Moms Vent About People Talking to Them Through Baby

As a parent, few things are more frustrating than unsolicited parenting advice, especially when it’s delivered with a side of condescension.

In a now-viral video, podcaster and mom of two Cameron Oaks Rogers calls out one of her biggest parenting pet peeves: when people talk to her through her baby. “If you ever want to piss off a mom, talk to her through her baby,” she begins. “There is literally nothing that makes my blood boil like the way I feel when someone talks to me — specifically, it’s always kind of condescendingly — through my baby.”

Rogers elaborates, “Like they’re holding the baby and the baby’s crying, [and they say,] ‘Oh, did mommy not feed you enough?’ What the f-ck?” She continued, “‘You have to tell mommy you need socks.’ Any of that, no no no, stop talking to me through my baby.”

Parents flooded the comments to share their own grievances and laugh off similar experiences. One parent vented, “I had someone say to my newborn son, ‘Awww, well if mommy would just change you faster you’d stop crying’ as she was standing in my way of changing him. WHAT?!” Another joked, “Talk about my baby’s sockless feet one more time.”

Some parents suggested clever comebacks or ways to confront the unwelcome remarks. One shared, “My husband’s grandmother did this to me in front of my husband. He said, ‘We all know you’re being indirect; you need to stop doing that.’” Another added, “Yes. 1000%. They always get the, ‘Can you repeat that? But directly to me and say it with your chest.’ No one, to this day, has repeated it and said it with their chest.” One mom offered a humorous tactic: “Talk back to them through the baby. ‘Ohhh baby, is grandma being passive-aggressive??’ 60% of the time, works every time.”

If you’re grappling with unwanted parenting advice—whether through your baby or directly—it’s a good reminder to trust your instincts, set boundaries and find humor where you can.