A mum claims her mother-in-law 'invaded her baby's privacy' by changing his dirty nappy. She believes only parents should change their child's nappies - and says her mother-in-law is being "overbearing" by trying to help in this way.
However, her perspective on parenting has been slammed online, as users urged her to take a 'long and hard look at herself'. Taking to Mumsnet, the mum-of-one said: "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 our 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." She went on to explain how her mother-in-law changed her son's soiled nappy in front of her - not allowing her the opportunity to do it herself.
"My baby started crying and rather than just give him back, [she] decided to take it upon herself to change him - I was standing right there, " she added.
"He 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.
"I didn’t say anything at the time - I was trying to be nice and friendly but I'm starting to find her more overbearing and I’m getting close to drawing a line."
She has taken to Mumsnet to ask users whether she's being 'unreasonable' by wanting her mother-in-law to take a back seat when it comes to changing her baby.
In response, one user said: "If you don’t trust grandparents to change baby’s nappy they shouldn’t be seeing baby. If you do, no issue. Babies don’t need consent no matter how keen you are on it."
Another user added: "This is something you seriously need to address with yourself.
"First of all, all my family members have offered to change nappies, and 9/10 it's because they're being helpful and just giving me a tiny break. It's a lovely thing for them to do.
"I really don't understand why you feel the way you do. But it does seem like you have your own underlining problem.
"If you can't trust immediate family to change a nappy then, well, your child is going to grow up with you literally obsessing over 'privacy' for them."
A third user said: "So nursery workers or babysitters can change your child but their grandparent can’t?
"I suspect this is more about your feelings towards your mother-in-law than anything to do with privacy and consent.
"Consent is a ridiculous concept for a small baby who has no capacity to give informed consent at that age."
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