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I find that keeping a really pungent poopy diaper in the stroller keeps people far, far away from the baby. :)

This sign is just another example of people earning a buck by taking advantage of the fact that new parents are sleep deprived, anxious, and easily motivated by guilt.

My friend has one of these signs on her infant carseat and I love it! It's a great reminder. The ONLY thing a new parent is thinking when a stranger comes up is "don't touch the hands....please don't touch the hands...!!". A baby's hands instantly go in their mouth! Touch their feet if you just have to touch!

When you have preemies, especially those born in the wintertime, it's a VERY good idea.

We live in the city and I was wondering if that is why no one ever touches my kid. But we have done tons of traveling and although many people smile at him, say he's cute, play peekaboo with him...I've never had anyone really reach out and touch him. I am very friendly so he picks up on that and waves and smiles to everyone, so I don't think we give off a hostile vibe. Even so, maybe I haven't even noticed when it has happened since I'm pretty laid back.

I don't get it. Why spend money on a sign? Presumably you're with your baby and not leaving him or her alone on the subway or something... so can't you just intercept with a gentle, verbal warning if it looks like someone is actually going to reach out and touch your baby?

It would be a heck of a lot less "in-your-face" if they added the word "please."

I love it, but I agree with mere1975 about adding "please." I'm not sure how I would have used it since I wore my babies in a sling 99% of the time. You would think that would have stopped people from touching, but it didn't. We moved to Montreal last summer with a twelve day old baby, and while I do love it here, I hated the cultural habit that everyone seemed to share of touching my baby, all the time, without asking. So I have to say that something along these lines might have been nice at the time.

I think they are great - I too had people touch my week old baby while they were strapped very closely to me.

I don't even think "please" should be added, lol. It's better they read it and know I mean business. ;)

My first child was very early and I had this type of sign (free from one of our docs) and it really worked. People would read the sign and no one ever touched her. It said something like "Please wash your hands before touching mine."

My second wasn't early so I didn't think to use the sign when he was a newborn, and strangers touched his hands a lot. People are quick, they touch your children before you even get a chance to stop them!

dreadful.

I never had a problem with people touching my baby (or my pregnant belly for that matter). Older kids sometimes got really close (too close for my comfort) and I'd just say something like "Don't touch the baby!" while sliding my hand/arm/body between the offending big kid and my stroller or car seat. Usually, that stopped the kids in their tracks and their parent(s) took notice.
I often wore my son in a sling or wrap, which made him less accessible and had the added benefit of preventing all those "Awwww, can I hold him?" moments.

I wouldn't use the sign, because I think it would make me look a little crazy...but the idea behind it is right on. I had all kids of people touching baby's hands. Not from total strangers, though--mostly acquaintances who felt like they should be able to touch him. And most of those were friends who don't have little kids, so they don't know that's a big deal. For them, a simple, "can you wash your hands first?" worked.

Eh, strangers pat my baby all the time in public despite my naturally hostile vibe.

That being said, my son has had only one mild cold (runny nose, no other symptoms) in the nine months since he was born. Breastfeeding is probably a much more effective way of preventing illness than demanding that strangers not put their paws on your kid. I don't think anyone I know has ever once washed their hands immediately before handling my son.

*shrug*

Total strangers who already do this to babies are TOTALLY CLUELESS! and will continue to do so despite the silly little sign! Parents just need to speak up!

Continued...

These are the same people who have the nerve to lift up a blanket that is covering a sleeping baby under their canopy in their stroller/infant car seat. After I had my second baby who almost NEVER slept in his stroller, I wanted to make a sign that said "DO NOT TOUCH the blanket!! Baby Sleeping!"

Maybe I should have said, "preemie triplets" because you can't hover over three babies simultaneously! And there's the whole "circus sideshow" aspect of triplets as it is. So maybe they're not for everyone, but they definitely have their place.

(I should mention, I never had them. I just wish I had!)

Really? I find it sad. Stuff like this just reinforces the decline of how we interact with each other and our obsession with being 'safe'.
**If you don't want someone to touch your baby, just ask nicely**
There are so many instances when a touch is so sweet- so meaningful. An older person taking joy in few moments saying hello to a baby, older children acknowledging a being smaller and a bit more vulnerable than them- thus learning to take care.
This is so typically western (& yes, I am western). We are hell bent on isolating ourselves to death!
And of course I worry about germs and illness being passed on to my child! I just simply *communicate verbally*
:)

Would you go up to an adult you don't know and touch them? No? Then don't touch the baby. Babies are people, too, and are just as entitled to bodily integrity as adult people. Ditto for toddlers, children, and teenagers.

If you do go up to adults you don't know and touch them, please cut it out.

"Would you go up to an adult you don't know and touch them?"

Yes, absolutely. But I stopped going to that bar once I had a boyfriend.

But seriously, I find this post very eye-opening. We GLORIFY childbirth (showers, birth announcements, nurseries-as-stages) then are surprised when the object of affection becomes, well, the object of affection.

If you are THAT concerned about germs (that is the root of it, no?) is leaving the infant at home a little longer at all an option? I'm not being a snot, I am really wondering...

Plus, I thought acclimating a child to possible sources of illness or germs was, medically, a good thing, no?

And if you object to my giving your adorable little one a little poke, then you can't pet my Boston Terrier puppy. When I get one.

I think it's a little much, unless your baby has unusual immunity issues. If you don't want people to touch your baby, just ask them not to.

My DH was hell-bent on taking out our son as soon as possible so I did find myself at a party with 40 or so people and a two week old baby at the height of flu season.

Its a pretty chill group of people and they were delighted the baby was there, everyone wanted a piece of him! (esp the 3 med school guys who had a test on infants two days later, perfect guinea pig!)

When we got there we automatically had everyone's attention b/c the baby had arrived. When I had that attention I announced, loudly and clearly, "You know I love you guys, but you can't touch the baby unless you sanitize." Everyone who knew anything about babies went "of course" and then they explained it to the clueless that were like "why?".

If anyone came up and tried to get to the baby w/o using the snotty elite organic hand sanitizer I bought I put on a joking mommy tone and said "Not without the toll!" and pointed to the sanitizer.
No one thought I was crazy or rude, they thought I was taking care of my kid and my friends - god only knows what germs the baby could be giving to them;)

Patrick--it's not just "germs," I have no idea where your finger has been and what it's been doing. I've seen people leave public restrooms without washing their hands many, many times...and you think I should let you touch my child? I didn't happen to take my daughter out when she was very young unless it was absolutely necessary, but there were times I needed and wanted to get out into the big world. It's none of your business whether I choose to take my child out or not, she's not there for your amusement or interest.

And there's a big difference between petting a dog and "petting" a baby. Why would anyone feel the need to pet a baby? I often get the urge to pick up and cuddle a baby, but that's normal--"poking" a child is not. (And I would never follow through unless invited to do so.) Would you poke an older child? I hope not, because you'd get arrested, and hopefully a broken finger, depending on the child.

Anyway, I think the signs are dumb. I never had to do more than warn someone not to touch my baby--I never let her be farther than an arm's length away anyway.

asibtroy--

Betcha a hundred bucks those "chill" friends were talking about this after the party.

Pencils--

Funny, I guess it depends on the perspective. When a child or toddler around me drops a toy or bottle, I NEVER retrieve it since I figure its crawling with as much "stuff" as a pigeon.

To me, also, you are getting hung up on the word "poke" (among other things).

And funny, I would never in a MILLION years follow through on picking up a baby unless the parent HANDED them to me.

"Would I poke an older child?" If by older, you mean one to five, and it was in the right situation, yes, a pat or a poke, abso-effing-lutely. But yes, duh, I would not POKE a teen. I'm PAINFULLY aware of the implications you dance around. MOSTLY because I would be afraid the HYSTERICAL parents would charge child abuse.

I just think this whole topic is sad. And your response makes it even sadder to me.

I think asibtroy handled the situation really well. Better than putting a sign on a baby, at any rate.

I have one of these on my 11day old daughters car seat, except mine says please. paranoid? maybe but hey, she's 11 days old! and we have to buy groceries. I actually wish I had the sign on my sling the other night when I went to an event. So many ppl were reaching right into my sling...friends I don't mind but complete strangers? I found myself weaving and dodging the hour I was there.

People are quick, its not about the baby being arms length away, its about people having no sense of personal space

Then, um, don't take your baby to an event like that.

I totally sympathize but really, just say it to people. I carried around hand sanitizer and just asked people to use it or wash their hands if they touched my baby, and everyone was perfectly understanding about it. There's just something about hanging a sign on your baby that reminds me of putting signs on your lawn - I'd feel like my baby was an object and I sounded passive agressive.

I think it would totally hilarious if these signs were recalled because they had lead-based paint in them.

@ "Solosolo"--

"We are hell bent on isolating ourselves to death!"

I think that's an interesting comment given it came from someone who goes by solosolo. Hmmmm.....

Oh burnttoast- that was so funny. Please don't over analyze. Take care...

My boy's bubble has nothing to attach the sign to.

Last winter when my baby was a newborn someone told me they had seen this sign. I cut a piece of paper into the shape of a stop sign, outlined it in red marker, and then wrote in black marker on the inside "Please wash your hands before you touch me." I laminated it and pinned it to her carseat - sometimes I even pinned it right to her outfit if I was holding her. I got great feedback - the rude people who would have touched her stepped back, and the sane people weren't offended at all-I got tons of comments on what a great idea it was. I actually had one person (my husband classmate who I had never met) come right up to me without saying anything and try to pull her from my arms (after that she wore the sign everywhere!).

Gee, patrick, you seem to have all the answers. Perfection!

It's because I don't have kids. So I can use all my Powers for problem solving. :)

It's always the people who don't have kids who seem to know everything about how to handle them, isn't it?

I think these signs are genius! As a mom of four I can completely understand why any parent would use this product and I in fact purchased this sign myself after seeing it on the news. When your baby is in the stroller strangers are quick to reach in before you can stop them. I've found that with the sign attached people pause for a moment read the sign and then waive to the baby or just say hello instead of touching them. It's not about being paranoid it's about protecting your child and we do have the right to go out into the world without people touching our baby. Furthermore, if you are not a parent then I don't think you should have an opinion on this matter. When you become a parent your views on a lot of things change and you will be surprised when you find yourself doing a lot of things you thought you'd never do or buying products like this even though you thought before they were silly.

I could possibly understand the sign in a Walmart or something, but at a party with friends? I kinda think that if you are that freaked out about germs, then you shouldn't be out with the baby.

Even then, if you are going to be so far away from your baby in public that you would need a stop sign, you probably have another set of prolems there.

If it's really a big deal, get a sling or an Ergo. That usually keeps handlers back a bit.

I love the idea of this sign. Once while trapped in an elevator I had an older gentleman reach over and pull my daughter's thumb out of her mouth and say "no thumbsucking!". I was horrified! I was trapped on the pushing end of the stroller and unable to stop him in time. I would love if the sentiments of this sign were common sense- but until then...

Blah.
So boring. All of it. Marketing ploy. $8 a pop.

Pretty sure none of us had the paranoid baby crap of today. And I think we're all fine. In fact, we have fewer allergies and stronger immune systems than kids today.

I choose not to be a paranoid parent, so that sign is useless to me!

While my little guy (3.5 months) is breastfed, he is supported by my immune system, so this is the best time for him to be exposed to as many germs as possible, so his own immune system can build up defenses while still supported by mine. Obviously if someone is actively sick, I ask them not to touch him, but my usual response to people asking if they can touch/hold/kiss him is: "Of course. Please just don't lick him."

Yet another case for breastfeeding through the cold & flu season :-)

What no one has mentioned here is that until a baby is about 2 months old, her immune system hasn't really developed enough to handle a lot of stuff. That's why you need to wash yer filthy grubby mitts before you paw some nice person's baby. After that, it's important not to be germphobic.

But that also doesn't mean you have the right to touch other peoples' kids without asking. Or pregnant womens' bellies, for that matter. Hands f*ng off.

Unless there's an immune issue, I think the sign is overkill. Most people respond perfectly well when you ask them politely to wash their hands, and the truly pushy won't bother to obey the sign anyway. When my kid was a newborn I just wore him in a carrier a lot of the time and then people can't reach into to touch anyway.

foog, that's hilarious.

Hayley, that story is horrific! I would be furious! I don't even know where to begin with all the things that are wrong with that. I'm sorry that happened to you and your daughter!

Oh, puhLEASE, that story is NOT "horrific."