“These are my rules for anyone meeting my newborn – some say they are over the top but people should respect my wishes.”
- 4 months ago
A mum asked family to follow her rules for meeting her newborn – including no kissing or photos.
Myer Short, 27, said many thought she was "over the top" when she came up with the list as she was feeling anxious about the arrival of her first son, Atlas, now 16 months.
But Myer, who is now 35 weeks pregnant with her second baby, said she had no regrets and is planning to share the same rules with her family again.
Myer and her partner, Matt Rabbitts, 30, a social media manager, have asked any smokers to change their top and wash their hands before holding their tot and said family shouldn’t kiss them.
They’ve also asked relatives and friends not to announce the birth or share photos online before they have.
This time round Myer and Matt are also asking people bringing gifts for the baby to also bring one for Atlas and requesting guests never turn up unannounced.
Myer, a stay-at-home mum, from Horsham, West Sussex, said: “People should respect our wishes.
“The older generation said it was over the top.
“But they did listen to the rules and respect them.”
Myer complied the list while pregnant with Atlas in September 2022.
She said: “I had a lot of new mum nerves and anxiety and I’d heard a lot from other parents.
“I wanted to send it to everyone in one message.”
Myer made a group chat and shared a PDF with her family with her rules and had a mainly positive response.
She wanted to make sure she could be the first to announce her newborn's birth and share the first picture online with wider family.
Myer said: “I have got very excited family members.
“I wanted to make sure I got my moment.”
She was very cautious of Atlas getting unwell when he was a baby and asked family to not turn up if they felt under the weather and to not kiss him.
Even now they say it’s up to Atlas if he gets a kiss from a family member.
Myer said: “I didn’t want a newborn getting unwell.”
She also asked smokers to change their top and wash their hands if they wanted to meet the baby.
Myer said: “For me it’s mainly the smell.
“I didn’t want my newborn to smell of someone else’s smoke.”
This time round, Myer is resharing the PDF and adding a few more rules.
Now living locally to her family, she has asked people not to turn up unannounced.
She also asked for anyone bringing gifts for the baby also bring one for Atlas.
Myer shared her list online and got a lot of other parents agreeing with her stance.
Now Atlas is 16 months old she follows child-led parenting, limits his screen time to 15 minutes a day and likes to make sure he’s outside as much as possible.
She said: “We follow his lead.
“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.”
Myer wants to encourage other expectant mums to share their wishes with family.
She said: “Hopefully the list makes people less worried about sharing their wishes.”
Myer’s list of requests for anyone meeting her newborn –
- No kissing
- Please don't announce the birth
- Smokers - "we ask ask that you change your top and wash your hands before holding him"
- Don't turn up if unwell
- No photos online before the couple share them
- No turning up unannounced
- If bringing a gift, bring one for Atlas too
Myer Short, 27, said many thought she was "over the top" when she came up with the list as she was feeling anxious about the arrival of her first son, Atlas, now 16 months.
But Myer, who is now 35 weeks pregnant with her second baby, said she had no regrets and is planning to share the same rules with her family again.
Myer and her partner, Matt Rabbitts, 30, a social media manager, have asked any smokers to change their top and wash their hands before holding their tot and said family shouldn’t kiss them.
They’ve also asked relatives and friends not to announce the birth or share photos online before they have.
This time round Myer and Matt are also asking people bringing gifts for the baby to also bring one for Atlas and requesting guests never turn up unannounced.
Myer, a stay-at-home mum, from Horsham, West Sussex, said: “People should respect our wishes.
“The older generation said it was over the top.
“But they did listen to the rules and respect them.”
Myer complied the list while pregnant with Atlas in September 2022.
She said: “I had a lot of new mum nerves and anxiety and I’d heard a lot from other parents.
“I wanted to send it to everyone in one message.”
Myer made a group chat and shared a PDF with her family with her rules and had a mainly positive response.
She wanted to make sure she could be the first to announce her newborn's birth and share the first picture online with wider family.
Myer said: “I have got very excited family members.
“I wanted to make sure I got my moment.”
She was very cautious of Atlas getting unwell when he was a baby and asked family to not turn up if they felt under the weather and to not kiss him.
Even now they say it’s up to Atlas if he gets a kiss from a family member.
Myer said: “I didn’t want a newborn getting unwell.”
She also asked smokers to change their top and wash their hands if they wanted to meet the baby.
Myer said: “For me it’s mainly the smell.
“I didn’t want my newborn to smell of someone else’s smoke.”
This time round, Myer is resharing the PDF and adding a few more rules.
Now living locally to her family, she has asked people not to turn up unannounced.
She also asked for anyone bringing gifts for the baby also bring one for Atlas.
Myer shared her list online and got a lot of other parents agreeing with her stance.
Now Atlas is 16 months old she follows child-led parenting, limits his screen time to 15 minutes a day and likes to make sure he’s outside as much as possible.
She said: “We follow his lead.
“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.”
Myer wants to encourage other expectant mums to share their wishes with family.
She said: “Hopefully the list makes people less worried about sharing their wishes.”
Myer’s list of requests for anyone meeting her newborn –
- No kissing
- Please don't announce the birth
- Smokers - "we ask ask that you change your top and wash your hands before holding him"
- Don't turn up if unwell
- No photos online before the couple share them
- No turning up unannounced
- If bringing a gift, bring one for Atlas too