Baby

[m00rfarm]

I become (probably unreasonably) annoyed when people refer to their child in their posts as "baby". For example "I thought it was not fair when my nephew shouted at baby in the face". Or "we always make sure baby gets the best of everything". It sounds ridiculously twee and it gives me the rage. It may just be my age, of course, but I cannot take anyone seriously who refers to their child like this. AIBU?

If the child is under 3 I think it's fine. Or do you mean saying baby rather than the baby? An alternative could be DC14months which would be laborious to say the least..

It is just "baby" - as though it is a baby with which I am familiar.

I used to hate it when the health visitor/baby clinic referred to ds as baby, 'hows baby doing/lets get baby weighed'. You've got his name infront of you, use it!

It’s the absence of the definite article which is offending the OP. I similarly agree.

I'm the opposite, really don't like being called mum by healthcare professionals. They can read my name or ask !

Totally agree - no idea why people miss out the ‘the’. It’s not a name like Baby in Dirty Dancing.

YANBU.

I’m glad it’s not just me that finds it irritating, thank you for making me feel less irrational for getting angry every time I come across it!

You sound like a grumpy person.

This is a 'you' problem.

I think OP means saying “baby” rather than “the baby”.

I agree. THE baby needs changing - of use whatever their actual name is.

I am similarly irritated by 'we' need to brush 'our' hair when used to mean 'you' (DP uses that a lot with DC).

YANBU, I've always found this unspeakably twee and rage inducing. See also "mum" for anyone attending with a child. I might try and get one of those nhs "hello my name is" badges to prove a point.

When I was a first year student midwife this drove me NUTS. I would add "the" in front of baby all the time.

But 10 years on I actually like it 😂 all HCPs who deal with babies talk like this and I find it kind of quaint and silly.

I never call mums "Mum" though!

Thanks for explaining what is bothering some is the absence of the indefinate article 'a'.

I work closely with family social care services and my understanding is that Baby is used by many health visitors etc in the context of a proper noun - partly for ease and partly to avoid naming clients unessecarily.

This then gets transferred acrossed to direct contact with families, as let's face it, family social care isn't exactly a sector rolling in spare capacity and resources atm...