'Do Not Touch' Signs But For Newborns - Because Some People Still Need A Hint

Oct 18, 2018 by apost team

Just having a baby is stressful in itself. Whether it's a firstborn or not, parents have gone through a great deal of life-changing events starting with the happy announcement of their upcoming baby all the way to the actual delivery. Finally, their bundle of joy is here.

Most likely, the baby will go home and stay there, at least for a short while. This is when Mommy and Daddy get their chance to bond with their newborn creating those precious memories. Soon, though, they will need to take the baby back out into the real world. And, then it happens! 

Someone, maybe even a total stranger, walks up to admire the baby. What starts out as almost insane cooing and making baby faces turns into them reaching down and touching the baby! Maybe, even on the face or mouth! As the parents gape in horror fearing what sort of germs their baby is being exposed to, the touching continues.

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Enough! There has to be a way to stop this without being rude. And, now there is. A mom recently posted a picture of a sign she found on Etsy. She hung the sign over the top of her baby's car-seat. It read, "Don't touch me. Your germs are too big for me."

You would think this would be a great idea, right? Apparently, the idea is catching on with parents as a way to keep adult hands off of their babies. The signs can be found with all sorts of catchy phrases asking people to keep their hands to themselves. Parents can even customize their signs.

Well, of course, there are always plenty of people who will be offended by just about anything. And, her post started to get a lot of feedback and comments. While most parents thought the sign was a great idea, there were still a lot of parents who had their own viewpoints. 

Many parents are proponents of exposing their infants to germs to build their immune systems early to ward off illnesses. One mom even wrote about purposely allowing her baby to be exposed to her other children to help develop their immune system.

Some parents even commented that they would not want to be rude and tell someone not to touch their baby. They just feel like that's the way it's always been and there's nothing wrong with the baby getting a little dirty. 

Unfortunately, some babies do have health issues and cannot be exposed to germs of any sort. This is where these signs may be the most beneficial. Someone spreading germs by touching a baby's face can cause serious medical issues for some babies.

Other parents commented that it is just weird and creepy to touch other people's children. If you think about it, it is a little odd. I mean, would you walk up to a total stranger and start caressing their face or kissing their fingers? That sort of behavior might raise a few eyebrows.

Pediatrician Tanya Remer Altmann, MD, says people should, at least, ask permission before touching anyone else's baby. This will give parents a chance to request that they not touch the baby's face or hands. Dr. Altmann recommends kissing their feet, if they must.

So, it seems that there is a bit of debate surrounding the issue of caressing babies. What do you think? Let us know.

Our content is created to the best of our knowledge, yet it is of general nature and cannot in any way substitute an individual consultation by your doctor. Your health is important to us!