What to do when a stranger touches your baby

melmax

I was in Target a few days ago with my mom and the kids. I was holding the baby face out, and a woman (nice, but still) came up and admired her, and grabbed her hand, cooing at the baby, etc.   I didn't say anything because I didn't want to be rude, but seriously, with the flu season upon us, I was a little annoyed that she had to actually touch her. What do you do in that circumstance?

femmegem

I got seriously reprimanded by a woman when I was in college for touching her baby's hand. I was kind of insulted at the time, but of course now I understand.

I'm usually too polite to say anything. I'd just carry some hand sanitizer around with me if I were you.

butterbeansmama

Use sanitizer on the baby's hand. Not much you can do (if it isn't known that it's going to happen).

I won't shake hands at church because of the season, but since I know it's going to happen, I can explain why, etc. before it actually happens.

melmax

femmegem:

I got seriously reprimanded by a woman when I was in college for touching her baby's hand. I was kind of insulted at the time, but of course now I understand.

I'm usually too polite to say anything. I'd just carry some hand sanitizer around with me if I were you.

I thought about that, but b/c the baby has her hands in her mouth constantly (and the woman of course grabbed her hands) I wasn't sure if hand sanitizer was safe to put on her hands?

femmegem

I think it's safe. Doesn't it just evaporate?

Temp108743750006959

wash babies hands in the bathroom. We always wash hands the minute we walk in the door. honestly, anything you or a sibling touches in the store (hangers, surfaces, doorknobs, railings)...and when you touch your baby...is the same exact thing.

cbidt*sgirl

sanitizer isn't safe for regular use on a baby.  the amount of alcohol in it can actually be absorbed through their skin and because infants are so little a small amount can be toxic.  I use it once in a great while in these scenarios, but not daily. 

femmegem

cbidt*sgirl:

sanitizer isn't safe for regular use on a baby.  the amount of alcohol in it can actually be absorbed through their skin and because infants are so little a small amount can be toxic.  I use it once in a great while in these scenarios, but not daily. 

Wow. I did not know that! Thanks for the information.

MediaBride

Ugh... I HATE this scenario.  Until the drama with H1N1 this year, I'd have been too nice to say anything (and quickly washed his hands afterwards), but after seeing DS1 have to go to the hospital b/c of the flu, I'm not shy anymore.  I just politely stop people and nicely ask if they wouldn't mind not touching his hands b/c of how bad the flu is this year, and I make a joke about wishing you could get a 4 month-old to not put his hands in his mouth or somthing like that.

I know it sounds bad, but honestly, I will probably never see that person again and it's def more important to me to keep DS as "germ-free" as I can help b/c I DO have to deal with him getting sick. 

Also, they do make alcohol-free hand sanitizer.  I keep 2 diff ones in the diaper bag.  One is made by Germ-X (it's a foam) and ther other I found at BRU or TRU.  All natural and alcohol-free.  Those I will use on the baby's hands.  I also have a pack of pacifier-cleaner wipes (didn't even know they existed - someone gave them to me).  They are safe to clean a paci with so I figure they are fine to wipe his hands with too.