Woman reveals 'over the top' rules for people meeting her newborn
A mum has revealed the strict set of rules she has put in place for people meeting her newborn baby – including no kissing or photos.
Myer Short, 27, who is 35 weeks pregnant with her second child, says many people called the rules that she came up with before the birth of her son in 2022 'over the top'.
"People should respect our wishes," Short, from Horsham, West Sussex, says. "The older generation said it was over the top. But they did listen to the rules and respect them."
Short, a stay-at-home mum, says she and her partner Matt Rabbitts, 30, have “no regrets” about enforcing their rules the first time around and plan to do it again with their second child.
Some of the couple’s rules include:
No kissing of the baby
Not sharing images online before the couple
Not announcing the birth to others
Not visiting the baby if sick, not turning up unannounced
Smokers are asked to change their top and wash their hands before holding the baby
An additional rule added ahead of the arrival of the couple’s second child is that, if a visitor brings a gift for the new baby, they need to bring a gift for their one-year-old son Atlas too.
Before the birth of Atlas in 2022, Short decided to send a PDF of the couple’s rules to all of their family members in the group chat.
"I have got very excited family members," she explains. "I wanted to make sure I got my moment."
Short adds that, now that Atlas is 16 months old, she follows child-led parenting, limits his screen time to 15 minutes a day, and makes sure he’s outside as much as possible.
"We follow his lead," she adds. "He’s been sleeping on a bed since he was six months instead of a cot. It’s low to the floor so he can’t fall.
"We’re very chilled out. He doesn’t have an iPad or watch much TV. The tantrums were increasing when he watched more. Now he has 15 minutes screen time a day and I wouldn’t go back."
Short says that she hopes their list can help other expectant parents feel more confident about sharing their boundaries with family members
She adds: "Hopefully the list makes people less worried about sharing their wishes."
Additional reporting by SWNS.
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