A US woman has split opinion on a mother's forum after voicing her concerns over her parents' hygiene around her new baby.
The new mother, who goes by the username 'AperolSpritzing' on Mumsnet, says she doesn't want anyone touching her seven-week-old son until they've "washed their hands or used sanitizer" - including the baby's grandparents.
She says she doesn't even want anyone kissing his face, or touching his hands.
"I'm not too worried after they've washed them at mine but would rather they didn't as [the baby] puts them in his mouth a lot. Despite me asking them not to, every time they see him, they still do it!" the anonymous mother lamented.
"I've always had a good relationship with my parents and can't understand, when they are so obsessed with [the baby], why they keep doing this."
In the post the woman admits she does have hygiene-related OCD, but she thinks that how she feels about the kissing and touching is normal.
"I know I'm not been too mad as we were given a sheet on the importance of it and hand-washing technique in hospital," she explains.
Comments on the post have been split, with many thinking the woman is being unfair to her parents, and some recommending she seek advice from a doctor.
"You sound really anxious and unwell," posted one woman. "I think you need to focus on getting treatment for your condition and not your parents."
"I think you should probably talk to your GP" wrote one woman. "This level of worry isn't really normal, in my opinion."
"You need to relax, it sounds like they are being totally normal," wrote another.
"If a baby can survive a vagina it can survive a septuagenarian kiss on the cheek," another pointed out.
Some were on her side however, saying they also asked friends and family to wash their hands before touching the newborn.
"I do understand the face kissing. Especially since so many people insist on kissing the baby on the lips," one supporter wrote.
Dr Brad McKay told Aussie lifestyle site Mamamia the freak out is normal, but unnecessary. People have been frightened by germs "ever since we first looked down a microscope and discovered bacteria," he said.
"Whether you like it or not, your gut is full of bacteria and your skin is teeming too," he told the website.
"Most of the time bacteria is harmless. It's only some bacteria that cause health problems."
Newshub.
