Please don't touch the babies

I've been meaning to ask you ladies about this, for the past week or so... How do I politely ask curious twin look-see's not to touch the babies?

We have been told by the specialists to form a protecttive circle around Sierra, as TOF repair babies are at high risk of complications if they get the flu (because of their narrow esophagus, they can find it hard to breathe). So all our immediate family are getting the flu vac as I have decided not to get the babies done.

My problem is that every time I take them for a walk, everyone's instinct is to touch their toes,or hands or cheeks (and I have to admit that I too have been guilty of that with other babies in the past so understand the need to). I've tried just asking people not to and telling them why but after the third time in the space of 5 minutes, I feel like a broken record. I thought of putting a little note on their stroller, but really have no idea how to word it without it sounding as if I'm being too over-protective, or being rude and off-putting.

With both babies having a really bad cold at the moment, which we think is from the corner shop owner touching them the other day, I really need to find a nice easy simple not TMI statement or written note on their stroller.

What would you say? How would you say it? Would put a note? What would you put on it?

Ideas please...! TIA

 

I got little placards to hang from the car seats that said "Please wash your hands before touching mine." It seems to stop people.

 

I think babies r us sell those cards. I remember dealing with this when my girls were little. So I should know better, but when I see a tiny baby I just want to kiss some cute baby cheeks or toes. Thankfully I have some self control.

 

Ugh - this was one of my least favorite things about having twins. Everyone and their brother wanted to breathe on my kids and touch them. I never had a sign that hung from the stroller, but it would have been a good idea. Perhaps you can write something on a little square of cardboard that says what the Babies R Us sign says, or put something cute like "I'm allergic to germs! Please no touching". I do have to say, though, that the touching got a TON better when I switched my kids from the DuoGlide stroller to a Bob. In the DuoGlide they were lifted up right there for everyone to see and admire. In the Bob they were tucked into their little seats and I could easily pull the sunshades down if I wanted people to leave them alone.

 

I have 2 suggestions...

1) What I did was always put the carseat visor thing over their faces when we were in the stores. No one could see my babies. Mean, yep, but at some point you just want to get in and out of the store without strange people touching your kids.

2) For those cards, put a big red stop sign on them. Then put "due to help issues, do not touch." People typically don't read things put in front of their faces, but the stop sign will catch their attention.

 

My jogging stroller had a see through rain cover that went over it, so I put that on when I didn't want anyone to touch I like the sign idea. You got to what you got to do to keep your babies healthy.

 

I like the ideas of the little cards. I cannot STAND it when it's even family, let alone strangers. It bugs the heck out of me when they have to put their fingers on their chin and talk to them. We took them to get their photographs taken a couple of weeks ago, and the photographer put her finger in our boy's mouth to calm him, instead of grabbing his paci! I don't even do that, because of germs. Why the heck would I want her doing it!!? UGH.

 

I hate this too and I have been rude (or at least very direct) about this more often than I care to admit. In my mind protecting the babies is more important - and the people doing the touching are being grossly impolite to begin with.

What did help a bit was to keep the carseat covers or stroller covers up and even hang a burp cloth from the cover to shield them completely (at least if they were sleeping, otherwise the babies protested too much) or keep the sunshade or raincover on, depending on the weather. If possible I always stood between the stroller and any strangers we met.

I like the idea of a stop sign, just "Stop, please do not touch".

 

OK, I haven't really had the stranger problem yet, but what do you do about acquaintances (sp?) and their kids? I have no problem being direct/rude with a stranger but when it's someone you know, what do you do?

 

For me, I carried hand sanitizer and made everybody sanitize before touching the babies. If they were sick I'd decline but otherwise proceed with caution.

 

I just explained upon arrival that my kids were premature and have weakened immune systems. I then asked that they let me know if they wanted to touch (to use sanitizer or decline).

 

Same thing. And at home I made it a rule that all visitors had to wash their hands when they came over.

 

Thank you for all the wonderful replies! I'm thinking something like: Please Don't Touch! Low immune System here! With a stop sign. My Dad says that I should put an explanation of some sort which I think is a good idea.

I am usually quite outspoken but for some reason around old people I feel shy about saying something. Like at the doctors the other day (worst place evr to catch germs!), I was carrying Sierra and an old man jiggled her hand! I cringed but it was too late and I kicked myself for not saying anything!

 

I used to carry around wipes with me, because sometimes people just grab their little hands or heads before I could stop them (or like you I felt bad asking elderly people to not touch). so I would very quickly wipe them off after the people left, and in the meantime, i would gently "hold" the spot (such as a hand) that others had touched that way I could wipe it clean before the babies put them in their mouths. When they were young tho, and I did occasionally go out with them, I was on so much of a mission that I honestly never slowed down enough for strangers to have a chance of touching them. That and we covered them a lot with their carseat covers.
I also asked every person to wash their hands when they entered our house, I just told them "sorry I know I am crazy, but I can't handle having 2 sick kids". Everyone seemed ok with it.

Good luck : )

 

Something that gets me, if I'm sick I stay away from babies, I won't even go near them. I just can not understand how ADULTS who are sick still want to touch babies..it drives me insane! I won't even go near them if my kids are sick for fear I may pass it on.

 

That's an excellent idea, what sort of wipes did you use? I usually carry some anti-bacterial wipes in my purse, could I use those on their hands, or would they be a bit strong ?

I go for walks around my neighbourhood more often than taking them shopping or the like, and quite often afterwards we go to the little cafe, where we sit and they watch the traffic while Mummy has a Latte and this is when people stop and have a chat... I really like this time because I get some adult interaction so I don't want to put people off from stopping (just not touching!).

 

I just used the diaper wipes to wipe them off after people touched them. I figure if those wipes can wipe up poop and make it clean then it would work for "hand germs". I probably would not use the antiseptic wipes on such young kids, better to stick with diaper wipes (which I am sure u carry around anyway!).

 

Thank you.

 

this may seem mean but ppl do appreciate the truth i just told people please don't touch my boys. if they look upset or hurt (esp if they are sleeping) just say you rather not them get sick or be woken.

 

We put hand sanitizer and antibacterial soap by every sink in our house and asked people to wash their hands as soon as they came in. Nobody seemed to have a problem with it. Now I carry some sanitizing wipes in the diaper bag that are made for kids (maybe not good for really young babies, though) and I clean off the kids hands if someone touches them.