to be really irritated by a) strangers mauling DS and b) people taking his thumb away

[tinierclanger]

Why do people feel entitled to grab babies? As soon as someone leans over and says how lovely he is, I KNOW they're going to start poking him.

And also, not just strangers but MIL is always taking his thumb out of his mouth. 'Oh, you don't need that!'. Yes he DOES! It's HIS thumb and he WANTS TO SUCK IT SO LET HIM!

a) yes YABU Whats wrong with people wanting to show you how much they like your baby. Touching a baby is the most natural thing in the world. Feel so sad when people feel like this. Hcildren are so lovely that it is IMO a prefectly human responce to want to admire them and so sad when people object to this.
b)NYANBU whether you let your child suck their thumb is up to you.

I was given advice by Dentist when DS was only 6 weeks old that the inherited size of jaw was far likelier to have an impact on buck teeth/teeth requiring orthodontic treatment than sucking a thumb. At 2, DS still sucks thumb, but only when he is tired and going to sleep - far too busy running around and playing the rest of the time to suck his thumb!
So, I think wanting to stroke and cuddle babies is normal and as long as it doesn't disturb or upset baby, think it's fine, but on the other hand if it upsets you, it's not fine - so a personal thing, I think.
On thumb-sucking - no, YANBU!

My DS is very friendly and is probably going to be trouble when he gets older as he'll go after anyone who smiles at him (he's 13.5mo).
He doesn't mind being chucked on the cheek (not pinched though) or tickled gently or stroked - he laps it up! but I wouldn't let anyone try and take his thumb out of his mouth.

I sucked mine until I was 7 - no buck teeth. My sister sucked hers a lot until she was 15 (and still does now under duress) and doesn't have buck teeth but does have a receding lower jaw.

Orthodontics was private when I was a child - we had to pay for our braces. I had teeth removed because my jaw is too small for my teeth and the brace was to fill the gap.

It's when they stick their fingers in the babies mouth to stop it crying that digusts me.

WHen I had DD1 (PFB) their was this photographer who came round the maternity ward. When the woman tried to take a pic of DD she started to cry and the photographer stuck her knuckle in DDs mouth to shut her up so she could take the photo!

I was so

Needless to say we did not buy the photo.