A mother has caused a divide online after she banned her in-laws from changing her newborn’s diaper in order to “protect the baby’s privacy”.
The mom, who took to the popular British parenting website Mumsnet.com, expressed her desire to protect her baby’s privacy by allowing only herself and her partner to change the diaper.
The post read: “I’m very keen on consent and protecting my baby’s privacy and prefer that only myself and my partner are the ones to change DS [darling son’s] nappy. Obviously, I understand if we’re not available due to nursery eventually or if someone else is babysitting then I’m happy for someone else to do it, however, this has not yet been the case.”
The issue arose when the mother-in-law took the initiative to change the baby’s diaper without consulting the parents. The mother stated: “[The baby] continued crying throughout the change, and she gave him back straight after, but it annoyed me as it wasn’t her place to change him.”
A woman has banned her mother-in-law from changing her newborn’s diaper. Credit: Guido Mieth/Getty
Initially, the mother chose not to say anything to avoid conflict, but she is now contemplating setting boundaries with her mother-in-law, whom she perceives as increasingly overbearing.
The post received an influx of comments, with users divided over the mother’s decision. Some supported her stance on privacy and consent, while others criticized the logic behind it.
One user questioned: “I don’t understand the logic here. If you’re genuinely worried about privacy and consent in these matters, then surely nursery must be a total no-go?”
Another comment suggested that the mother’s concerns might be more about her feelings towards her mother-in-law than actual privacy and consent issues: “So nursery workers or babysitters can change your child but their grandparents can’t?
“I suspect this is more about your feelings towards your [mother-in-law] than anything to do with privacy and consent (consent being a ridiculous concept for a small baby who has no capacity to give informed consent at that age).”
Some even speculated that the mother may have a personal vendetta against her mother-in-law, leading to an unnecessary restriction on her involvement with the baby.
Some accused the mom of having a vendetta against her mother-in-law. Credit: miodrag ignjatovic/Getty
The debate continued as users weighed in on the importance of positive relationships with family members and the need for appropriate boundaries. While acknowledging the mother’s role as the primary caregiver, they also emphasized the significance of fostering healthy family connections.
Do you think the mother’s actions are justified?
