I'd like to keep my baby as germ-free as possible (laugh now!), but it can be hard when he's being passed around from lap to lap. Do you think it's appropriate to ask other people -- strangers in particular -- to wash their hands before they hold or touch your baby? Have you ever done this and had someone be offended?

Good topic. Yes I always always asked people to wash their hands before handleing my babies in any way. Most of my friends/family know to do this but there were a few who didn't and I had to ask. Friends usually never got offended but the friends of friends sometimes would look at me like "seriously?", I would just look at them until they would either stop attempting to touch the child or give in and wash. The best was in public places wear EVERYONE attempts to touch your baby. I would literally have to physically stop people in the process of reaching to touch because to say "please don't touch my child" took too long so I would have to intercept, (believe me it becomes a learned manuver!). And yes ALOT of people would get offended, especially the elderly!. Even among holiday time when they are being passed around I would offer wipes to people before they held them. I became unconcerned if anyone got offended.

Yeah, I do this all the time. My mother-in-law used to get really upset but I want to at least reduce the germs. People eventually got used to it.

something else to try -- carry a pocket-sized bottle of the hand sanitizer gel. If they reach for the baby, hand them the bottle first.

And don't worry about rudeness. If someone is going to get their feelings hurt over such a minor thing, they are obviously even more of a baby then the baby

I have haeard/read that it is good to expose babies to germs to build up their immune systems. I try not to be too freaky about it. I admit though, my natural instinct is to wipe everything down etc. I try to refrain. I have never asked anyone to wash their hands first-however, have wished I had later!

I never got too upset about normal germs around my children. If I could see someone was sick or had a cold that would be different.
If they did get a cold or sick, I would just go with it. My kids are hardly ever get sick, although my daughter does get a cold easier than my son.
My son rarely ever gets sick.
When they were tiny babies, 5-6 months or younger, I was a bit more picky about it, just because it take a small temperature for a infant to land in the hospital.
However, I also don't get offended if others would like for me to wash, etc before holding their baby.

Yes!

However I have gotten some 'looks'

Mainly it was up until they were crawling... then they started germ-ing up themselves LOOOOL

LEW, I agree with you. I am not over-the-top when it comes to germs. But, I do really like the hand sanitizer idea as well for when they are really small.

Yes. Tell them to wash. If they have a problem with it it's their problem. You're the mom and you need to do what makes you comfortable. Carry a bottle of sanitizer in the diaper bag and make people use it!