Haeli Christiansen, a first-time mom who shares her parenting journey on TikTok, recently went viral after posting a video that had viewers talking—and some confused. In the clip, she gently “slaps” her mom on the head while the older woman reaches in to kiss her newborn son. Christiansen captioned the video: “Gently reminding my mom to not kiss the newborn,” adding, “the word of the day is ‘boundaries.’”
@haeli.christiansen the word of the day is “boundaries” 😂 #firsttimemom #newmomlife #motherhood #momsoftiktok #momhumor ♬ original sound – bestspedup
Many viewers expressed bewilderment over why she would stop her mom from showing affection. Comments ranged from sentimental—“I would be so sad as a grandma”—to incredulous—“I have two grandkids and was never told not to kiss them on their head.”
Christiansen tells PEOPLE that the video, while humorous, reflects a serious parenting decision. Her son was born during cold and flu season, and like all newborns, he has a fragile immune system. “A simple cold for adults could be life-threatening for a newborn,” she explains. The rule extends to extended family and friends for the first few months after birth.
She also shared that her caution comes from personal experience. As a baby, she was hospitalized twice due to family members kissing her while sick. “My mom is actually one of the biggest advocates for not letting people kiss my baby,” Christiansen says. Before her son was born, her mother emphasized the importance of protecting him from germs, and she’s been supportive ever since.
Christiansen adds that the TikTok was meant to be funny, not controversial, and she never actually hit her mom. “It was a joke,” she says. “We laughed making it, thinking maybe a few hundred new moms would relate, not realizing it would spark a huge debate online.”
Despite some online pushback, Christiansen assures that her mom has a wonderful relationship with her grandson. “She loves him, would drop everything to help us, and is even considering moving closer to babysit more often,” she says. The clip, while comedic, highlights the importance of boundaries and keeping newborns safe, even when it comes to well-meaning family affection.
