Germaphobes Rejoice

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Germaphobes Rejoice

Thursday, June 19, 2008

A sign of the times? A new product warns people your baby is hands off.

For those nervous moms who have never let another human being touch their baby unless they scrub down like a doctor before surgery -- there's a new product for you!

A company called My Tiny Hands has come up with the idea of a sign you can hang in your baby's stroller or carrier that tells people with unwashed hands not to touch. Kind of like the "Don't feed the animals" signs they put up at the zoo. We think this "invention" goes a little overboard, and perhaps the real sign that should be worn is by the mom:

Of course, the tiny little sign (which sells for $4.75) can be useful, says pediatrician and momlogic contributor Dr. Cara Natterson. "It's a nice, gentle reminder to people. If nothing else, it is a good deterrent for most people who just reach right in and touch babies."

But hey, why stop at just telling people to wash their hands when you can tell them how to behave around your kid too:

What do you think of My Tiny Hands "Please Wash" Signs: Lifesaver or money waster?

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LOVE!

- Melissa key

Posted 06/19/08 01:19 PM

I think this a great idea!!!! I hate it when strangers touch my baby and it’s hard to tel people to keep their hands to themselves.

- susanmiller

Posted 06/19/08 01:35 PM

Yeah, it is pretty weird when strangers touch my child. I have a pretty good glare going on that tells them to leave my son alone. It’s not being a control freak, its trying to keep your baby from getting sick.

- Missy

Posted 06/19/08 02:01 PM

If you really don’t want people touching your kid (especially those you don’t know at all), you should just speak up. It’s your opinion and there are ways to do it without a sign, lol. Don’t be afraid to voice how you feel with your own voice.

- Kristen

Posted 06/19/08 02:18 PM

I love the idea! I need one. It can be difficult to tell someone not to touch before they do - it can happen so fast. Maybe a sign might slow them down a little.

- Tanya

Posted 06/19/08 02:58 PM

I think these signs are stupid and just another sign of “death grip” parenting. It goes along with shopping cart liners and the like. There are germs everywhere, even in and on your precious little one. I can see this sign being good for children with immune system problems or for other health-related issues. But really, you can’t say “Hey, don’t touch my kid”?

- Nicole J.

Posted 06/19/08 03:12 PM

Didn’t we just read a report about how our children are sicker now because they are being too sheltered from germs?

- Crisa

Posted 06/19/08 04:55 PM

I agree with Nicole J. Germs are everywhere and I believe that kids stay so sick these days because we are killing off all of the ‘good’ germs that keep our kids healthy. If you are on this message board I am sure your mom didn’t have hand sanitizer, and cart liners when you were growing up and I bet you are just fine! However, it is not OK to go up to a strangers kid and touch them. That is a violation of personal space. I just disagree with it being for GERM purposes.

- Cindy

Posted 06/19/08 04:57 PM

Totally over the top—and totally unnecessary! Don’t want strangers touching your baby? Don’t put them within touching distance! Don’t want your friends to touch them, ask them politely. Better to have them wondering if you’re a control freak than displaying it prominently around your kid’s neck.

- Anonymous

Posted 06/19/08 06:49 PM

i think they’re a good idea, and as a parent there may be times when your “death-gripness” may be appropriate,and come in handy: this is one of those. the world we live in is very peculiar sometimes and although people should know better, some do some are forgetful and some just don’t care so i think this is a polite way to remind folks: they’re precious-treat ‘em that way.besides have you seen what many unconsciously do w/ their hands sometimes? i say better safe than sorry.

- stinkybrat41

Posted 06/19/08 10:33 PM

YAAA! I wanted to come out with my own line of TShirts when I found out I was preggers so strangers wouldn’t touch me. After I had my baby I felt the same way. Glad someone finally created what we all have been wanting!

- Melanie

Posted 06/19/08 11:40 PM

No one would think to come touch your face without asking, why should they think they can do it to your baby.

- Laura

Posted 06/20/08 10:53 AM

I don’t mind them touching baby’s feet, but why must they had straight for the face? No one would think to come touch your face without asking, why should they think they can do it to your baby.

- Anonymous

Posted 06/20/08 10:55 AM

“Don’t want strangers touching your baby? Don’t put them in within touching distance!” Okay then. Good idea. We will all carry our kids with one hand, and push the carts with the other. It is true kids should be exposed to germs so that they can build up an immunity. But pediatricians do not recommend we allow our kids to be exposed to the germs of strange people we don’t know…especially our infants. We don’t know if they have a disease, or an infectious virus or if they just went to the bathroom and didn’t wash their hands which means they could have ecoli on their hands. You can be a crazy germphobe yes. But think about what a baby does, they put EVERYTHING in their mouths. Then think of the people in the bathroom that don’t wash their hands. Some person does what they do in the bathroom, they don’t wash, then they come out and grab a hold of the shopping cart with their skanky hands. Then you put your infant in that same cart, 10 minutes later, and the first thing the baby does is lean down to eat the handle. That handle that could have pee or poo residue on it. That’s all you need to think about to want to be a little more germ-phobic.

- Anonymous

Posted 06/20/08 04:16 PM

My daughter has salmonella since she was 6 weeks old. She turned 8 months today. She is a carrier because the hospital gave her antibiotics before knowing she had salmonella and to this day, we do not know how she got it but there were a couple of people that would touch her check or hands while I was shopping and I didn’t know it until they spoke. It is like they just touch then say “Beautiful baby” and there is nothing you can do so the signs are cute but the best thing to do is just say, please do not touch her. IF you need an excuse, tell them she just got over a cold.

- Cindy

Posted 06/20/08 04:58 PM

I think these are totally dumb! However I don’t want some random stranger touching my baby but I’m not that nice I just tell then not to. I mean the germ thing is silly but I just don’t want someone man handling my child. I would never buy this sign it’s kinda mean it makes it seem like your kid is a puppy or something. Just tell people if you don’t want them touching your baby.

- Sara

Posted 06/22/08 01:58 AM

Now if they had a sign that said “I don’t know you and you don’t know me, so please just let me be, please ask mommy if you can touch me!” It might be kinda rude or silly but I think it’s not just about the germs it’s also just rude strangers getting in my babies face I don’t ever like people getting in my kids face that i don’t know. I really hate it when strangers would come up and touch my preg. stomach also. I have a space issue and I think that even though babies are so cute they are yours know one else’s so why do people think babies and preg. ladies are open range? I don’t come up and touch your face. If you just want to come up and look at th e baby that’s cool, but don’t touch! I won’t buy this sign I just tell people not to touch my baby.

- Sara

Posted 06/22/08 02:12 AM

Absolutely the best idea I have seen yet. People are disgusting and I certainly do not want them mauling my baby. Not only is it about germs but about personal space as well. They have no right to touch a baby or anyone for that matter. As for just speaking up, I do that as well and still have people trying to touch my child. Maybe the sign will be the back up reinforcement I have been looking for. As for keeping them out of touching distance, I should not have to hire a babysitter to keep people from touching my baby at the grocery store.

- Melissa

Posted 07/29/08 04:26 PM

I am a mother of twin girls. Every where we go is a huge ordeal. Everyone ask question and wants to touch them. They were born early and with all of the crazy sickness that goes on I would rather not have anyone touch them. This is a greaat idea so I don’t have to patrol everyone they can just read and leave them alone.

- Jennifer

Posted 08/21/08 01:15 AM

my feeling is if you dont want someone tuching your baby WEAR HIM/HER! that what we do…whos goinna go in for your boobie area (other then ur dh…haha)?

- anna

Posted 09/17/08 09:17 AM

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