I feel like even if one does like babies, they shouldn't necessarily be expected to hold them, especially if they belong to someone you don't even know well. (I say this as someone who is totally comfortable with kids and babies in general and does not hate them) Just as most of us aren't expected to give hugs to people or touch people that we just met. If a person declines to hold a random baby I think it's somewhat ridiculous to hold a grudge against them for it. I mean, if I had a baby I definitely wouldn't expect someone with zero emotional connection to said baby to want to hold it; it would feel like a slight invasion of their personal space. It also kind of puts you on the spot..? It's very anxiety-inducing for those who aren't used to babies and children. Someone (that's not a close friend or family member) that's trying to hand you a baby surely knows full well that if you decline for any reason, you'll look like a rude baby-hater to everyone else in the room. Which makes me confused as to why they'd choose to have a stranger hold it rather than someone who they know will actually want to.
Who knew I had so many thoughts and feelings about compulsory baby-holding!
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