To “protect the newborn’s privacy,” a mother started a social media discussion by forbidding her parents from changing her newborn’s diaper.
A worried parent posted a question on Mumsnet.com, a well-known British parenting website, asking if “only the parents should change nappies.”
“I prefer that only myself and my partner are the ones to change DS [darling son’s] nappy,” she wrote. “I’m very keen on consent and protecting my baby’s privacy.”
She added, “Obviously, I understand if we’re not available due to nursery eventually or if someone else is watching the children, then I’m happy for someone else to do it, but this has not yet been the case.” She then said the problem arose when her mother-in-law decided to change the baby’s diaper.
The mother continued, “[The infant] kept crying throughout the change, and she immediately handed him back, which irritated me because it wasn’t her job to change him.
Because she was “trying to be nice and friendly,” she claimed, she “didn’t say anything at the time.”
She is on the verge of “drawing a line” with her mother-in-law because she is now beginning to find her to be more intrusive.
Hundreds of remarks were made on the post, some of which supported her and others who criticized it.
One user said, “I don’t comprehend the logic here. “Surely nursery must be a total no-go if you’re truly worried about privacy and consent in these matters?”
Similarly, “So nursery staff or babysitters can change your kid, but their grandparents can’t? I believe this has less to do with privacy and consent (since consent is a ridiculous notion for a tiny baby who cannot give informed consent at that age) and more to do with how you feel about your mother-in-law.
Some people even said that this mother might be out for revenge against her mother-in-law.
Poor MIL of yours. One user noted: “Is your MIL actually overbearing, or are you constantly pushing back and trying to stop her from spending time with the baby? If she’d sat there and let you do it, you’d have moaned she was unhelpful/uninvolved/uninterested.”
The response went on to say: “At the end of the day, you are the baby’s mother, and nothing will alter that. However, you should be promoting healthy relationships with family members. Although boundaries are crucial and you should address them if she is acting excessively, your OP suggests that you may be the one who is being overly thinking things and being intense.
What do you think about this?
