle Strangers Touching My Baby?

this is stupid who cares how many people touched u when you were an infant and your still alive

One thing that everyone needs to consider. Is the person who is touching your baby or your belly of Latino decent? If they are, remeber it is part of their culture. When my daughter was an infant, I could not walk into a store without someone walking up and touching her. It really is a compliment.

i was @ the health dept getting my baby tested for lead (why, I don't know but her doctor insisted) and a woman kept asking if she could hold her. I almost relented when the worker came out and told her that her TB results were back. ARGGGG this woman thinks she has TB and she wants to hold my infant?

Well, Jess...Perhaps you should proofread your own post. The word is THEN not "than" that's fine with me.

I always took it as a compliment when people walked up to my daughter and were nice to her. If they slightly touched her cheek, so what! The only way I would have been offended or anything is if they tried to take her out of my arms or her stroller. Other than that, they're just trying to be nice. No need to act like a growling bitchy momma bear. I have always found that type to be the rude one's in life who had a crappy childhood themselves. It's true!

"Don't touch my baby." is easy enough to say. It's your baby. You don't care about hurt feelings. Let the baby know very young that no one handles her besides mom and dad. Train the child early the body is their body not to be touched and manhandled.

Currently, I have two VERY cute puppies. I don't assume that everyone wants to be puppy kissed either. People ask if they can say hello or I ask if they want to. If they are small children, I ask them to get permission from their parent.

Babies are cute. But not to be touched without permission.

There are a lot of folks who don't have good touching radar. It doesn't mean they are bad, just no radar. I hate being hugged by women in my women's group - especially the ones who wear Petchuli oil that I hate and am allergic to. Yuck-o! Women come up to me and pull out my necklace or scarf and say eww where did you get this? and I want to smack them. People, don't touch me unless you are related or my best friend! And don't touch my baby!

I once (HORROR!) had a woman in a new neighborhood where we had just moved take the liberty of cutting my child's hair while she was playing with the woman's neighbor on the lawn. I was just horrified that she assumed that THAT was OKAY!

BTW, if your kid plays with other kids, you can wash the toys with vinegar and they won't melt.

Oh, I HATED when people were always pawing my girls when they were small. The time that really got me angry was when I was waiting in line at the grocery store bakery, my daughter was in the seat of the cart and when I looked away, someone gave her food to eat. I mean seriously, they had no idea if my child was diabetic or had allergies or any number of things. I don't mind a smile or a wave but that was going too far.

Geez. Don't be so critical. If someone stutters in public do you tell them to think before they speak, too?

I always hated someone to touch my babies hands (which go in their mouths), or breath in their faces, but never felt I had to be rude to someone who only had kind motives toward my baby. I always felt that my kids couldn't get too much love and good wishes from the world. But if I felt someone was getting too close to my newborn, I would pick the baby up and create the distance myself. Ta Da, no hurt feelings, and everyone can enjoy seeing the new person. I read that in some cultures, if you look at the baby, you must touch her to show you aren't putting the "evil eye" or curse on her.

These are good advices..
Http://www.childrenhealthsecrets.com

I would just like to say to all those saying....How did we survive all these years....Blah blah blah.. There are micro-premies surviving today that even 10 years ago would have died. Just because your kids grew up OK does not mean every child will be OK when exposed to stranger's germs. My son was 2lbs 27 week gestation. He was very susceptible to germs that wouldn't make an average newborn ill. You don't know just because the baby is out, what the health of the baby is. Or the health of the person going to touch baby. Also, aren't we supposed to teach our kids that strangers are not to touch them? Ever heard of stranger danger? Does that mean every stranger will hurt your kid? No, but don't we teach them that so they won't get hurt, molested, or kidnapped? Also, there was a lady in my state who let someone hold her baby in a Dr.'s office waiting office and the stranger ran out with that newborn, they never found the baby.

As a physician, it is a little comical to read some of these posts. Yes, there are some rare times that viruses or bacteria can be passed by touching, but no more than you touching your own baby. The post about TB being passed is silly..... TB is not passed by touching someone. I think many women are overly concerned about passing of germs. People that touch babies are generally only admiring them and want to cuddle them. If it is your wish that they don't, then fine, don't let them. But don't be overly worried about any disease transmission, that will occur in the daycare setting.

"I told one lady to get her germy paws off my baby... it's effective. I usually try to be nice and not rude but some people are thick skulled."

Sorry, Jess, but that is rude and not nice--however imposing the dimensions of the skull.

I totally agree! It has never once occured to me to reach out and paw at another womans child. I got so fed up that I told a woman that my child has a contgious rash after she pushed past me to touch his hands and face. Her own husband repremanded her for being so impolite. Regardless of the motive behind it, there is still a personal boundries issue that needs to be respected, no matter the place or person.

I found that if you just pick up the child or allow the child to hide in you, people tend not to touch. And, I often say - she's learning early not to talk to strangers and giggle.

You do want to be careful because soon you're child will be bothering them saying "hi" fifty times as they try to eat.

REPLYING TO "JESS": You're living in a glass house Jess, You need to do some "proofreading" of your OWN writing... You wrote the word "than" but the correct word to use would be "then". Oops:)

Fortunately I have kept my babies super close to me in their Sasha Wraps. No one was able to get to them if they wanted to. And when they were nursing in the wrap they couldn't see it and I would just tell them they were asleep. If you have an infant or baby in a car seat or stroller it's just too easy for people to touch them. Even if they don't mean to invade your personal space.

I think that we American's OVER-REACT!!! I think our obsession with GERMS has gone way over board! We are becmming so Germ free that we are actually turning into a weaker society. Soon our society won't even beable to handle a small bug let alon a super bug.
I have four children and know that when you only have one you really are just "playing house". I say lighten up people and as long as a person looks decent- let them show their big heart and let your child get a loving touch.

Go to www.touchytags.com