A tempest in a (probably) D cup.

The simple fact is, the MIL violated the western culture standard that implies breast feeding is reserved for mother and infant and neither did she seek permission to attempt this “bonding”. This woman seems like she might have issues with her daughter-in-law, perhaps jealousy that the new mother is receiving attention and also forming a bond with her child, and maybe a bit of a problem with this new birth signaling her youth is gone.

Frankly, if my MIL crossed the line like this I would be very angry. Even if my own mother tried it, I would be angry. And further more, this mother has the right to be angry. Just because someone else somewhere else in the world has a cultural acceptance of just anyone breast feeding a child, doesn’t mean this mother has to accept what her MIL tried to do.

…..also, anyone else here think of the ‘Little Britain’ sketch with the grown guy whose mother and grandmother still breast feed him anytime he demands bitty?

However, I am concerned that the woman didn’t seem to understand basic biology. You’re not going to get instant milk from a breast that hasn’t produced any in many years!

Exactly!

I think Grandma did it for her own pleasure rather than for the kid, which is the creepy part of it. Not sexual creepy, but creepy nonetheless.

When we returned from dinner, everybody in the apartment building was gathered around one apartment from which we could hear the screaming of our newborn. She had been screaming the entire time we were gone, and the ladies in the apartment building (mostly college students) didn’t know what to do. One woman, however, the “grandma” had an idea that she would try to breastfeed the baby. So there they were - 20 Thai college women and this older woman with her shirt open, trying to get our baby to suckle, while one of the younger ladies dripped warm milk over her breast. Given how much the baby was screaming, it wasn’t terribly successful.

Reading this post, it never occurred to me that anybody could have been bothered by this sort of thing. If anything, at the time, I was embarrassed because my kid wouldn’t shut up, creating such a commotion. I was grateful that this woman was willing to try to help out and calm the baby.

I’m perplexed about the negative response here. For the Thai folks, it seemed perfectly natural. We’ve raised our daughter back and forth between Thailand and the US ever since (mostly in the US). In the context of Thai rural village life this solution to the problem of a screaming baby wouldn’t raise a single eyebrow. The idea that American mores might consider such an addict creepy or taboo is unfortunate. A peculiar hangup.

And there is a small bag with a tiny tube that you place along your nipple if you want to start breast feeding your adopted kid. Usually the sucking brings on mom’s milk, and the tiny tube keeps the kid nourished until the milk begins to come.

Why? Because it’s not about the breastfeeding — it’s about the mother in law trying to insert herself into the relationship between her grandchild and the mom.

I’d bet my last dollar that the mother in law tied to insert herself into or constantly control some aspect of the young couple’s lives.

What, was there supposed to be some kind of sexual jealousy? Pervs…

If anyone should have a problem with it, then it should be the mother!