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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

"My baby"

392 replies

tocas · 22/01/2023 20:41

Genuinely not sure if I ABU or not. It makes me cringe when people call their children over the age of about 6 months "my baby". In my eyes they just don't necessarily seem like babies any more. I can sort of understand up until 12 months but definitely not after. I've come across people calling their child of nearly two year old "my baby".
Aibu?

OP posts:
ChilliHeelerFanClub · 22/01/2023 21:20

tocas · 22/01/2023 20:45

Would you say to others in everyday conversation though? For example "I've got to go and pick my baby up from nursery"

Yes Hmm

They’re not a toddler yet. They are literally a baby.

Mumuser124 · 22/01/2023 21:20

I just googled it, ‘baby’ can be used for any child aged from birth to 4 years old.

Greyarea12 · 22/01/2023 21:21

My 10 year old is my baby, always will be. I don't tell people I have a baby though. I think that's where your getting confused. If you ever have kids, you will look back on this and cringe at yourself.

maximist · 22/01/2023 21:21

I don't have any human children, but my cats are all my babies, even the one who's nearly nineteen. So if I had actual children they would be too I'm sure. I'm still my mum's baby, and I'm 52....

pinkpotatoez · 22/01/2023 21:22

YABU, weird thing to annoyed about. Whether your 1 week old or 30 years old you're your mothers baby, it's a term of an endearment...

Emmamoo89 · 22/01/2023 21:22

Yabu. I'll always call my son "my baby"

recklessgran · 22/01/2023 21:23

Well, we have 5DD's and our youngest is 30 this year and will always be my baby. I often address her as little'un. I think she secretly likes that and sees it as a term of endearment.

WhereIsMyRollingPin · 22/01/2023 21:23

DD is late 20s. DH often refers to her as "my baby".

My DM introduced me to some new friends as her baby. I was 43.

Spagbolfortea23 · 22/01/2023 21:24

tocas · 22/01/2023 20:45

Would you say to others in everyday conversation though? For example "I've got to go and pick my baby up from nursery"

For a baby that is 7/8/9 + months old yes obviously because they are a baby. Please answer what you think your meant to refer to them as? Do you realise how utterly ridiculous and naive you sound.

MajorCarolDanvers · 22/01/2023 21:26

Cringe away.

I call my 14 year old and my 10 year old my babies and always will.

More generally I call babies babies until they are toddlers which is way past 6 months.

I think you are being weird OP

postitpatty · 22/01/2023 21:26

I call my dog "my baby"!

Justalittlebitduckling · 22/01/2023 21:27

They’re technically a baby until they’re one when they become a toddler. What on earth should someone be calling a six to twelve month old?

FawnFrenchieMum · 22/01/2023 21:27

I think context is key, it annoys me when someone talks about ‘taking they baby out’ and they turn out to be 2 or 3 but then when memories come on my Facebook for example, I might share an old post with ‘miss my baby doing ballet’ or some such post. My ‘babies’ are now teens.
6-12 months old are definitely babies though.

whattheFmate · 22/01/2023 21:28

I have a 9year old and 6 year old, I call them baby/my babies every single day.

HelloBunny · 22/01/2023 21:28

I always call my 2.5 year old my baby.

Calphurnia88 · 22/01/2023 21:28

I'm in my mid-thirties and DM still calls me her baby sometimes. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy 🥰

IWasFunBeforeMum · 22/01/2023 21:30

Not a parent I presume.

AncientQuercus · 22/01/2023 21:30

My DH will call me and say who is picking up the baby? Said baby is 15. YABU.

Nevermind31 · 22/01/2023 21:32

Revisit this once you have a baby!

BriceNobeslovesMurielHeslop · 22/01/2023 21:33

I don’t have bay-beeees and still think this is a bit weird. An almost- two- year old is still very much a baby to me.

Newmum0322 · 22/01/2023 21:33

What an odd thing to take issue with. Totally unreasonable. My DD is 10 months old and she will always be my baby because she’s my daughter and I will always love and want to protect her. It’s instinct. I’m sorry that’s not something you’ve experienced, but don’t judge others for it.

GoAgainstNicki · 22/01/2023 21:33

AncientQuercus · 22/01/2023 21:30

My DH will call me and say who is picking up the baby? Said baby is 15. YABU.

😂 I love that

Nogoodusername · 22/01/2023 21:34

I call my 13 year old, 10 year old and the dog ‘my baby’ sooooo

MeghanThyStallion · 22/01/2023 21:34

My 'baby' is 10. My other baby is nearly 13 and I've told him he will still be my baby boy when he's my age, much to his annoyance.

WeAllHaveWings · 22/01/2023 21:35

tocas · 22/01/2023 20:45

Would you say to others in everyday conversation though? For example "I've got to go and pick my baby up from nursery"

I would probably say I was going to pick the wean, wee yin, or bairn up from nursery. All Scottish terms of endearment for a child, in the absence of anything similar in England "baby" does not seem inappropriate.

I also still call my 10 year old labrador my pup!