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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

So many babies in the family now. Just boring.

183 replies

RoarerBoringAlice · 10/02/2020 14:32

I know I'm being unreasonable.

But it's how I feel.

I am the eldest of 6 siblings.

My youngest is a young adult.

Ive done the baby bit. My brooding is over and done with.

I had my children earlier than my other siblings, they all started late, I started early.

So they are all in full bloom of their young families.

Being 5 of them all having 3 + kids each it's just seems like an ENDLESS parade of new babies.

All of whom I love of course, its not the babies that bore me but this trend that was not about when I had my kids is ever present, gender reveal parties, baby showers, naming ceremonies...

Arghhh. I have to just smile and sit through the same shit over and over. It's either a boy or a girl. It's not that exciting.

I never felt the need to have this constant attention when I was pregnant.

People visited the baby when it was born.

If you were lucky you got a baby grow and a balloon.

Now it's arranging meals out with decorated tables and games and confetti cannons and it just does my bloody head in.

Of course I would never say this to anyone in real life.

But christ. It's fucking trying to get through over and over again.

OP posts:
speakout · 10/02/2020 15:05

you kind of do really, the expectation is there.

You can be the relative that doesn't enjoy baby stuff.

I am the relative that dislikes weddings.

They will get over it.

FizzyIce · 10/02/2020 15:06

Babies are ‘meh’ I like my two but that’s about it .
Showers and gender reveals and everything are so over the top

LittleBoyJuly2020 · 10/02/2020 15:08

I'm 37 and 16 weeks pregnant. I had my first and only child 20 years ago, back then you just plodded along and I personally hid away until I gave birth, mainly because the pregnancy was difficult.

This time around people are expecting baby showers, baby meals out, gender revealing, name revealing. Not to mention all the apps and social media groups I'm supposed to join? Wth, leave me alone!!

I'm keeping a low profile, I find it all a bit cringe inducing Hmm

Bluewavescrashing · 10/02/2020 15:08

It's not to my taste at all and we didn't do any of it. Gender reveal, baby shower, naming ceremony. It does seem to be more trendy now.

Pukkatea · 10/02/2020 15:09

My siblings have all had babies within months of each other and it's so utterly tedious - everything has just become about babies. Every second of every family occasion is now all about babies, which kind of ruins my current life choice to be childless and not have to think about them. Especially as I know that when it's my turn they'll all be over it.

speakout · 10/02/2020 15:09

had my first and only child 20 years ago, back then you just plodded along

I think most people actually are still doing this.

It's just the noisy few on Facebook that are making a fuss

caringiscreepy · 10/02/2020 15:11

Ugh YANBU. One of my friends organised a baby shower for one of mine and as kind as it was , I felt a bit ridiculous. I find baby stuff like this tedious

MashedSpud · 10/02/2020 15:12

Yanbu.

When I had my two there were no parties and parades, no baby showers, gender reveal parties, naming parties, guess who’s pregnant parties, 20 week milestone parties etc etc.

You got pregnant, people said congratulations, you gave birth, the baby got gifts and you got cards.

The was before people uploaded their lives though.

MashedSpud · 10/02/2020 15:13

This was*

Elbeagle · 10/02/2020 15:13

You got pregnant, people said congratulations, you gave birth, the baby got gifts and you got cards

This still happens in my world!

BossAssBitch · 10/02/2020 15:14

YANBU. Babies bored the absolute shit out of me. Obsessed parents of said babies, even more so.

Skyejuly · 10/02/2020 15:16

I am one of 3 and my husband has 5 siblings. I have 4 and my sisters both have 3. The baby boom has only just started on my husbands side. Feels a bit been there done that but I do find it exciting too. Not keen on baby showers but they have not done that kind of thing.

pigdogridesagain · 10/02/2020 15:16

Baby showers and gender reveals are beyond tacky and boring, I'd just not go.

Yesterdayforgotten · 10/02/2020 15:18

Its easy to say this op when those trends weren't a thing when you had your dc. However maybe you could have done the same if you had your dc when they were? Hindsight is a great thing...

justasking111 · 10/02/2020 15:19

Think of the grandparents too, so many babies to coo after, so many requests to baby sit, child mind. I need a spread sheet for them all.

Noodlenosefraggle · 10/02/2020 15:20

I do agree with you about gender reveal parties and all the other nonsense. I think its reality tv 'stars' that have caused it, as the easiest way to keep themselves relevant is to blurt out constant tedious o dramatised stories about their lives. However, my niece is aged 7 and was the last baby in our family. I'm deprived of new baby snuggles Sad

BarkandCheese · 10/02/2020 15:21

All the added extras to pregnancy and babyhood which are proliferating now make me think of The Wire, as in follow the money. Private “for fun” scans, 3D scans, pink/blue cakes and balloons for gender reveals, baby shower gifts, decorations and favours, cake smash pictures, all this has been cleverly marketed as the new, social media friendly must haves.

weaseley · 10/02/2020 15:23

. Every second of every family occasion is now all about babies, which kind of ruins my current life choice to be childless and not have to think about them.
pukkatea how can it ruin your life choice? I presume nobody is suggesting you adopt their children? Just having them while being in your presence.

madcatladyforever · 10/02/2020 15:25

Too many people in the world. There should be a one child policy everywhere in the world now to save the planet. I'll be flamed but enough already why do we need to breed like rabbits.

Echobelly · 10/02/2020 15:25

Clearly it's not the babies, it is the pretty mind-numbing sounding round of artificial marketing opportunities that have been invented in the last decade or so.

Thankfully I don't have much extended family, friends and family have done the baby bit now and I don't think anyone I know would have a gender reveal do (which I especially dislike on so many levels!)

I guess maybe invent some previous invitations if it all gets a bit much.

ItWillBeBetterinAugust · 10/02/2020 15:29

When I read your title I thought yabu, but you aren't at all, now I've read your post.

Wtf gender reveal parties baby showers and naming ceremonies, decorated tables, confetti canons - games? Shock

None of that has anything to do with babies, it has to do with silly, self indulgent, entitled adults.

I live babies and am a willing babysitter but your family sound unpleasantly self involved with too much time on their hands.

Who's babysitting the 15 babies and toddlers while the 16th gender reveal party or baby shower with games and confetti canons goes on? Confused

Chocpear · 10/02/2020 15:29

I blame capitalism! Companies seeing the US have baby showers and gender reveals have pushed these traditions on to the UK market as it’s a way of getting people to buy more stuff. Within a few years it becomes the norm and people start being the odd one out if they don’t do these events.

caringcarer · 10/02/2020 15:30

My sisters mostly had their babies when I was a teen and I babysat all of them, took them to children cinema, fun fairs and the such. I took either a nephew of niece on holiday when I was first married before my children were born every year. When my babies were born my sisters were eager to reciprocate so I was never short of a baby sitter. None of us had gender reveals or baby showers but gave gifts after baby was safely born. As a result of doing so much with them as children now my nieces and nephews are having babies and they do have the baby shower but thankfully none of them have done the . I just give a cheque to open babies bank account. I drink the champagne, eat the cake and play the (silly) party games. I do enjoy seeing all of my nieces and nephews then.

ItWillBeBetterinAugust · 10/02/2020 15:32

My youngest is only 8 and I've never known anyone do any of that nonsense except an American acquaintance who tried to make me have a baby shower to my intense squirming embarrassment - it was a considerable amount of effort to force her to stop organising it, she was a force of nature... But it was my third child! Just no!

Original poster
RoarerBoringAlice · 10/02/2020 15:33

It will be.... The dads have the other kids.

The parties are women only. Maybe that's why they do it. 😂

OP posts: