Why do people act shocked and appaled when you have a normal sized baby?

Question

Are babies supposed to be born weighing 16.3 lbs, 25 inches these days? I was considered "big" back in the old skool days at 7.10 lbs, about 21.5 inches long. My 9 month old is about 25 lbs, and very tall for her age, but she is not all chunky in the face and legs. She's proportioned and big boned. People always think she's younger than she is because of how she carries her weight. Is meat and fat supposed to be dripping off kids bones these days or something? People look like they just heard the brownies I fed them were laced with weed when I tell them she is 9 months old, not 6 months. Can someone pass me the hog maws so my kid can suck upon them and fatten herself? Thanks so much...love, Jelly.

Hey Kiss...Check this out. I thank you gratefully fo your amateur remote psychiatric session, but just for the record, a parent does get fed up, pissed off and tired of people making fun of their child over things that none but God and genetics has any control over. See what I'm saying? You should look into getting paid for that therapy gift you have. I sure appreciate it. Thanks. Please feel free to hunt my questions down and explore my most intimate emotions and self-expressions based on what I put on Y!A. Be blessed.

Answer 1

People, like babies, come in all shapes and sizes. When my daughter was born she was 5 pounds 9 ounces and very long. (Her feet looked like little bananas!) She's six now and still very long and thin and yes, people comment on how skinny she is. But that's okay. Our children are beautiful and healthy and that's what is most important.

Answer 2

I don't think a 25 lb. 9 month old is small. My younger son weighed 26 pounds at his one-year check up, and he was in the 90th percentile then, so I imagine a 25 lb. 9 month old would be 90th or above. Why would people assume your child was younger than 9 months if she's that large?

As for the fat baby thing--I, personally, think chunky babies are cute. I've yet to see one who looked unhealthy because of too much weight. It's the little, teeny, pitiful, tiny, scrawny ones that I just want to take home and stick a bottle in their mouths. I know some people just have naturally small babies (as far as their stature) but ALL babies are supposed to have some meat/fat on their bones. I'm talking about actual SKINNY babies. Your baby can be short and chunky, but when he/she is short and skinny, there's something wrong.

Answer 3

Okay, first, a 25-pound 9-month-old actually sounds very big to me since my daughters didn't hit 25 pounds until they were over 18 months old. (And both started with birthweights of just under 8 pounds.) One daughter has a shorter, stockier build like my family, and the other is taller and leaner like my husband's.

Anyway, it doesn't matter what your child looks like or what they do -- someone will always have something to say (positive or negative). I honestly think a lot of it has to do with people's perspectives based on their own kids -- whether they were big or small. Also, people simply forget what size kids are supposed to be. If someone doesn't deal with 9-month-olds on a regular basis, they just forget.

My girls are 3 years old and 21 months old, and I've been asked quite a few times if they're twins. I don't take offense -- I just explain that they're close in age and size, but they're not twins.

The best thing you can do, in my opinion, is come up with some phrase that you always use when someone is shocked to hear that your daughter is 9 months old. Something simple like, "Yep, she's my happy, healthy girl," or "She's just so much fun at this age." Nothing related to her size, but something that indicates that she's perfect just the way she is and that you love her. I'm sure any critics will have nothing left to say.

Answer 4

I understand exactly what you're saying. My 2 month old is 24 in long and almost 11lbs. At birth he was 6lbs 5oz and 19.5 in. He's actually staying average in relation to the US growth chart percentiles. But here's a different view of the situation. I am strictly breastfeeding and eat only organic foods. He is not getting the hormones that most people have in their food intake. Todays children are bigger than old skool babies. Just go to the middle schools in the area and notice that the girls in the sixth grade are over developed. I say to my husband daily "there's something in the water now that wasn't there twenty years ago!"

Anyway, my whole family thinks my son has colic and doesn't eat enough but my doctor says he's fine. They expect him to be bigger because of his dad's size (5'11'' 202lbs). But I'm only 5'1'' and 105 lbs before and after pregnancy. He's growing, he's eating every chance he gets and he's happy. He just prefers the company of his parents over other people.

And whoever thinks that you were being mean to the overweight children with your comments, probably just has overweight kids. There's nothing wrong with your self esteem. Some people just take it personally when other people express themselves freely.

Good luck with your daughter, she will be fine and so will you. Just ignore the small baby comments. If your baby was born 16.3lbs and 25in. then they would call her a pig. So trust me you can't do wrong right in some peoples eyes.

Answer 5

Everyone is different. It is genetics of the parents not fat or skinny. I think you should first consider what you are saying and how you are saying it.

First and foremost, your daughter is dainty and that is a wonderful thing. If other parents make you feel uncomfortable about it maybe it is your self esteem that is in question.

Second, for you saying " meat and fat dripping off these kids bones," seems that you have issues with bigger kids. That is wrong, all people are created differently. I hope that your daughter does not grow up to pick on bigger kids because she is so dainty.

I wish you luck in your quest, but all I hear is lack of self esteem in you and your ability to raise a child with good values.

Sorry that I could not be more help but I am actually offended by your whole question.

Answer 6

I'm still trying to figure out what a normal weight is. My son is 2 and he just hit 25 pounds at his last exam in June. I think he is too skinny but he eats a lot and the pedi says he's normal.
Many people think if a baby is fat that means they are healthy and they do not take genetics into account.

Answer 7

wow and I thought I was the only one. My 15 month old son is 34 inches long and only weighs 28 lbs. Everyone is always asking me what's wrong with him because he is so thin. He can still fit into 6 month clothes. He eats like a pig and eats all the time. It doesn't matter what I feed him he is still always eating and he doesn't look fat at all.
My daughter was just the opposite...she was tall but she actually looked fat...not anymore though.

Answer 8

For some reason, alot of people today feed their kids whatever they want and let them get fat. Read yesterday that a kid that is slighty overweight at 2 yrs has a much greater chance, i think around a 67% percent chance of being overweight at 12 yrs. Also since these people probably usually see larger kids, they have lost comprehension of what is actually normal size for your child age.

Answer 9

Awe, you have my problem!! My son is only 3 months old but he is still very tiny. He was only 6lbs when I brought him home from the hospital. The last time I had him weighed he was 11lbs and the nurse said "he still looks like he weighs about 8lbs he's so little". I wouldn't worry about what they think or how they react to your baby's real age. Obviously she's a healthy little girl.

Congrats!

Answer 10

they are going to definetly get larger, mines have been given larger. I had an A cup and now I actually have a C cup.. so some distance as them sagging I have not got any thought. one among my sister sagged and the different did not sag. however the only that did sag had larger boobs at the beginning and he or she became milking herself like a cow rather of utilising the pump or quickly breast feeding. My different sis breastfeed quickly from her boobs for 6 months and that they went back to everyday. So it fairly relies upon on the guy's physique. stable good fortune and that i'm hoping i don't sag the two..