Mom Checks Baby Monitor, Sees Mother-In-Law Breastfeeding Her Child and Urgently Calls Her Husband

A woman was grateful when her mother-in-law offered to look after their infant while she was away at work. However, when she checked on her child using a baby monitor, she saw something disturbing.

Parents are protective of their children, and when their little ones are still young and vulnerable, they are understandably more concerned about their safety.

When they leave their kids in someone else's care, moms and dads trust the individuals to look after their loved ones. Sadly, childminders, friends, and even family members don't always meet their expectations.

Read one couple's story and decide if a mother-in-law overstepped some boundaries and did not deserve to look after her grandchild in the future.

THE MOTHER-IN-LAW'S KIND GESTURE

In 2021, an outraged woman used the Reddit platform to help her decide the fate of her mother-in-law. She asked netizens whether her disgust was warranted and explained that her husband had a different opinion.

The Original Poster (OP) shared that she and her spouse held full-time jobs, so they could not look after their two-month-old baby. Her husband's mother kindly offered to watch their infant on weekdays, free of charge.

The couple was immensely grateful for the gesture and trusted her with the baby. However, the OP witnessed her mother-in-law do something that left her speechless.

SHE SAW SOMETHING SHOCKING ON THE BABY MONITOR

While she was at work, the OP received a message from her mother-in-law. She was having trouble getting the child to settle and stated that the infant was crying uncontrollably.

After some time, the concerned OP checked the baby monitor to see if her mother-in-law succeeded in putting the little one to sleep. She said:

"I wanted to check and see if he was okay and if she ended up just holding him. When I looked at the camera, [my mother-in-law] was holding him ..."

However, what the OP saw on the screen left her disgusted. Her mother-in-law was breastfeeding her infant without permission and without the ability to produce milk.

SHE TRIED TO CALM THE BABY

The OP immediately tried to reach her mother-in-law but to no avail. "I called her right away, and she didn't answer, so I had to sit there and watch her attempt to breastfeed my baby," the mother recalled.

The OP managed to contact her husband, and he was also perplexed by his mom's actions. However, the mother-in-law said she couldn't think of any other way to calm the baby, and she was upset that her daughter-in-law checked up on her.

HER HUSBAND'S REACTION

The mother-in-law accused the OP of invading her privacy and believed she was overreacting, but the OP remained emotional and upset by the incident.

She enjoyed breastfeeding her baby and used it as an opportunity to bond. The OP also pumped milk for her child so he could feed during the hours she was away at work.

She couldn't believe her mother-in-law dared to breastfeed her child, but her husband had a slightly different reaction. The OP stated:

"My husband understands why I’m upset, but wants to give her another chance to watch the baby. He also doesn’t want to spend the money to get a nanny or do daycare when she can [do it] for free."

THE MOTHER DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO

The OP hoped Reddit users would provide some clarity for her dilemma and determine whether she was overreacting or not. She didn't want her mother-in-law to look after her baby anymore.

However, her husband's mother was heartbroken and expressed that she was keeping her grandchild from her. The mother was torn over what to do and asked Redditors if she was being unreasonable.

She said:

"I’m so upset with her and just completely baffled at why she would do this that I never even want to see her again, let alone have her anywhere near my baby."

THE ONLINE REACTION

The OP received thousands of responses, and many users were passionate about the topic. One commenter wrote: "I find this so revolting. I think [the mother-in-law] should be in time out for a very long time."

Other users pointed out that wet nursing was common in many cultures, but many netizens hit back and stated that the OP did not have a wet nursing agreement with her in-laws.

Another user asked whether the mother-in-law's actions helped the baby settle down, and she replied: "Yes. He stopped crying and fell asleep."

HER LIMITED MATERNITY LEAVE

One netizen was also appalled that the OP didn't have more maternity leave from work. They asked which country she lived in and were perplexed by her limited two-month break.

The OP revealed that she was from America and only received six weeks of paid maternity leave. She added that her husband didn't get any paid paternity leave and called it "ridiculous."

Questions to ponder:

• Do family members have the right to breastfeed infants without the parent's permission?

Parents always have the final say when it comes to their children. The OP's mother-in-law could have prevented an uncomfortable situation by asking for her consent before breastfeeding a child that did not belong to her.

• Should parents take offense when other family members breastfeed their children?

The OP was outraged by her mother-in-law's actions. Her response came from a place of shock and came off as a potential overreaction. However, in time, the two parties will hopefully be able to move forward amicably.

Click here for another story about a father who caught his mother-in-law breastfeeding his child. The dad confronted her, but she didn't regret her actions.