Why do people HAVE to know babies birth weight!???

**MummaBear79** · October 8th, 2007, 06:34 PM

My little man is now 2 weeks old and I am sooooooooooo tired of people asking me how much he weighed at birth!!. First of all they ask how old he is and then follows the almighty question of "and how much did he weigh??" I took him to my sons daycare today and must have been asked the question 10 times!!. Is it some kind of feat to have given birth to a baby over 8lbs?? Or is it just something that interests alot of people! haha. Even people in the supermarket shopping line ask it....why!????

**Antheia** · October 8th, 2007, 06:39 PM

To be honest i do and it's just purley out of curiosity. It just slips out of my mouth. i dont mind when people ask me because im proud to say that ive birthed a baby over 9lbs.

**Ashlee** · October 8th, 2007, 07:13 PM

I agree, I ask all the time and am not annoyed when people ask me (they are quite shocked to hear his birthweight, and his current weight next to each other LOL). For me it's a curiosity thing, I don't know why.

**Nadine216** · October 8th, 2007, 07:31 PM

I think ppl do it because they think it's what you are suppose to ask!

Like just after you got engaged, ppl ask: when are you getting married
When you get married, ppl ask: So when are the babies coming
After first bub, ppl ask: When are the second one coming
Before you know it, ppl ask: So when are the grandkids coming!
I always ask how much a baby weighed at birth

before I can stop myself, it slips out!
Just answer, and move on to another topic.
I also think it's a good way to learn patience. PPL asking you the same question over, and over, and over again

Because believe me, that is the one thing you need with new bubba, not even thinking about their "why-phase"

**aussienic** · October 9th, 2007, 06:20 AM

I think its the same as when you are pregnant. You get asked how long to go then if you know what you are having.

I love knowing how big someones baby was when they were born but I don't generally ask unless I know the person well

**Trillian** · October 9th, 2007, 09:30 AM

It's not something I would ask a stranger, but if it's someone I know I will. Most of the time people will just tell you anyway. I don't mind being asked as people just like to know that sort of thing. What bothers me more is the comments that follow - especially with Alister being so big, it's like "wow, he must have come out with a schoolbag/packed lunch/push bike'

**Astrolady** · October 9th, 2007, 10:05 AM

I dont find it an issue to be asked, or ask LOL. What annoys me the most is people now say what is that in KG !! I dunno I still used lb and oz for babes LOL

Love

**Charlyfrog** · October 9th, 2007, 01:20 PM

Yep, being asked the, "what is that in KG?" is annoying............."I don't know!! It still hurt in pounds and ounces!!"

What does get to me

is when I do say the weight of second bubba, as she was smaller than bubby #1, the comments are generally, "oh that's not too bad"................not too bad?!?!?! I still had to push her out!!!!!

**Evie76** · October 9th, 2007, 08:15 PM

I have a theory........... I reckon it can be a bit like men and their cars being an extension of certain body parts. I know that doesn't sound good - but I reckon it is.

Question: "How much did he weigh when he was born?"
Answer: "Oh, he was 7lb 5oz when he was born."
Response:"Oh, that's nothing - you must have had it easy. My baby was 34lb 2oz and I pushed him out in 2 hours!!"

I must admit I do ask - I think it is to feel empathetic pain or something dumb like that. :-)

**Ozziehoffy** · October 9th, 2007, 08:24 PM

Hehe...oops, I ask cos I am curious. I don't mind people asking about Oskar.

**Karina** · October 9th, 2007, 08:27 PM

I ask sometimes, but I am nosy!
Everyone asks me too. I dont mind, but I can see how itmight be annoying. I get anoyed at how people always want to know how long my laboue was!

**Evie76** · October 9th, 2007, 08:34 PM

Yeah, the labour length thing is a bore too.

I have to explain the whole deal as Daniel was so quick and no one believes me unless I regail them with the story.

I should type the story out, photocopy it several times and hand them out when the question is asked.

**Nelle** · October 9th, 2007, 11:50 PM

They want to keep talking to you, because it's rude to stare at someone else's baby for that long without striking up a conversation with the mother! And your bub is probably cute and people want permission to pay attention to him.

I'm with Sherie, I don't mind saying Riv was 9.4lb, but the comments afterwards really annoyed me.
'Oh, but you were tiny, how did he get that big?' - Magic. And he worked out in utero.
'Bet you won't be in a hurry to do that again!' - Well, I'll wait at least 9 months I think.
'Ohh but he's worth it all the more isn't he?' - Oh yes, he's far more valuable than a smaller baby.
I'm thinking about starting a book with the next one, where I'll write down all the things I wish I'd said but was too polite to.

The people who make these statements usually really are lovely though, and are just trying to find a way to express their care and interest. I just kind of try to feel encouraged by the tone of their voice and not pay too much attention to the specifics.

I do understand your pain though, because like Nadine pointed out, when you're in a certain situation, you get asked the same question ALL the time, and you just want to talk about something else! I guess just try and tell yourself, they mean well, and it's not their fault that 20 other people have already asked you the same things.

**Charlyfrog** · October 10th, 2007, 09:10 AM

I can sense a personalised bib market happening that you can have all your bub's stats printed on so when out and about the answers to everything birth related is in bold print...............and for mums, matching t-shirts saying how long labour was and when and how bubby came out ie how many weeks gestation and whether it was vaginal or c/s - with options for drug usage details and whether it was an emergency extraction etc etc...

................just a thought

**Ashlee** · October 10th, 2007, 09:26 AM

Hehehehe Great idea Charly!

**Evie76** · October 10th, 2007, 11:35 AM

Now that's thinking Charly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

**Liz** · October 10th, 2007, 11:51 AM

I'd like to know what people want to be asked. It seems any question is wrong! LOL. I ask baby's weight (well.. only if I know the person really) simply coz there's not much else to ask that wouldn't be taken the wrong way. No one likes being asked if the baby sleeps, how he's feeding, or whatever. And leaving it at "oh aren't you cute" and not talking about anything else about the baby feels rude too. So I think the weight question is one of the more generic questions that are ok to ask. hehe.

I personally don't care what people ask. I found it more annoying when people assumed that I was tired with my newborn, and asked how I was going with the sleep deprivation. I didnt' have a problem with it! LOL.

I do agree that repeating myself was a pain in the bum, but the questions themselves didn't annoy me.

**Evie76** · October 10th, 2007, 02:33 PM

I actually really don't mind the question. What I doooo mind, is when people ask me how much he weighs now and they comment that "wow, he's a chubby bubby........." Err...... no, he's a healthy baby.

I've also had women b**ch to me that "I saw blah blah's baby the other day and she weighs 10 kgs!! She's only 10 months old - waaaayyyyyyyyy too big!" What the????? I'm sure when I saw blah blah's baby she was a perfectly health, happy baby. Isn't that what matters?? I didn't even think about how much the poor thing weighed.

I think that sort of thing is a real issue.

The "how much did your baby weigh when it was born" question, is kind of a given. I gave all that info in the SMS to my workmates etc when Daniel was born. It just seems to be something you tell people and that people ask.