Twenty-year-old Maisie Crompton is expecting her first child. She’s also expecting you to follow her eight simple rules for meeting the baby after it’s born.
Crompton’s now-viral TikTok video has received a ton of attention online, amassing more than 600,000 views, along with a ton of comments from fellow parents who find her perspective very relatable.
Some of these rules might seem like common courtesy, but even the most well-intentioned might unknowingly break them. Hence why it’s beneficial to establish firm, clear boundaries early on. Even if that means potentially upsetting people, which Crompton fully expected to do.
The rules are as follows:
@maisie_crompton Seen so many of these videos… here’s my “rules for when I have a baby” ✍🏻👶🏻#pregnancyjourney #rulesformybaby #trending #mumsunder21 ♬ original sound – Maisie
1. Please don’t kiss the baby.
Look, babies are very kissable. But particularly in a COVID-19 reality, it’s easy to see how distressing an unwarranted smooch might be.
Pandemic notwithstanding, one poorly timed peck could mean terrible consequences. “A friend I went to school with had horrendous regular cold sores all of her life because someone kissed her (with a cold sore) as a baby!!” one person commented.
2. No unannounced visitors, for the first few days we want it just to be us.
As Crompton joked, “I really don’t think I’m gonna be up for socializing when a baby has literally just come out of me.”
3. Don’t announce our baby has arrived until we do (on social media or in person).
Cause no one likes spoilers.
4. No photos posted of the baby until we do.
Even though we live in an age of knee-jerk posting, privacy still is a right. Some parents might not dig their newborn’s face being plastered all over the internet.
5. Do not come if you’re sick.
Just … don’t.
6. Wash your hands before holding them.
“Their immune system is probably not gonna be the best, and you’ve probably touched loads of stuff,” Crompton added.
7. Do not ask to see the baby if you haven’t checked up on me during the pregnancy.
Also kind of a goes-without-saying kind of thing.
8. If our baby cries please hand them back to me or their dad.
“I do not wanna watch my baby cry from a distance,” said Crompton.
Crompton’s list was met with some skepticism from others, who doubted whether or not people would actually adhere to her commands.
One commenter even warned that “people might be scared to come near/see the baby eventually so you will miss out on memories made and baby bonding with wider family.”
But for the most part, people were incredibly supportive of her rules. Here are just a few positive comments:
“A massive YES to all of them.”
“Nothing unreasonable at all there.”
“Normalise following boundaries that parents set for being around their newborns. It’s just respect!”
“Honestly as a visiting guest I would feel so much more comfortable being handed this list so I can make sure I’m making the mum most comfortable.”
Having a baby is a beautiful life-changing event. But it’s certainly not without its inherent stresses. There’s nothing wrong with setting limits to make things flow a little more smoothly. Here’s hoping that Maisie—and other parents—find some order in the lovely chaos of parenthood.