Oh, darling readers, brace yourselves because have I got a juicy morsel of family drama for you today, straight from the underbelly of Reddit, a real story from a real person. Trust me, you’ll want to stick around for my flaming Hot Take at the end. Let’s dive into the world of new mothers, breastfeeding, and the ever-entertaining family in-law dynamics. Buckle up, because this one’s a doozy.
Imagine this: you’ve just given birth two weeks ago (congrats, by the way!), and you’ve been looking forward to some peace and tranquility with your newborn. You and your partner, in a moment of divine wisdom, decide that a month of quiet bonding time is just what the doctor ordered. Cue the family’s visitation embargo (good luck enforcing that, am I right?).
Here’s where it gets *spicy.* The new mama does not see eye-to-eye with her husband’s parents—specifically, the stepmom, who could very well be the reincarnation of every fairy tale antagonist we’ve been warned about. Criticisms fly about as freely as birds, mainly targeting our heroine for her introverted ways and her outrageous desire for, dare we say, privacy.
The plot thickens upon the baby’s grand debut. While the exhausted mama is still basking in the glow of childbirth (and by glow, I mean the sheer exhaustion of an 11-hour labor), in sweeps the stepmom with a line that’s more possessive than congratulatory: ‘Thank you for giving me my grandbaby.’ Hold onto your pearls, readers, because we’ve officially boarded the train to Crazy Town.
Fast forward to breastfeeding time—a sacred and private moment for many a mother. Our lady of the hour faces a dilemma when the biological mom, aka the nicer half of the in-laws, politely offers her the courtesy to vacate the premises for some much-needed privacy. A reasonable request, right? Well, not in this family saga.
Cue the dramatic exit and tearful fallout because how dare the new mom want to breastfeed her child without an audience? This reasonable desire spins out into an outlandish family feud, with accusations of rudeness and unpleasantness thrown into the mix. It’s like Thanksgiving dinner meets reality TV, but with more breastfeeding and less turkey.
Our vilified heroine stands accused by her in-laws of committing the heinous act of… wanting privacy? The audacity! Meanwhile, the husband defends his wife’s honor, but the damage is done. The family peace is shattered, all because a new mother dared to draw boundaries around her body and her baby.
Now, here’s **Roger’s Hot Take**: In-laws, especially the overbearing kind who think entitlement comes with a side of unsolicited advice, need to take several seats. Breastfeeding is not a spectator sport. It’s a personal, sometimes challenging moment between a mother and her child. The mother’s comfort should always take center stage, not the hurt feelings of a grandmother-in-waiting. This new mama is not the villain in this breastfeeding saga; she’s a hero for standing up for her and her baby’s needs.
In the grand scheme of family dramas, this one’s a reminder that the only people who need to be comfortable during breastfeeding are the mother and the baby. Everyone else can kindly mind their own biscuits. So, to the new parents trying to navigate these treacherous waters, I say: more power to you. Set your boundaries. Protect your peace. And maybe keep a squirt gun nearby for overly nosy relatives—it’s for their own good, I promise.
This tale of privacy, breastfeeding, and in-law drama serves as a rich reminder of the complexities of family dynamics. But it also highlights the bravery of new mothers forging their way through unsolicited criticism and unwarranted entitlement. You’re doing amazing, sweetie. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
Original story
Hello! I gave birth about two weeks ago and my husband and I decided 2 months ago to not let anyone see our newborn baby for a good month. I told my mother and told his parents too
I do not particularly get along with my husband parents because of how much his step mom constantly criticizes me (that I am too introverted, why I don’t go to every family event, and she even gets mad that I do not go visit them every week but I like my space and don’t even visit my mother every week)
We made the mistake of letting our families come the day of the delivery to see our newborn before they will not see the baby for another few weeks.
(We wanted a month to ourselves with the baby).
His step mom came in and made an interesting comment saying “Thank you for giving me my grandbaby”. Which I thought was odd because no “wow you did amazing” or other compliments? I brushed it off because I was very exhausted and went through 11 hours of labor.
His step mom left and his biological mom (yes they are a lesbian couple)
decided to stay so my husband can go grab his grandma so she can meet the baby too. While I was in the room alone with my mother in law, the nurse came in telling me I need to breastfeed the baby to start getting my milk supply to come in.
My mother in law then proceeded to ask me if I wanted her to stay or leave which was a relief because I didn’t have to bring it up! So I let her know it’ll be kind of her to leave so I can have privacy to breastfeed my newborn baby because I am not comfortable to do it in front of her.
I didn’t think that was a problem and apparently I was wrong.
I heard a few days later his mom left crying because I didn’t want to breastfeed the baby in front of her. She told my husband she could’ve turned around while I breastfeeding and my husband defended me saying it’s my choice whether or not I want someone to watch or to leave.
His parents didn’t get it and took it to another level.
His step mom proceeded to call me rude and unpleasant behind my back to my husband, simply because I do not feel comfortable breastfeeding in front of them.
His step mom never liked me because I am not the woman she wanted my husband to marry. She has talked behind my back countless of times and instead of coming up to me and confronting me like an adult. Everytime she has talked behind my back the day that I do see her, she’s all smiley and says she loves me.
Then I will find out days later how she hates that I do not visit them every week and again with how I am not that talk active.
She even complained to my husband when I was 39 weeks pregnant why I didn’t go visit his family when I was clearly over being pregnant and didn’t want to go out.
His parents have told my husband that I am wrong for what I did the day of the delivery.
AITA for wanting privacy from my mother in law so I can breastfeed my child?