Going out with your newborn is a big deal, because there is so much to pack and consider.
They have to eat more frequently, they need to nap a lot, and those infamous breastfeeding poop blowouts are inevitably going to occur at least once in public.
What you shouldn’t have to be so concerned with is dozens of dirty stranger danger hands all lunging towards your pure and clean little baby.
But you do. Oh, how you do.
You thought it was the end of an era when the pregnancy came to a close. With no baby bump, what were strangers going to rub offensively?
Well, now it is all hands on deck.. and the deck is your baby.
Everyone loves babies, and it seems they can’t help themselves when they see one.
In the grocery store or in the department store, people will approach you about your beautiful baby and then simultaneously reach in to hold their hand, or even kiss them!
It’s unsure where in history this trend began, and how one could possibly think that it is acceptable to touch and kiss a stranger’s newborn child, but it won’t stop.
This is forcing more and more moms to be blunt and forward when relaying to others that it is not okay to transfer your germs unwelcomely to unsuspecting newborns.
One mom, sharing on Facebook, had the genius idea of putting a sign on her car seat handle that hung above the newborn’s head that read “No Touching.”
Having a sign, especially one as cute and well-designed as this one, is a great way to let others know your boundaries without having to strike up awkward conversation every time you’re approached.
What To Expect reported:
“A photo of the sign was shared on the popular Breastfeeding Mama Talk Facebook page with the caption, “Thoughts? Would you put this on your baby’s car seat?””
I would most definitely put this sign on my car seat, and it wouldn’t just be for the strangers.
Family and friends need to know that, although you may not mind sharing your popcorn with them, you do not want them sharing their germs with your baby.
Unfortunately, just because someone is close to you, doesn’t make it safe for them to kiss and touch a newborn baby.
If a loved one does want some of those envious cuddles, they must wash or sanitize their hands first.
Tanya Remer Altmann, MD, a pediatrician and author of Mommy Calls, tells WebMd that, “Infections in small babies can be pretty serious,” adding how “they can get very sick quite quickly.”
Many people believe that coming into contact with germs early on is a good thing because it strengthens your immunity.
Like one naysayer said concerning the “No Touching” sign on the Breastfeeding Mama Talk post:
“This world is turning into a bunch of weak fruit loops. Children need germs, their bodies need to learn to fight off sickness. Besides breastfeeding gives babies so many antibodies to help them fight everything off.”
It’s true that exposure to germs can make your immune system more prepared for a serious attack, but it’s not that we should seek germs out and expose a newborn’s little body.
Web Md reports on how despite the way the immune system is strengthened, newborns don’t need the extra help getting germ exposure:
“However, that doesn’t mean that deliberately exposing your child to germs is smart. Your baby will get all the germ exposure he or she needs naturally, says Robert W. Frenck Jr., MD, professor of pediatrics at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. You don’t need to help along the process by having your uncle sneeze on your baby.”
The “No Touching” signs are gaining in popularity. Not only are they available in various colors and designs on crafty websites, but users who posted to Breastfeeding Mama Talk reported buying one.
One user on Facebook posted, “Got one for my preemie baby,” according to What To Expect.
Her baby had come from PICU, and she didn’t want any more complications for her child to face.
And that’s just the thing, you never know the condition of the baby you are putting your dirty hands on; they could be a preemie, have a disease they are fighting, or a condition that makes the baby more susceptible to illness.
Always ask to touch someone else’s baby, even if it is a close friend. And if they say yes, just take it upon yourself to wash your hands first.
Mothers go through so much work to carry and deliver their precious child, then they have the stress of the sleepless nights when they are born.
Other’s shouldn’t mindlessly add to the weight already on a new mother’s shoulders by getting all ‘grabby Patty’ with every baby they see.
I say that every car seat should come with a “no touching” sign that stays attached for at least the first three months, when the baby is most vulnerable.
Please let us know in the comments section what you think of the sign, and if you have had a bad experience with strangers touching your baby.