In the hospital, we're told to
always wash our hands before we touch our babies, and to make sure
that everyone who touches them washes first also. But when we get
out into public, it's a difficult task to stop people before they
touch with unwashed hands. People are drawn to babies and unless
you're psychic you don't know who's going to touch until it happens
because most people don't ask for permission.
We all try to do what's best for our babies, and I believe parents
have a right to decide who touches and when. Believe me, I tried
everything to keep people from touching my son, from covering his
seat up with several blankets, hovering, giving people the "evil
eye", telling people who wandered too closely to not touch and
getting some weird looks and responses, but no matter what I did,
someone would always
find a way to get under that blanket! It wasn't until I made one of
these signs and placed it on his car seat carrier that I could
actually relax and do my shopping without the fear of someone
lifting the blanket and helping themselves. I had so many wonderful
comments from people that I decided to make this available to
everyone!
WHAT COULD BE THE
HARM?
Don't get me wrong...he's not being
brought up in a bubble. My house is not spotless, I don't go around
and "anti-bacterialize" and bleach everything, and he gets exposed
to PLENTY of germs that his older siblings bring home from school.
I'm just trying to keep him from being exposed to things his little
body just isn't capable of fighting.
Most people don't think about where their hands have been. They
don't realize that shopping carts, door handles, pens, and other
objects that are used by the general public are covered with germs
and they can unknowingly pick those up and spread them to whatever
they touch after that. Studies have shown that people don't wash
their hands like they should, and that shopping carts, telephones,
computer keyboards and desks are among the most germ infested items
around. Some of the things found on shopping carts include blood,
urine, feces, Salmonella, e. coli, and infectious diarrhea!
Yuck! And cold and flu viruses can survive on surfaces for 2 to 8
hours! If these germs were to be transmitted to a baby, especially
a preemie or a baby with any lung disease or immune deficiency, it
could cause serious
illness to that child, life-long health consequences or even death!
I
designed these signs with the idea of protecting my baby. They're
not meant to be offensive. If for some reason people take offense
to these signs, I try to take the time to speak with them about the
importance of hand washing, how germs are spread, and about personal
space.
In the end, what's more important to
me...my baby's health or not offending a stranger?
