Would you let a (normal/clean) stranger hold your baby?

pallaviwankhs

No to absolute strangers.

MamaFantastic

aviola329 said:

i love that this has morphed into a debate about visual vs actual cleanliness and attractiveness.  and i'm amazed nobody has yet jumped on the Hispanic comment on page 2.

The comment about the "nice Hispanic lady" who picked up the little girl? Nothing to jump on as far as I'm concerned. It's a descriptive term not used in a derogatory way. And I wouldn't call this a debate. A few comments, some sarcastic, do not a debate make. Seems like you're trying to stir drama.

nah, not trying to stir up anything.  i meant what i said...  i'm surprised nobody has commented on it in a thread about trusting strangers and judging people as safe or unsafe based on their appearance.  i have no doubts the OP of that comment meant no ill will by it at all.  it's just the type of thing that WOULD have been picked apart and blown out of proportion in months past.

RedDawnsRevenge

I let a tourist group of Japanese women visiting the Gen. Sherman tree hold and take pictures with my then nearly 1year old DD1. They also fed her goldfish crackers. They thought she was cute because she was wearing a mustache shirt, I thought it was hysterical.

irisheyez7

nicole mackenzie said:

nicole mackenzie said:

I said no but I had to get a car rental yesterday and I handed LO to the sales rep so I could put the baby seat in the car. She was clean, pretty , and my age. I wouldn't have if she was gross...

----------------------------------------------------------------- I voted no. And I'm actually kind of surprised that "clean" and "pretty" = "normal". I know some pretty creepy clean people.

I can't help it I judged her on her appearance as well as the fact that she was helping me rent a car. I wouldn't just let any pretty woman hold my baby. It was situational. FFWC... I probably wouldn't have asked had she been ugly ( especially gross teeth !) or smelly.

Wow. Just wow. So because someone doesn't have perfect teeth they are no longer trusted to hold your precious bundle of joy. Probably one of the most judgmental and bitchy things I have ever heard on this website. I by no means have perfect teeth, and am not so sure how "pretty" I am, so I guess if I were renting you a car you would have just dealt with your baby and not asked for my help. Good to know. Your higher than thou judgement is "situational"...?

BabyBsMommy

I put no but realized I did this last week. I was struggling to get the car seat out of the stroller while boarding my plane. I let the flight attendant hold DD while I figured it out. It would be situational...

irisheyez7

KimC85 said:

The woman at the bridal store held my baby while I tried my bridesmaids dress on the other day. But she stayed and talked to me on the other side of the curtain so I knew she wasn't going anywhere. Plus she works there. And it wasn't the first time she helped me at the store. But a complete stranger out in public? Hell no.

I worked at a well known bridal store for 8 years. This happened all the time with brides and bridesmaids alike. I only ran away with like 2 babies ;-) (I kid, I kid!)

JessieAlbin

There seems to be a distinction between a complete stranger approaching you in public just to hold your baby and someone you are already interacting with offering to hold your baby for a moment while you need assistance or the use of your hands. The latter is very different and more open to interpretation.

chichi589

In the situation from OP i would absolutely let her hold my baby for a little bit. Random stranger walking up to me in a mall? Nope. Random stranger in a mall sitting next to me on a bench after talking a little? Probably. Absolutely situational IMO

MamaFantastic

I wasn't offended at ALL, don't worry

Rogue237

MamaFantastic said:

I wasn't offended at ALL, don't worry

LMAO at the idea of one of our least dramatic people trying to stir up drama. You little minx, @MamaFantastic! Always causing trouble

cfthoct292011

I completely understand OP so I dont blame you for allowing it. I work in an assisted living so no I wouldn't because I know too much lol. And my mind would go to too many negative thoughts.

avidkeo

I have no issues with it, but it is a cultural thing where I live, its a very small community that is baically an extended family - the word is Whanau which means more than just family. I did actually surprise myself that it doesn't bother me at all, they always give LO back pretty quick when she starts crying!

UnofficiallyLO

3crazykitties said:

Thank goodness for my resting bitch face because I have never been asked.

Agreed with the resting bitch face technique, no one outside of my close circle even asked to touch my belly when I was pregnant. So far one stranger has asked to hold LO, motherhood must make me appear much happier & more approachable, oh no!

strawberrytree

I'm not a germophobe (I let my kid est a grape he dropped on the floor of Walmart) and I'm not afraid he'll be snatched, because I can outrun an old person. I'm just selfish and I don't want to play pass the baby with people I don't know like he's some kind of happy pill for old ladies.

I have to say I find this a very interesting discussion though.

michaelad3

So I didn't comment yesterday, but I'm with Dani. I'm a FTM, but is let someone else hold my baby, on a situational basis as most people have described. No, I'm no going to let the random person who walks up to me at the grocery store hold her while she's in her car seat in the cart, but if I'm holding her and start chatting with someone I might. DH would probably be more weirded out or say no, but as a person who loves babies I understand the desire to hold one, even a strange one. I mean, everyone is a stranger until they're not. I worked at a children's gymnastics place where I held plenty of strangers' children the first time I met them, not just the ones in my class. Maybe the difference in certain establishments (like nursery workers at church) is that people have been background checked, but as long as I'm standing there, I don't have a problem with someone holding her