Hope you don't mind me starting a new thread here, but I've searched through the past messages and I can't find an answer to this lil' conundrum...
DD1 is 28 weeks old and despite being titchy (she's 11lbs 13oz) she's eating well, developing well and doing all the things she should like clapping, smiling, cooing, picking things up and even trying to sit (albeit, a bit wobbly and not for long!).
She's happy on her front for max 20 mins or so before getting frustrated, but can push herself up on her arms to look around.
All seems rosy, except that mother-in-law, who's had six kids, is very vociferous about her concerns for my baby's development.
She started by trying to get me to stop breastfeeding at 7 weeks, because dd was so small and was only gaining weight slowly. She seemed unable to accept that at only 5lb 8oz at birth, dd had started small. Her birth weight and weight gain were comparable to mine as a baby - none of the women in our family are over 5' and none of our babies are ever over 6lbs so dd was entirely normal for us. Even the midwife & health visitors recognise we're just a small family and are happy as long as her weight gain is steady and her development remains appropriate for her age.
Mother-in-law has now moved her concerns to dd's inability to crawl. According to her, dd should be put on her front all day, and to sleep, otherwise she'll never learn. She swears blind my sister-in-law crawled at 13 weeks so is convinced that my dd is dangerously behind and needs checking.
Now my brothers and sisters-in-law (none of whom have kids) have picked up on her concerns and are making comments about me not pushing dd enough, not supporting her development and generally making me feel like a crp mum who can't get it right. I know they're only being concerned for their niece's welfare, but it's really eating away at me. I think they're basing their concerns on the fact they never question their mother, and that in this case, she's talking bllocks. I mean, really - crawling at 13 weeks? Surely that should be in the Guinness Book of Records?!
My poor husband is in the middle of all this. He can see how it's getting to me and I've dragged him to the clinic to see how the health visitors coo over her 'great coordination' and 'good head control'. However, he's reluctant to start WWIII with his family, and is desperately trying to pour oil on troubled waters. It's already led to arguments between him and his mum when he's defended me, and I'm at the stage where I dread visiting them and stress about it for days beforehand, knowing I'm in for more sniping.
Please someone talk sense to me. I think my baby's entirely normal, but I'm now starting to doubt myself...