to get annoyed when total strangers touch/stroke my baby without asking?

[GreebosWhiskers]

ds is nearly 6 months & fair enough he is gorgeous (not that I'm biased or anything) but why do total strangers feel the need to have a grab at him when he's in his buggy? Doesn't matter where we are, on the bus, in a shop, whatever, there's someone stroking his cheek or grabbing his hand. I see their manky fingernails or nicotine-yellow fingers & shudder!
I know babies are cute & soft & cuddly but I'd never dream of touching someone else's baby without at least asking first.
So, AIBU?

sparkly is right - it would be a sad world if people ignored babies

having a baby is one of the real ice-breakers in the world - a baby brings out the best in people - they'll survive the germs - just enjoy it as when they are toddlers, they are not so popular!!

haven't read the wholde thread. but can I as a mother of older kids please request that parenst so cute babys/tots always put socks on their feet...............

as trying to not tickle is really hard.Thankyou

i'm not keen on smokers touching ds/having their fingers in his mouth, but i don't mind a little old lady having her day cheered up by seeing ds and having a little chat with us. he beams at everyone he sees now, so makes friends wherever he goes! (he has gorgeous fat cheeks, see profile)

and i think a few people were a bit harsh to KerrysMum...she was misunderstood in a couple of places. i don't think i'd want someone with coldsores kissing my baby either! i mean, yeah, sure, they'll come into contact with germs infections etc anyway, but why not avoid if you can?

oh and my house is "healthily dirty" too (love that expression, think i will use it to dh next time he points out the kitchen floor!!)

YABU.

oh I'm glad you don't mind UrbanDryad, seeings my four couldn't resist poking your cutey

YABVU

Phew! Is it over now?

YABU

Just checking my fingers for nicotine stains ...

see this thread I started last year

I am glad people here (in France) like to chat and stroke my dd's hands its helped me settle in and feel like I am part of the community.

When we first moved here I was feeling a bit low walking round the local market with dd2 screaming her head off, she had been up half the nigh, dh was away, I just wanted to come home to be near my mum. A lady on one of the stalls started chatting to my dd who quickly quietened down, the lady was talking to me and I couldnt understand her , a few other people came over and one of them wrote something on a piece of paper for me I realised they were saying it was for her teeth. I went and got it and its brilliant stuff. Every market day I see the same people and they always say hello to the girls and we have a chat

Must admit i found it hard when we first moved to Spain. Now I am the opposite and take offence if people don't coo over my baby. Spanish people love getting a handful of baby cheek.

Don't have children yet but am due with my first in 3 weeks. To be honest, I think that it's lovely when people make a fuss of babies, I know I certainly do if I see one. Can't resist really! I like to stroke chubby legs and cheeks, who doesn't!!! I'd never put my fingers near their mouths though.

I think it's probably natural for all new mums to be a wee bit uptight about their newborns though right, with regards to everything though? I don't think I'd like anyone putting their fingers in my babies mouth but I smile when I think of all the attention she might attract. It'd make me proud, I'd be thinking 'yes she is lovely isn't she, I made her!' Oh god I'm going to be one of those mothers aren't I, the sort that thinks their children do no wrong cause they're perfect! Can't wait.

when i was in A&E the other day ds was handed around half the staff there and he loved it

babies are social creatures, they need to be touched, sad that some parents impose their own social oddities upon them and then wonder why they have difficulty socialising later on in life

have just read thread,

Kerrymum, didn't you say on another thread you ds's severe allergies were due to extremely early weaning?

surely you can understand the differance between allergic reaction and catching a cold from someone?

i do agree with expat, it might be wise to go speak to your gp as it sounds like your having trouble dealing with some issues brought about by what happend to you ds and it might make life a little easier to deal with if you were able to speak to a professional and get some coping mechanisms

i love how round and cuddly they are personally and their little hands

I hate hate hate it!

I always ask them not to, I had a woman kiss my dd2 in the supermarket, ok she was Itallian and it is their way but I didn't like it, wasnt rude to her or anything but eauh!

My dd's have severe allergies and I have to be very careful who touches them in case they have an allergen on their hands, my dd's wear t-shirts when out saying "Please dont touch me I have life threatening allergies" It usually works

Not unreasonable.

Oh I like it when they look up at you with their big round eyes and smile at you cheekily! Makes me just want to squeeze them and cuddle them lots! Oh feeling so broody now, not long left

Ahhh please stop with the broodiness as I have just got over my last bout of it...

I'm getting broody too, just missing one ingredient

at Hills

at this thread

Well, ok, allergens on fingers are a good reason not to touch anybody then. You don't know who is allergic to what. The British culture of shaking hands will die out. It's attempted assault, after all.