People touching my LO all the time!

[knopk@]

Really dont know what to do whenever we are out, people want to touch him, telling me he is cute etc but it is flu season and I am worried.

He did have 2 lots of jabs but still.........

What would you do? Hand out hand sanitising gel?

I know he will get a cold at some point but its flu i am worried about.

Should I limit going out?

 

[Maria1977]

I hate when people do this too, but mainly because I think it's really really rude and you don't go around poking and prodding older people so why on earth do people think it's ok to do it to babies?

Sometimes you can pre-empt and just move little one out the way, other times there's nothing you can do but just tell them you don't like it so they don't do it again.

Don't limit your time out though hun, he has to build immunity up somehow and unfortunately the only way to do that is to contract colds and flu! Oscar had 2 colds in a row, a 4 day break inbetween a few months back and it was so upsetting. I felt so bad for him, but in the long run it makes him stronger

xxxxxx

 

[Amy_J]

I must say this has never happened to us, people stop us all the time and say omg hea so cute etc etc......but they never actually touch him! I dont know how id feel! Obv family and friends yeh but its a bit weird ppl i dont know!

Id not not take ur lo out tho, like maria said he needs to build up his immunity and however much. Want to protect him, hes boundmto pick up bugs etc!! Snce weve been going to baby group, my lo has had a cold etc

Xx

 

[littlemiss83]

I worry a bit about this.

What really riles me up is when ppl put their finger in LO's mouth to stop him crying. I nearly had a panic attack the other day over it - esp as the person had been smoking (one of my friends...but still...soo thoughtless - i dont spend bloody ages sterilisng bottles ect for nothing)

The way our buggy is (the reason we picked it) is because LO can get totally covered by the hood of the actual buggy & the hood of the car seat, every time i take him out he's covered up - esp coz its soooo cold.

 

[Cantstop]

Eww, I would freak out if someone put their finger in her mouth! That's gross!

I didn't find too many people tried to touch my LO, but it was nearly always old buggers. While you may not like it, definitely don't stop in to avoid it, you'll end up a paranoid wreck of a parent missing out on stuff!

 

[Franna75]

I feel the same, im petrified. My mate asked if I want to go to hers tomorrow, but that she was up with her 18 month all night as he has a high fever and terrible cough and cold (which he's had for what seems like months). Thing is, when I go there all her kids put their hands over him....I feel so awful saying - no, don't touch the baby....should I just stay away? (ps. i'm just as bad with adults wanting to hold him)

 

[Sarah13]

I cover him right up too so it's harder to touch him! Yuck about the finger! I don't even do this!
Franna I would stay away you don't want him picking something up for Xmas, my friends 2 year old had a cough and bad cold so she rang me and we decided to meet a week later when it had passed, children that age cough and splutter everywhere and I know it's good to build up immunity but you don't want to deliberately expose them x

 

[AugustMum]

People STILL do this with my LO and shes 16 months now!!! Its like a magnet! I didn't like it at first and Im still not a fan but any illness she's had she's got from either me or my immeadiate family (while I lived at home) and obv as she's older now I don't mind as much. I just find it incredibly rude! I dont go around touching other peoples babies. Unless Im in a situation where you take your child somewhere like softplay or baby groups where youve all got children and they're there to socialise I just can't see why people can't keep their hands to themselves.

You can get a little sign for your pram that says do not touch but a bit nicer like this

 

[i.love]

I'd hate that... Didn't happen to me yet. Only his grandparents touched him yet apart from us, and it's ok I think.

Oh and my mw and a doctor at the hospital did the finger thing! I was a bit uncomfortable, but hoped that they knew what they were doing.

I would definitely not go to visit a friend with an I'll baby! As far as I understand, any flu the baby will get now will actually be a blow to their immunity. Yes, they will get exposed to viruses over time and hopefully won't catch them, but it's not good for them to actually get I'll, which is very likely to happen if they are next to a very I'll person. Plus, as Sarah said, it's Christmas time, I wouldn't want to ruin it for us all.

 

[Alexandra84]

I always ask people if they've been in contact with anyone who has a cold or flu before letting them even near the baby never mind touching her. We were invited to a party once and took LO with us and I asked straight out if anyone was ill in any way. People understand concerns like that and noone seemed to think that I had asked something strange.
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As for complete strangers reaching out for my little girl I would gently move her out of the way (not in an obvious way but still) as I don't think it's appropriate for people to just come up and touch your child without asking!