Strollerderby

I guess I just don't understand not having the impulse to stand up for yourself.  If you don't want someone touching your baby or whatever, just SAY SO.  

Offending a random stranger is not a big deal, honest.

I saw one of these attached to a baby's carseat at Costco last month and thought it was pretty cool.  I asked the dad, and he said his son was a super-preemie, and they gave him the sign at the hospital because he's at higher risk for complications from RSV and such.  

Me, I would have appreciated it for the wuss-factor.  Initially, both my husband & I simply didn't know how to say "hands off" without being rude, and we hadn't yet figured out that being rude is ok if necessary.  I've got no problem doing that now, but as a new parent it was one more social circumstance that we had no experience with.

What I really wish is people would be sensible enough to keep their hands to themselves without being asked.  I mean, come on, you're a creepy lady waiting in line for a flu shot at CVS - what makes you think I want your fingers all over my baby's face?!

Please!

I was shopping with my then 5-month-old son in a sling, facing out, and a woman caught his eye and came straight over to squeeze his cheeks.  Just before she reached him, I turned my body (and him) away from her direction and said that she could touch his feet, but I'd prefer her not touch his face.  She was clearly surprised but continued cooing at him and just tickled his feet.

I felt a little awkward about it afterward, as our paths crossed several times in the store before leaving. But it was totally appropriate because it is my right and responsibility as Mother to protect him from the germs harbored by strangers drawn to his cute chubby cheeks.

For a baby that's at-risk in some way, I can understand, but otherwise it seems a little excessive. The only people who tried to touch my babies were elderly people in the supermarket, and some of them seemed so lonely that I didn't want to tell them to back off. I just waited until they were out of view and then wiped the baby's hands with an antibacterial wipe or baby wipe.

Part of the problem is that it's difficult to tell which babies are at risk. My son was full term and looked healthy, but he was on a medication for seizures that made him much more susceptible to disease. I didn't need a sign though, I just asked people not to touch him. I'd rather have had the sign when I was all pregnant and hormonal and random people felt the need to run up and hug me in Target.

LOL! The only thing this sign would most likely accomplish is to draw attention to the kid and have women coo "Did mean mommy put that sign on her's stroller?" and then pat baby's face with their MRSA-laden hand.

I have a friend with a teeny tiny daughter.  Some dingbat stopped her in the mall when O was 3 months old and asked her age.  She apparently felt O was too small, because she proceeded to tell M that her milk must be rotten and she was starving her.  Couldn't she see she was starving her daughter?!

Bag!