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Opinions on other peoples babies near your baby

Right this may seem like a weird question but how do you feel about other peoples children/babies near your own baby/children?

The reason I ask is I am the first out of my friends to have a baby, so Dylan doesn't "know" any other babies. So I take him to local playgroups etc to socialise him. He's a happy, healthy clean child but the other mums seem reluctant to let him anywhere near their children. They are very clique anyway and some are very rude but babies naturally explore with their hands (or am I completely stupid?!) and so touching other children is natural development/ exploration?! They all seem to like to keep their babies in a bubble and not let them naturally touch and explore each other am I wrong to think that this would be normal for babies aged between 5 months to a year?

Im always careful to make sure he doesnt pull etc but to not let babies touch each other to me seems weird or maybe thats just me :\?:\?

Replies

  • It seems weird to me. My lo is 3 & half months but I have a lot of friends who have all had babies since rhea was born. Everytime we go out with them she's so interested in the other babies & seems to want to go over to them. So when the time comes that rhea will be exploring I won't stop her, in fact I will be encouraging it. I think it's stupid to put babies into a bubble, how will they learn?

    Jayne xx
  • I can kind of understand it - babies don't understand right from wrong, they don't know that poking an eye is going to hurt, etc. I certainly don't want to keep my baby in a bubble but I do stay close by when other babies and children come near. It was only the other day on here I read a post about a baby being badly scratched by another child. Over protective perhaps but I'm hoping to find some kind of balance - if such a thing exists xx
  • I don't mind other babies near my lo (he's 4 months so not quite exploring yet) but I stay next to him and if another baby is irritating him I'll intervene (in a nice way-i know all the babies and mums as we see them regularly so I'm comfortable doing that, and more often than not they're trying to stop their child too iyswim?) When he comes to that age where he wants to touch and feel I'd like to think he can be close to other babies, but I will be nearby ready to move in if his touching is annoying or harming another child. Hope that makes sense, I'm sleep deprived!
  • i think its slightly different at toddler groups thats what people go for i think its very weird the baby that was scratched wasnt at a group so that is completely wrong but to not let them explore it a toddler group settiing is very very strange to me!!!
  • We actively encourage Cameron to interact with his baby friends . Most of the time he is very good and likes to gently stroke his little friend's face. Yes he does occasionally get a bit excited or rough with him/her but then I intervene. He's never made another baby cry due to something physical (although has made a couple cry with his sudden need to sing at a deafening volume!). Sometimes other babys swoop at him too but their mother's then intervene. As long as it is supervised then I think it's a very positive experience for them. xx
  • I can understand to a degree as my dd (22 months) hates babys/toddlers touching her and tends to lash out at them if they do! She likes her personal space and has always been this way. xxx
  • I think I'd be a bit wary of a strangers child..but at a baby group all the babies know each other and you know the childs temperament so it's not an issue. For example I know my friends baby is not the type to pull or scratch so I'm fine with them interacting...buut if a new baby turns up and comes toward lo wanting to play I'd be a bit wary but I would give it a chance...

    Oh god did that make ANY sense!? Lol
  • Thanks ladies

    I always supervise him, he hasn't ever hurt another child or been too rough but he's not even 8 months and so I know its a possibility. He's been grabbed a few times and once he's cried as a 1 year old girl grabbed his eyes, she was too fast for her mum and he quickly forgave her when she let him kiss her :lol:. But I understand that he needs to interact with others and sometimes he will get hurt, I just don't understand why whenever the babies get close they get pulled away from each other before any interaction can even occur. He can crawl around and play with toys at home, the reason I take him to groups is so he can mix with other children, as it certainly isn't for my benefit as the mums dont talk to me.

    I think I need to find a new baby group anyway, maybe its me!

    xxx
  • It doesn't sounds like a very nice group to be honest honey. Are there anymore nearby?

    I love watching Dylan interact with babies at groups we go too, he is always supervised and loves nothing more than giving other babies kisses. I've been quite firm with him at home recently as he has been grabbing my hair lots and headbutting as there are quite a few tiny babies which have started going to our normal baby group and I'd hate for anything to happen.

  • Hey hun, Isabelle has a little friend hes 2 weeks older than her and is my friends baby, when I pop round to my friends we always put them next to eachother on the playmat and they just touch eachothers faces and tries to get eachothers dummies. Obviously we watch them to make sure they dont poke eachother eyes out Lol

    I dont see the harm in it really, aslong as they are being watched. Some people just get funny about these kind of things.

    I say get a new baby group! image
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