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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to wish my db would zip it?

34 replies

LifeOfPie · 15/11/2010 13:47

My Db and I have Ds's of a similar age. I went down the EBF route and my DSil chose to formula feed from the start. My DS has put on weight well since birth but has always woken at night for a feed and still needs feeding every 3 hours or so during the day. I'm not thrilled about the broken sleep, but since he's less than 6 months old I'm happy to carry on and hope that once he's weaned and in his own room his sleep will settle down (or will deal with it later if it doesn't!) I've always been supportive of DSIL's choice to FF and have never criticised the decision even though I don't agree with it - her family have a lot of allergies/eczema and I felt that she should at least give the colostrum even if she felt BFing would be difficult and embarrassing. My issue is that they routinely (smugly) comment on my DS's size ("Are you sure he isn't going to be obese?"), or sleeping patterns ("You've made a rod for your own back with him, my DS sleeps from 7 till 6 each day"). I don't want to give the impression that I'm not happy their son sleeps through the night Envy, but if I get one more smug crack about how much better FF is I think I might swing for someone! Angry

OP posts:
Tidey · 15/11/2010 18:59

You can only be polite for so long. I would have told them to cock off and keep their snide comments to themselves by now. So well done for not doing that so far.

SkyBluePearl · 15/11/2010 19:04

To keep mentioning it it must be attached to some guilt she has about FFing. Next time can you say 'I'm glad FF works for you but breast is best'. In the future maybe expect her to continue along the same competetive vein but with different topics ie)weaning/dicipline/potty training. She might be better by her second child though.

ChaoticChristmasAngelCrackers · 15/11/2010 19:04

YANBU

My ds and dd were both ff, dd slept from about 11.30/midnight to 7/8am from about a week old. Ds was still waking up in the middle of the night, he was 20 months at that time. Each baby is different.

Re Hecate's comment "when I want your opinion I'll, well, I'm never going to want your opinion."

Personally, I'd go with "When I want your opinion I'll give it to you." Grin

whenskiesaregrey · 15/11/2010 19:10

Hecate and LifeofPie- I'm just glad
I had MN, because otherwise I might have caved in to those type of comments, believing there must be some truth in it if so many people have something to say. But now I realise people just feel the need to justify their own decisions. It must be an awful feeling for mothers from 20/30 years ago to now find out that they weren't given the right information, and therefore, may have made the wrong choice on some occasions. They still shouldn't put you down though!

LifeOfPie · 15/11/2010 19:35

Not looking forward to the competitiveness which some of you see coming. Think I'll have to practice my most disinterested "really, that's wonderful/amazing, tea onyone?" comments!

Agree with Whenskiesaregrey - if I only had the feedback and support from my family I would have been persuaded onto formula by week three!

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YesIamweird · 15/11/2010 20:05

Is he going to be obese? What if he drinks breast milk for the rest of his life? Hmmm, no probably not.

Tell them where to go, and make it clear that comments about your baby's weight, height or appearance are not welcome and are just plain insensitive. You are trying very hard to care for your baby in the way you see fit and you would appreciate not being criticised for it thank you very much.

And then give yourself a huge pat on the back that your baby is thriving from being fed by you, well done.

CactusVera · 15/11/2010 21:58

This is a bit unrelated but I recently looked through a photo album of my DP as a newborn to 1 year old and he was EBF. He was such a humonongous baby (as were his siblings) and had THE HUGEST thighs ever...but he's tall, incredibly fit and very well built now. Smile She shouldn't be making judgements or comments about obesity! Really!

Sorry to hear you've got a tactless relative on your hands :]

janajos · 16/11/2010 09:28

oooh lots of things you could say, and i would be so tempted!!

' Oh, didn't you realise that the risks for obesity in later life are vastly higher for ff babies?'

'No, he isn't sleeping through, but didn't you know that there is a proven link between the amount of sleep a person needs and their intelligence.'

If she can spout cak, so can you!!

LifeOfPie · 17/11/2010 10:06

Thanks everyone for your responses, I feel much better prepared for the next round! Grin

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