Page 8 | Saw this on a pram today! 😀

Netcurtainnelly · 2025-10-08T18:00:02+00:00

A man pushing obviously a young baby along in its pram in the town today. You couldn't see the baby but there was a sign on the pushchair saying please don't touch or kiss the baby, then words I couldn't read. Then it said Thanks . Reminded me of MN. I know its been discussed. Never seen a sign on the pram though, telling people, has anyone else? Did even know they made them.

SALaw · 09/10/2025 00:13

LadyGreyjoy · 08/10/2025 19:19

I put on of these signs on my daughter's pram after THREE old ladies put their hands in the pram to touch her in her first week of life. Two tried to lean in and breathe all over her and stroke her face and one time I was holding her and an old lady just marched up and shoved her hand straight in her her face, then had the cheek to look offended when I slapped it away before she made contact. My daughter was 6 days old!

I don't want strangers touching my baby and I find it outrageous that people actually need to be told it's not ok.

Edited

People like that are unlikely to see or read a sign though?

Dutchhouse14 · 09/10/2025 08:10

People used to make a fuss of my babies all time when they were in their pram, and sometimes pat my bump my pregnant.
My DC are now older teens, early twenties so perhaps society has changed-it almost certainly has.
But in the 2000s when mine were young I used to like people making a fuss of my babies, especially when I was tired and having a tough day, it made motherhood feel important and acknowledged. The (older) ladies that did it always congratulated me, and said I was doing an amazing job and told me to make sure I rested. It was almost a motherly support thing they were doing.
But definitely wasn't keen on strangers touching my bump thou but that only happened once or twice, I just grinned and bared it.
I think the only reason to have a sign like that on your pram is if your child is immune compromised or poorly. Otherwise it's a bit batshit/precious.

soundsys · 09/10/2025 08:18

freakingscared · 08/10/2025 21:55

This is very cultural too . Where I’m from nobody bats an eyelid if people touch your baby , if you go to a local cafe they will probably ask you to pick up the baby or offer to have them while you eat .

Same where I'm from. I think it's a class thing: middle class mums (in my experience) are more precious and then complain they don't have the village to help them.

freakingscared · 09/10/2025 08:22

soundsys · 09/10/2025 08:18

Same where I'm from. I think it's a class thing: middle class mums (in my experience) are more precious and then complain they don't have the village to help them.

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It will also make the babies a bit antisocial. Mine were all smiles and happiness if people spoke with them . My sister in law is one of “ these “ mums and her baby cries if someone he doesn’t know cries when people talk to him , even now at 20 months as a toddler . It’s weird .

Shodan · 09/10/2025 08:35

You don't have to touch a baby in a pram to interact with them though. You don't touch adults all the time when you're socially interacting, do you?

Smiling, laughing, talking- all these are perfectly normal social interactions, and ones that are absolutely suitable for use with babies. Touching a stranger's baby without the parents' permission is about what you get from it, not what the baby gets from it. And that goes for touching women's baby bumps too.

peonym · 09/10/2025 08:39

Honestly if weirdos didn’t try to kiss babies of strangers signs like these wouldn’t need to be made. I wouldn’t do it myself, but some parents are much more anxious and / or baby could have health complications. It’s not hard NOT to touch a baby, I don’t understand why people seem to think they have the right to.

MaturingCheeseball · 09/10/2025 08:45

Ha ha - in the south east you’d be quite safe from marauding baby touchers. No smiley old ladies here. And millennial parents give off such hostile vibes that no one is going to date glance at their wonderful offspring.

If I didn’t know that the sign indicated an illness/vulnerability I’d think it very rude: who wants to touch your baby anyway? It’s like Baby on Board stickers. Good for you.

Onefortheroad25 · 09/10/2025 08:46

I’ve seen these before on prams. I think it just saves the awkwardness of telling someone not to touch your baby.
I wish I’d had one 21 years ago when a woman put her finger in newborn ds’s mouth when he was crying.

Kirbert2 · 09/10/2025 08:59

freakingscared · 09/10/2025 08:22

It will also make the babies a bit antisocial. Mine were all smiles and happiness if people spoke with them . My sister in law is one of “ these “ mums and her baby cries if someone he doesn’t know cries when people talk to him , even now at 20 months as a toddler . It’s weird .

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Babies are all different though, aren't they? I wouldn't let strangers touch my son when he was little and he was all smiles and happiness if a stranger spoke with him.

Strangers can interact with babies without kissing them or sticking a finger in their mouth or pinching their cheek.

Starlight1984 · 09/10/2025 09:32

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 08/10/2025 19:24

Me neither. Maybe my babies were hideous or something?

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😆

GlomOfNit · 09/10/2025 09:54

Dutchhouse14 · 09/10/2025 08:10

People used to make a fuss of my babies all time when they were in their pram, and sometimes pat my bump my pregnant.
My DC are now older teens, early twenties so perhaps society has changed-it almost certainly has.
But in the 2000s when mine were young I used to like people making a fuss of my babies, especially when I was tired and having a tough day, it made motherhood feel important and acknowledged. The (older) ladies that did it always congratulated me, and said I was doing an amazing job and told me to make sure I rested. It was almost a motherly support thing they were doing.
But definitely wasn't keen on strangers touching my bump thou but that only happened once or twice, I just grinned and bared it.
I think the only reason to have a sign like that on your pram is if your child is immune compromised or poorly. Otherwise it's a bit batshit/precious.

I agree and I'm so glad to see at least one other person on here isn't this precious! I'm reading comments about how posters 'slapped away' the hand of an 'old lady' - bloody hell, I hope they're proud of themselves.

I agree that having people come up and say admiring things about your baby can only be a nice thing. We can feel less visible, less regarded or cared about by modern society when we choose to become mothers. I think it's a good thing to have your new role acknowledged. When you choose to become a mother, you become part of your local community in a way I think few of us imagined beforehand. Nobody 'owns' your baby apart from you, your partner and your baby - and yet I think there's something positive about people feeling that they can come up to you and ask to see your baby, or (horrors!) even touch them. It's never upset or offended me - quite the opposite. My dad's from an EU country where this is absolutely unexceptional and mundane behaviour.

If your child is days old, then fine. If your child is immunosuppressed or fragile, then fine - it's understandable. But at least can't you gatekeep in person rather than with a sign? If you explain to people that, lovely though your baby is, you don't want anyone outside the family touching her because xxx, they'll understand. Nasty little passive-aggressive signs on prams are horrible and probably won't even be noticed.

Just remember - meeting other people (and, after a few weeks, their germs) is a vital part of a baby's neurological development and boosts their immune system.

GlomOfNit · 09/10/2025 09:59

Icreatedausernameyippee · 08/10/2025 21:49

Good for them.
It's shocking how fast someone can touch your baby (absolute strangers) and how even the most outspoken person can freeze in that moment.
I walked through a supermarket with my newborn in pram and while I tuned my head to glance one way someone just touched my baby's face.
I don't know what their intentions are because I don't know them.
It could be an innocent little stroke for an irresistible little baby or they could have just scratched their arse and wanted to wipe shit on her - because people can be bloody weird and frankly it's bloody weird to touch a strangers baby.
If the sign gives someone pause, even if the child isn't vulnerable, it's not a bad thing.

This is actually bonkers. You suspect that it's just possible that, while many old ladies who go in for an affectionate cheek stroke are just annoying but innocent, SOME people out there are doing it to deliberately wipe shit on your baby's face?? That's what you've said.

Listen to yourself. Do you approach most interactions with strangers expecting that they're all 'bloody weird' and want to harm you/your child? Is this some sort of projection?

Kirbert2 · 09/10/2025 10:07

GlomOfNit · 09/10/2025 09:54

I agree and I'm so glad to see at least one other person on here isn't this precious! I'm reading comments about how posters 'slapped away' the hand of an 'old lady' - bloody hell, I hope they're proud of themselves.

I agree that having people come up and say admiring things about your baby can only be a nice thing. We can feel less visible, less regarded or cared about by modern society when we choose to become mothers. I think it's a good thing to have your new role acknowledged. When you choose to become a mother, you become part of your local community in a way I think few of us imagined beforehand. Nobody 'owns' your baby apart from you, your partner and your baby - and yet I think there's something positive about people feeling that they can come up to you and ask to see your baby, or (horrors!) even touch them. It's never upset or offended me - quite the opposite. My dad's from an EU country where this is absolutely unexceptional and mundane behaviour.

If your child is days old, then fine. If your child is immunosuppressed or fragile, then fine - it's understandable. But at least can't you gatekeep in person rather than with a sign? If you explain to people that, lovely though your baby is, you don't want anyone outside the family touching her because xxx, they'll understand. Nasty little passive-aggressive signs on prams are horrible and probably won't even be noticed.

Just remember - meeting other people (and, after a few weeks, their germs) is a vital part of a baby's neurological development and boosts their immune system.

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I didn't use a sign but I can understand why some do. People are so quick, by the time you've tried to explain, they already have a finger in your baby's mouth or have kissed your baby's face. Some also outright ignore you, though those people would probably also ignore a sign to be fair.

Saying admiring things about a baby is one thing and absolutely fine but there's no need for any touching to go along with it.

IthinkIamAnAlien · 09/10/2025 10:34

I'm totally shocked at the need to do this. How incredibly offensive and insensitive some people can be.
Reminds me of being pregnant with twins when some people (strangers) felt it was OK to comment or even ask for a feel. YUCK.

boulevardofbrokendreamss · 09/10/2025 10:51

NICU told me to 15 years ago, and to put the covers on if we went into somewhere busy. Dts were 31 weekers and I was not risking anything to have them back in hospital again.

ARichtGoodDram · 09/10/2025 18:19

But at least can't you gatekeep in person rather than with a sign? If you explain to people that, lovely though your baby is, you don't want anyone outside the family touching her because xxx, they'll understand. Nasty little passive-aggressive signs on prams are horrible and probably won't even be noticed.

It's not always possible to gatekeep on person, turn away for a second to pay or load something onto the belt and it happens.

And as I (and I'm not the only one on thread whose experience it) people don't always understand. I had a sigh precisely because of someone having a real go at me outside a hospital when I was taking my DD home after 2 very long and scary months.

People do notice the signs. They roll their eyes and huff, but at least they don't rant at you about how ridiculous parents are these days on a day where you're already struggling

Wileyteddy · 10/10/2025 09:58

Totally necessary, I've had random people kiss my child and put face right in the pram, he's premature and it shocked me how many would do tht