To not know why I feel like I have to explain myself.

[medicmummm]

This...

DD is little. She is just a small baby. 11 months and still wears 3-6 month clothing. She is happy and healthy but just small. DS was a big baby 98% centile.

I always get a look when people ask her age and I say ... then I feel the need to have to explain that she is small.

Any other small baby mums feel the same? Do you feel responsible for their littleness?

YABU- be tiny and proud

YANBU- it's just a social pressure thing

I dont know about small babies but i felt this sort of judgement with my extra chunky DD. She was always massive then finally slimmed out to a normal healthy weight in time for school and is now thriving. But i remember when she was a baby all the judgement from other mums and generally other people so i stopped taking her to groups etc. Try not to let it effect you and spoil your enjoyment of your baby.

Ignore The Look

That's really sad. I'm sorry you missed out on groups because of it. Glad you DC is thriving 🙂 it's baby shaming.

DS was similar especially when he was so chunky and walked early he had the bandiest legs ever, it almost as if they are trying to blame you isn't it?

Glad to say his legs have straightened now.. he can no longer ride a horse standing up!

The "look" isn't judgement, it's just surprise. It's natural for people to be slightly surprised that such a small baby is much older than she looks. Doesn't mean they're judging you or that they will give it more than 2 seconds thought once they know her actual age.

Yes try to ignore 'the look' if you can
if not then I'd go for saying sweetly 'small but perfectly formed' with a deeply cringy loving smile towards DD

Oh it can be tough. I went with smile politely and ignore comments in the end!
DS was prem, 2lb 13 born. I took him to a hospital appointment when he was about 9 weeks old and he was just over 5lb at the time. A lady was saying oh look at the little baby and asked how old he was. I said 2 months and she laughed and said 'baby brain, do you mean 2 days or weeks!' I said no, 2 months. And she just stared at us both and walked away. People can naturally be surprised but tact is unfortunately lost on many. I was so proud at how big he was (to me) and felt stupidly bothered by her.

Don't let it get to you. After a few months I stopped saying 'oh he's 6 months old but was 3 months early', didn't feel I needed to explain myself anymore but I totally get it! If someone asks her age, smile, tell them and move on is my advice x

@CrystalCoco

Love that... will work on my Disney state 🥺

Both my kids were and still are small (one 0.4th percentile the other just under) at 3 and a half were in 18-24 month clothes. Perfectly healthy, just born very prem. When they get a bit older the difference stops being so noticeable and you don't get the looks or comments so much. Initially I was the same and used to explain but as time went on I found myself doing it less and not caring, as long as LO is healthy x

My son was huge. Well over 10lbs at birth and the biggest in all his classes until well in to secondary (to his annoyance he stopped growing just short of 6'). He's also a late summer baby so was over of the youngest.
So I was forever being asked why he wasn't in school or why he behaved a certain way - because he's two/three? Not five like he looks!
It works both ways. Surely you don't need to explain 'why'. Your baby just is. If someone says 'small for her age', say 'yes, I guess she is' with a big smile.