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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to let my baby lick the bin?

127 replies

minidisco · 29/09/2014 17:23

My 10 month old crawled up to our kitchen bin this afternoon, and as it is mirrored she likes looking at herself in it. I was filming her talking to her reflection, as it was very cute! She then licked the bin a few times, and was giggling at the feel of the cold metal. I sent my dh the video, thinking he would find it funny and he's had a go at me! He said that the germs on it could seriously harm her, and that I am clueless. Obviously I don't intend on letting her make licking the bin a habbit, but was ibu to let her lick the bin?! I suspect after writing it down that I was!

OP posts:
Magpiemystery · 29/09/2014 19:48

Thing is presumably you put your rubbish such as meat wrapping etc in your bin and sone of the juice (yuk) could easily run down the outside.

As for childreb n eating loo seats and public floors- utterly disgusting and unsurprisingly I have managed to avoid any such instances.

Some of you are seriously weird to think its funny or cool for your children to do vile things..next time you're in a public loo lick the door handle of the cubicle or the tap- that's the equivalent.

Stealthpolarbear · 29/09/2014 19:49

This paranoia does not extend to many other things. I feel similar about toilets but in general am quite sane!

Stealthpolarbear · 29/09/2014 19:50

I always think of the raw chicken in bins. And snotty tissues. And tea. Tea splatter make me murderous

Original poster
minidisco · 29/09/2014 19:57

Well my dh has just told me that he has been thinking about it all day, and that he can't believe how irresponsible and stupid I am and that she could get MRSA. He is so angry with me and I now feel like the worst mum in the world for thinking it was funny ??

OP posts:
WannaBe · 29/09/2014 19:57

tbh I think it's one of those things that you can go Shock at while at the same time conceding that these things do happen. I don't think the baby would necessarily come to harm having licked the bin but IMO should have been removed straight away and a video was a step too far.

CheckpointCharlie · 29/09/2014 19:57

That made me laugh too OP!!!

I am not sure if YABU, probably not!

Original poster
minidisco · 29/09/2014 20:02

He's said that social services would intervene if they were aware that it happened!Confused

OP posts:
Stealthpolarbear · 29/09/2014 20:03

Even through my germ phobia I know that's ridiculous

Tallypet · 29/09/2014 20:04

Just when I thought this was going to be a funny thread the huffs come out.

It's not as if we're doing it to be cool, relaxed etc... These things happen. I'm going to assume it happens because I don't hover over my pfb DS every move as I would prefer him to explore and figure things out for himself.

Lighten up - it's a bin. It's not as if OP was juggling steak knives whilst child was licking the inside of the bin Confused

soapybubbles123 · 29/09/2014 20:04

minidisco As a Nurse married to a Doctor I can categorically state that your DD is NOT going to get MRSA from licking a bin.

MRSA does not live on bins (or other objects), it lives on people and most don't know that they have it on their skin. It only becomes a problem if it enters the blood stream i.e. from a penetrating wound. The only way to prevent your DD from coming into contact with MRSA is to put her into a sterile bubble and never let her have contact with people again.

Stealthpolarbear · 29/09/2014 20:04

Is he usually a reasonable man who shares my fear of all things bin? If so show him this thread

Aeroflotgirl · 29/09/2014 20:05

Back in the 70/80 mum was really relaxed about that sort of stuff, I never ever had D/V, well only once when I was 6, that was it. I am a clean freak, Dettol and anti bac sprays everywhere, dd 7 has got the vomiting bug 3 stimms in the space of 6. Months.

soapybubbles123 · 29/09/2014 20:06

If your DH is so knowledgeable and responsible how about HE stays at home to look after your DD. It makes me so angry when people spout rubbish about things they know NOTHING about.

Original poster
minidisco · 29/09/2014 20:08

He's not very reasonable to be honest! Confused

OP posts:
Tallypet · 29/09/2014 20:09

Social services have more important things to worry about than a toddler exploring.
Your DH is being unreasonable and I'm sad to think that people are making you feel crap for what is, quite obviously, normal toddler behavior.
I hope you can continue to have fun like this with your little girl and not let some of the helicopter parents ruin it.

No one died from licking a bin.
Or eating shoes.
Or their own faeces (as some babies have).
Enjoy the funny comments on this post please - for your own sake. You sound like a funny mom x

soapybubbles123 · 29/09/2014 20:11

He doesn't sound remotely reasonable, fair enough some people have germ phobias etc but how dare he threaten you with social services. She licked a bin FFS, is SS were actually interested in things like that you'd need one SW for every child in the UK.

xvxvxvxvxvxvxvxv · 29/09/2014 20:11

Toilet floor was changing mat on floor super quick roll and lick. Didn't encourage it!

Stealthpolarbear · 29/09/2014 20:11

Plenty of people have died from ingesting faeces. Maybe not their own so much but still

temporaryusername · 29/09/2014 20:11

I don't think it is that bad or will have done her any more harm than daily life, but I agree not a habit to cultivate. You probably don't want her licking random bins Wink. I bet your bin is very clean though - she can see her reflection in it after all!

Tallypet · 29/09/2014 20:15

soapy is right about MRSA.
My DS is free to explore and is rarely ill (probably just jinxed myself). Whereas many of the other kids in his group constantly suffer from some sort of ailment due to parents and their AB wipes, gels and basically not allowing kids to be kids.

hagarthorne · 29/09/2014 20:18

When DS was about 18months I scraped his dinner into the bin (as often). Hours later he was in the kitchen behind me as I talked at the door to my neighbour whose eyes were opening wider and wider. When I turned round DS was eating his dinner out of the bin. It looked awful but did him no harm at all.

temporaryusername · 29/09/2014 20:19

Crikey, just read the above - social services!!! Babies and toddlers spend a lot of time on the floor, they also put things in their mouths without much discretion. Social services would get a bit of light relief and a good laugh if someone reported this!

I think your DH is really overreacting and I say that as someone with ocd. I think you should tell him, kindly and gently, that whilst you don't intend to encourage her to do this, you feel he has been oversensitive and might have some issues here. Suggest to him that you draw a line under this and wait and see if other reactions in the future suggest a problem that needs addressing or not. I think if he truly had ocd you would have known he wouldn't find that video funny.

Solasum · 29/09/2014 20:25

My DS licks buses OP. To be honest the kitchen bin (which he also loves, and uses as a drum, and a mirror, and pushes around) fades in comparison!

Spidergirl77 · 29/09/2014 20:25

Germs are good!

UncleT · 29/09/2014 20:30

If I ever have cause to stop for a moment and genuinely wonder whether I'm hallucinating, it'll be because of things like glancing at the screen to see a thread titled 'Am I being unreasonable to let my baby lick the bin?'. I do sometimes wonder what on earth is going on....

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