Am I being unreasonable: I get annoyed when people think they can put their grubby hands in my pram and touch my DS!

[salt101]

Does this happy to anyone else? You are out/on the bus/walking in the park. Someone comes to chat or starts talking to DS, he smiles being the lovely sociable baby...and they stick their hands in/stroke his hand/touch his face/put his dummy in!!!

Has anyone said anything? It usually happens so fast, I'm not quick enough.....

anyone?

due to the amount of these threads, i no longer touch babies.

I wouldn't be offended, infact I'd find it a compliment that they'd want to touch my baby. Just another form of being affectionate, human touch. It's happened a few times when out and about, but wouldn't say it's something that gets me upset, no.

YABU - people are admiring your beautiful baby. Stop being so precious and enjoy showiing him off.

I think I meant to say..."does this happen to anyone else...not happy!

Sorry to repeat a thread- I get the impression I'm not alone in my thinking

Yes, it happened to me a lot, with both my boys and yes I used to say something.

I used to say "Thank you, obviously I think he's gorgeous too."

It honestly never occured to me to feel outraged or anything, but, like SEA, I am grateful for these threads, cos now I know that to be on the safe side, I need to ignore all the cute squishy babies

well, wishful thinking there, I think. I meant

doesn't your baby enjoy this attention.YABU and very precious !

doesn't your baby enjoy this attention.YABU and very precious !

how old is your baby? If it's a newborn I'd be annoyed too, in fact, I'd push their hand away

are their hands grubby?

agree with southeast. I used to think it was a nice thing to do. Now I wouldn't get too close to anyone else's baby due to these sorts of threads.

I think it's really sad that you would mind. (unless they are really really young or fast asleep)

If they aren't licking him I wouldn't mind! Seriously, keep some baby wipes handy to wipe his hands afterwards if you must but it's a sad day when people upset you because they want to coo over your lovely baby.

Message withdrawn

An elderly man once touched my DS's head when he was in the pram and said "God bless you young man" - I thought was a lovely gesture.

An elderly man once touched my DS's head when he was in the pram and said "God bless you young man" - I thought was a lovely gesture.

I think it's lovely but as with others on the thread thanks to mumsnet I keep a 2 metre distance from all babies at all times now.

I think babies just bring so much JOY to not just the parents but everyone that they should be shared.

YABU.

thanks for your views
he's 5months old
I think my problem stems from the fact that I see him as an extension of myself and I live in central London where people don't acknowledge eachother, let alone touch. So, it has come as a bit of a shock that people think it is their right to touch.

When I was pregnant I really wouldn't have liked people touching my belly....nobody did, but I would have stepped back or said something.

Yes, in a way it is sad that I mind....but would YOU want a complete stranger touching your face with a grubby hand?!!!

But babies don't have the boundary issues that we have, they haven't yet learnt that being touched by strangers isn't the done thing. Most babies love new experiences.

It does coem as something of a surprise, I suppose, to realise that many people are drawn to babies and want to make a connection or comment. Babies make people feel good.

All of their hands can't be grubby. My DD had, to put it mildly, a big fat face . Her cheeks were massive. hardly any person over the age of 50 could pass without chuking her cheeks. It didn't do her any harm.

salt101 I can sympathise with fear of germs if it's your first baby, BUT, I also live in London, and I think it is lovely that babies bring out a nice squidgy side to people, prompts them to make conversation, makes you feel part of a community, wind daisies in your hair and skip .............

Depends how grubby. Most people don't go round with filthy hands.

And if someone wanted to tell me how gorgeous I was, and placed a light hand on me briefly in total innocence, just to make a human connection, I can honestly say I wouldn't mind at all.

But nobody does that to adults, do they?

No, in my view you are not being unreasonable. I hate people toucing my ds3. He is 8 months old now, but I still hate it. I have no problem with friends and family doing it, but strangers - yuck. You have no idea where their hands have been and what they may be passing on. And I know I am not alone in thinking this - many of my friends feel the same. I usually wear ds in sling, and despite being even closer to me, people think they can touch him. My worst bug bear is kids touching or kissing him. I was on an outing with other families last week and one little girl was quite taken with him. I allowed her to play with him lots and lots even though she was touchinghim loads. But when she started kissing him, I drew the line. I politely explained that I didn't mind her playing with him, but not to kiss him.

I know I will be flamed for this, but I don't care. (need a sticking out toungue smiley here!).

it's lovely that people are drawn to babies, and DS obviously loves the attention....but why touch?

can't people just chat/coo/smile?!!!

(now I'm being to sound like I have a phobia!!!)