AIBU - strangers touching baby

[Angeliki159]

It's a but weird when random strangers touch your baby isn't it?
I keep having random people, shop assistants, children, people in lifts etc stroking my LOs face or holding his hand.
I'm not a germophone or anything, I just don't understand why people think it's ok to touch a baby you don't know without at least checking with the parent first.

Getting on for a hundred messages and not one mention of how important 'dirt' and 'germs' are for the development of a healthy immune system and for the development of a healthy microbiome. Shocking lack of awareness that you are doing more harm than good by trying to stop perfectly normal microbes from making contact with your child.

If you have an immunocompromised or premature baby, then of course be protective, and nobody wants anyone dripping snot over the child or shoving fingers in their mouth, but healthy term babies are designed to be exposed to microbes. We evolved in symbiosis with bacteria, and our societal structures evolved in a way that had babies in close contact with many other people and their microbes. The inexorable rise in autoimmune conditions and allergies are very much linked with the modern obsession with hygiene and anti-bac everything.

Cross-posted with Gummy.

OP - Never go to Italy, you will be beside yourself. Babies and children are everyone's property, they will be touched, hugged, kissed, have their cheeks slapped, their hair mushed. You just have to go with the flow.

It's not so much the germs or whatever, it's more the fact that people seem to think it's ok to touch a baby they don't know without even acknowledging the parent or anything.

I know it's not the same but:
You dont just go up and pet a dog you see on the street without checking with the owner.
I did once and I got a MASSIVE argument thrown at me.

So why is it ok for people to touch my baby but I can't stroke a dog??

The baby’s not too likely to bite you if startled

And if baby did bite they wouldn't be pts like a dog that bit when startled.

So why is it ok for people to touch my baby but I can't stroke a dog??

Seriously? This thread just gets more and more ridiculous!

You can stroke a strange dog - just don't be surprised if it bites you.
People touch babies because that's what people have done with babies for millenia. It's what humans are genetically programmed to do - find babies cute, vulnerable and appealing so that they are inclined to protect them. Personally I prefer animals to children (and adults!), but most societies celebrate and adore babies and children, and everyone seems to benefit from that, from old people who want a cuddle, to babies who get adored and exposed to immune-stimulating microbes, to parents who get a break.

I swear only in fucking mumsnet-land would people get so precious over people taking interest in their offspring.