I tell Husband, "Baby smiled today... its because I smile at him every 20 minutes" or "Baby made ooh noises... its because I played him Queen when he was in the womb"
I get such a kick out of seeing him develop and grow, and of course, every time he does something new, I pat myself on the back, a proud mother hen, full of self praise!
To be honest though,I think all moms (especially first timers) take the development process a little too personally. Achievements are a direct result of your hard work and effort, perceived delays are all due to the glass of wine you had when you didn't know you were pregnant.
I mean, we are all so hell bent on not missing a beat, giving our child the best, seizing the day...its natural, survival of the fittest, and we all want our kids to have everything they need to be the fittest (well at least I do anyway).
The culmination of this has to be the dreaded Milestone Chart!
This guideline of information is both revered and loathed.
Consider the following:
Before you read a milestone article or analyse the chart, a warning is given to you...
Phsychotic Mothers..Do Not Take this chart literally. Babies develop at their own pace. Do not worry if your child is late. Do not reward yourself if your child is early, Do not run to your paediatrician because your child has not rolled over by 2 months. If you take this chart seriously, you are abnormal and we will laugh at you and take your money anyway for unnecessary developmental assessments.
Ok, so spare me a few embellishments but this is pretty much what every preamble to the milestone chart reads.
Unfortunately, all every mother reads is...
Mothers..Take this chart literally. Babies develop. Worry if your child is late. Reward yourself if your child is early, Run to your paediatrician. Child roll 2 months. Take this chart seriously, you are normal. We will take your money for developmental assessments.
Its insane, I mean, I cannot explain why, but this is exactly what I read.
Because no matter how much I'm reassured that the chart is a guideline, I am hell bent on treating it as a rule book.
My baby is three months old. Of the list of five things he should have done, he's done four. The only thing he hasn't done is, find his feet.
Well, I'll admit it, since I read this I've dedicated play time to pulling his feet out from under him and shoving them in his face.
Not that he cared or even noticed... and what did this teach me..
NOTHING... sadly absolutely NOTHING. I need therapy! Tomorrow I'll be shoving his feet in his face again... all because the chart said so!
So ladies, join me in your psychosis and take comfort from one delusional mother to the next because I openly admit that nothing will change the way we as mothers deal with this damn chart..
I only hope Baby will eventually associate my "feet shoving" with total absolute LOVE!
Gen x
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I completely agree. With my first I followed that chart like it was a baby bible, but now with my second I am wiser (and fatter) and I use it as a guideline. but also only when it suits me :-)
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