Ugh... those annoying bragging moms. Now I'm not talking about about proud moms. There's a difference. We are all proud of our babies, as we should be. I am talking about the moms that constantly boast, brag, and make you feel like you and your baby are inadequate .We all know those moms right? The ones that have conversations that go something like this: "My Johnny was sleeping through the night at 2 weeks. He cut his first tooth at 3 months. And started walking at 6 months" ...Yea ok, and let me guess, he said hippopotamus at 12 months!?!
First of all, if someone is telling you that their baby is sleeping through the night at such a young age. Like they are expecting to get some sort of badge of honor for that. They really need to be put in check and reminded that most babies are not ready to sleep through the night until at least the age of 4 months (4-6 depending on what professional you ask.) It is especially dangerous not to feed your baby for more than 3 hours in the first few weeks of life, 4hrs if you formula feed. A baby needs to eat at least 8-12 times a day for the first month, meaning every 2-3 hours. You actually have to wake your baby if he is not waking to eat, so that she doesn't get dehydrated and blood sugar doesn't fall too low. A baby's stomach is so small. It doesn't hold much and it doesn't take long for it to completely empty again. I'm sure the conversation would change quickly if you present these facts.
People love to brag, why? because they think it makes them look like better parents. They like to make themselves look like parents of the year. As if sleeping through the night, early teeth and walking had anything to do with them or their parenting. It has nothing to do with parenting! Its all part of nature. You can facilitate sleeping through the night but the huge factor lies within the baby's natural ability to fall asleep and stay asleep, at an age when they are good and ready. In fact, according to the National Sleep Foundation, it's not until 9 months, 70-80% of babies start sleeping through the night.
I had someone once tell me their baby was walking at 6 months. So your child is the child that's in the Guinness world book of records? The only child ever recorded to walk that early? I don't even think people realize the nonsense that comes out of their mouth. The normal range for walking is anywhere from 9-18 months. And the majority of babies don't take their first steps until after their first Birthday. I don't know why people brag about this anyway. I'm not in a rush to have my baby walk. I want to spend more time cuddling with her, rather than chasing after her.
And whats with the first tooth thing? So your baby is cooler than mine because she got her first tooth? Really? What are you bragging about? because you had NOTHING to do with tooth eruption either. Your not a better parent because your child had their first tooth super early. Unless that tooth is made of gold you have nothing to brag about. Every child is different, and develops at different stages. In a few months my baby will have teeth, just like yours.
There is no need to drive yourself nuts over what these kind of moms are saying, and trying to compare your baby to theirs. Chances are, they are not being 100% honest. Since you can't prove whether or not they are telling the truth, the polite thing to do is let it go in one ear and out the other.What's the point of starting an argument over something that might not even be true. If a bragging mom is really getting under your skin, here are some funny comebacks. You also have the choice of not conversing with that person. Why talk to someone that's not going to be honest with you about their experiences and constantly puts you or your baby down. If you can, avoid these type of moms all together. If you can't, then just simply let them know that you are proud of your child's development and they still have a ways to go to erupt teeth and walk. As far as sleeping through the night, tell them you don't mind waking up at night, it gives you more opportunity to bond with your baby. Make something positive out of the situation. It might stop them from being so annoying!
Every baby is so different. Yes, some do achieve their milestones very early. They walk early, talk early and even sleep through the night early. You should be proud of your little one. However, it is completely unfair to make someone feel like their baby is inadequate because yours hit the milestones early. Perhaps your baby walked early, but will talk very late. It's better to bite your tongue, especially around people who may be struggling with their baby. Babies grow and develop differently. That's why there are such huge age ranges for developmental milestones. Listen to medical professionals on when your baby should reach certain milestones, not Jonhnny's mom.Your pediatrician will let you know when your baby is delayed in an area of development, but chances are you have plenty of time to enjoy watching your baby explore. If you are not sure if your baby is hitting her milestones on time. There is an awesome chart on Baby Center. It shows what most kids at a certain age can do, what half of kids can do, and what very few kids at that age can do. So you can have a good and honest comparison of how your baby stacks up. Here's the chart, just click on your child's age group http://www.babycenter.com/baby-milestones
And if you could use a good laugh about this topic. Take a look at this "The Humble Brag".
