Mom Finds Out Ex-husband's Wife Breastfeeds Her Child, Doesn't Know What to Do

A mother of a three-year-old thought she had successfully weaned her daughter when the little kid stopped crying and throwing things whenever she refused to breastfeed her. However, that changed when she discovered her child was getting breastmilk elsewhere.

A mother's love for her kids is fierce and cannot be compared to anything in the world, which is why they are considered rare gems. Nevertheless, the activities that go into mothering make it undoubtedly one of the most challenging jobs in the world, and it does not get easier even as the kids grow older.

However, a Reddit user and mother of a three-year-old found her job more challenging when her ex-husband's wife interfered with her mothering process without her permission. Here's what the Original Poster shared.

OP'S ATTEMPT AT WEANING HER CHILD

OP is the mom of a three-year-old girl who started weaning her child off breastfeeding when she was about one and a half years old. At first, the kid would shout and cry when OP refused to breastfeed her, but she believed after a while without breast milk, her kid would eventually get over it and learn to be independent.

One day, the child asked to be breastfed, but OP refused. Surprisingly, instead of throwing tantrums like always, the child silently went back to what she was doing without any reactions.

OP was concerned about her child's unusual reaction to her refusal to breastfeed. Regardless, she did not mind and even felt happy since her initial goal was to wean the kid. However, OP's belief changed a couple of weeks later when she made a shocking discovery.

OP FINDS OUT HER KID IS NOT WEANED

OP had just picked up her child from her ex-husband's house when she stopped at a fast food place and asked if her daughter wanted to eat anything.

The little kid said she was not hungry because she already had her "bitty," a codename for breastmilk that OP and her kid made up. Further inquiries by OP into what her child meant by saying she already had her "bitty" revealed something unexpected.

According to the child, her stepmother, who was also breastfeeding her baby, allows her to join in whenever she's feeding her infant. OP could not believe what she had just heard. Her ex-husband's wife had been breastfeeding her child behind her back when she thought she had successfully weaned her kid.

NETIZENS' THOUGHTS

OP shared her story to get netizens' thoughts on what she should do and if her anger at another woman breastfeeding her child was justified considering she thought she had weaned her child.

Since sharing the story, her post has garnered over 200 comments and reactions. Here's what some people had to say. Redditor More-Atmosphere5737 wrote:

"That is very much not okay. How long has this been going on?! What grown adults think this would be okay (I'm aware there are situations that people would be okay with this,) but this situation is not okay at all."

"Not okay. She did not birth the child, nor is she a legal guardian. She cannot make those decisions without your consent," another Redditor, lostinlactation, noted. Some even advised she should sue her ex-husband and the stepmother, including Redditor pawprint8, who remarked:

"Wow, there is a reason they didn't tell you- because it's wrong! I'm so sorry you're in this position. I hope you [have] contact [ed] a lawyer, as others have said."

OP further revealed that she returned to the house to confront her ex-husband and his wife. However, they defended their actions by claiming they were parental figures, and allowing her kid to feed was justified.

Questions to Ponder

• Was it right for the stepmother to feed that child?

Most netizens agreed with OP that the stepmother feeding her child without her consent was very wrong. They explained that they were not her legal guardians and that their actions could even be illegal.

• Did the girl's mother react correctly, and what advice can you give her?

Most Redditors commended OP for her reaction. However, they advised that she should find a way to communicate with her child better as this would prevent something similar from repeating itself and also ease her weaning process.

• What would you do in such a situation?

Some Reddit users declared they would have reacted violently if they were in her shoes. Nonetheless, some said they would take legal actions against the ex-husband and the stepmother, while others said she should let them off with a warning and be more vigilant and communicative.