Monday 11 May 2015

How Much did she Weigh?


I'm guilty of it, I know I am but what I don't get is why?

Bear with me as this is one of my Mummy musings!

What I want to know is why is one of the first questions that gets asked about a newborn baby is 'what did they weigh?'.

When Adi was ringing around the Grandparents to tell them our good news about Elarna they immediately asked the question about what she weighed, at that time we were unable to tell them as she hadn't actually been weighed yet but it did get me wondering why we are so fixated on asking about the weight of a baby and why it's one of the first questions asked!



Is it some sort of an achievement to see how big a baby you can produce or does it suddenly gain you entry into the 'I pushed a baby out of my vagina and it weighed blah blah amount' exclusive club? Bizarre. When I hear about women that have pushed these 10lb'ers out, immediately I wince and think ohhhhhh  man that's going to have hurt but pushing a 7lb'er out is no mean feat and if I'd pushed a whopper out I suspect I would have been damaged for life! The mere thought makes me want to cross my legs and never open them again!


When I've been out and about people have asked the same question, from the checkout lady in Tesco's to the strange man in the Opticians, it's really quite odd and I've never particularly thought about it in much detail up until now. What does the weight of a baby signify? Why do we need to know this information?

On one hand I suppose it determines if a baby is of a good birth weight and it seems I produce babies of around the 7lb mark, Elarna was 7lb exactly and Alfie was 7lbs 4oz so neither were particularly small or huge (thank god!) and fortunately healthy. Having a quick Google it seems that traditionally it was asked as it did bear a reflection on the health of the baby and the ease of birth (unsure how this has any relevance in weight?) but why the significance to announce it at the same time as the safe arrival of the new baby?

Of course, from a healthcare point of view the weight of a newborn is important to track progress on the growth of a baby and it is an indicator of whether they are feeding well but from a personal point of view is this bit of information something that we REALLY need to know and share with others? 

I admit it's always interesting hearing what other babies weigh,  but yet I don't know why the fascination!  Can anyone enlighten me on this matter? Anyone else intrigued by this or just me?



MaternityMondays




Mummascribbles

17 comments:

  1. It is a question that everyone asks to new parents and I've never thought about it. I suppose it's a health questions without asking is your baby healthy?

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    1. I think that's probably what it is asked for but it never really occurred to me until now that's it's one of the 1st questions asked!x

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  2. You are right it's a questions that just gets asked, I do it myself, and i can't answer why I do either. Maybe it has something to do with health etc. Who know's #mummymonday

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  3. haha this is a great post and so true! We are just obsessed with it. I think it is really to wince if it's a big weight and coo if it's a nice small weight. xx #maternitymondays

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    1. Thanks Sarah and yes I think that's part of the reason although it bloody hurts either way haha X

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  4. haha love this and have to admit I haven't thought about it before, but now I can't stop as you are so right, why does anyone care?? Obviously healthcare wise it is important, but to strangers in the street? Barmy lol. Great post, thanks for linking with #MaternityMondays

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    1. I know, very odd, I feel I should have asked how much he weighed!! x

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  5. I've never thought about this before but you're right, it's what I always ask! No idea why! lol x

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    1. I know, weird isn't it just one of the questions that is asked automatically! x

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  6. Lol!! It's so true! I don't think I'll be able to keep a straight face next time I hear someone ask this question now!.....4lb 15oz by the way!

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    1. I know, me either!! You had a teeny baby :-) thanks for sharing! x

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  7. Haha, sorry!! Yes, you win a prize for your 9lb'ers hehe X

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  8. Haha! Brilliant — I absolutely love this post. Mostly to discover that there's another rational woman asking the same kind of banal questions as me!! LOL! And, no, I don't know the answer either! Surely — 'is it healthy' — is a more appropriate question than — what did it weigh?'!! Haha! Thanks so much for linking up with #TwinklyTuesday

    Caro | www.thetwinklediaries.co.uk

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    1. I know, exactly! Mad isn't it, I might start asking back how much they weigh haha!! x

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  9. Its probably a more polite question to ask about the labour or birth?! My baby was a preemie, so people were obsessed with her weigh. I think we are all tuned to ask!

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    1. Yes perhaps, I find it so odd but yet ask myself haha. X

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