My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

AIBU?

to argue with MIL about breastfeeding?

107 replies

avoidingarguments · 04/04/2013 20:36

I have had two babies who I breastfed for 1 year each, I fed on demand. I am now pregnant with my 3rd. I mentioned to MIL I was dreading the initial 6 week period where the baby just wants to feed all the time, and she said my first two were very strange for wanting to do that, and this time hopefully I will have a normal baby who feeds every 4 hours. I should of just smiled and nodded, that is what I normally do in these situations, but I am 8 months pregnant and things like this get under my skin at the moment as I know what I am doing with my own children. My reply was that it is normal for breastfed babies to feed an awful lot in the first 6 weeks, and she said no it is not all other babies feed every 4 hours they should not be feeding all the time. I answered that the 4 hourly routine is outdated now and that the nhs say babies should be fed on demand. She got really angry and said the 4 hourly routine was invented because it worked and it worked for all her 5 children and she has bought up 5 children so she knows what she is doing and the nhs and midwives don't know anything. It actually got very heated and I know this time she will be round visiting telling my DH I am over feeding my children and babies only need 6 feeds a day (luckily my DH ignores her!). I know I am hormonal at the moment as I am 8 months gone but I wish I had just smiled and nodded at her and feel like I should not have caused an argument, I normally keep my views to myself but to be honest am sick of all her outdated advice. She will also be phoning me telling me to give the baby water or it will dehydrate I imagine as that is what she did with the last two, even phoning my DH at work on a very hot day before!! AIBU to have got involved in an argument, I should have just smiled and nodded and ignored shouldn't I?

I feel really bad tonight as I do not like arguments, and am now dreading all the comments at family events about my strange over feeding babies as all others in her family seem to do 4 hourly bottle feeds. She breastfed for a couple of weeks 4 hourly but said she was such a busy lady her milk was not good quality, I said that was because she fed 4 hourly and that just made the argument worse :( why oh why did I not just smile and nod :(

OP posts:
Report
pictish · 04/04/2013 20:38

Because she aggravated you with her disrespectful know-it-all attitude.

Don't worry about it too much. x

Report
stuffthenonsense · 04/04/2013 20:41

The woman is very old fashioned in her views, and you did nothing wrong in teaching her the current methods. People never like hearing that their way is/was wrong but you need to be able to do what you know is right for your own child, without interference. She needs to stop telling you how to look after your own children. I would get hold of some printed literature from as many sources as possible and leave it with her.....and not answer her phone calls.

Report
HazelnutinCaramel · 04/04/2013 20:41

Give yourself a break. You can't smile and nod all the time, even though you know you should! You're only human.

Just carry on as if nothing happened next time you see her.

Report
SirBoobAlot · 04/04/2013 20:41

Because she was wrong and provoked you.

Don't let it get you down, you're completely correct.

Report
hwjm1945 · 04/04/2013 20:42

I think that the push to encourage ebf is quite recent? Last 15/20 years,I know my mum who had us in the sixties thought bf was really weird.and that bottle feeding was better all round so got lots of perplexed looks and sighs from her as I established bf,ignore.she sounds mad

Report
Twogoodreasons · 04/04/2013 20:43

Smile and no, smile and nod and do what youthink is best for your babies.

She sounds a bit like my mum - whereby anything you do that is different from what she did with her babies is seen as an implied criticism of her prowess as a mother.

Report
everlong · 04/04/2013 20:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Beatrixpotty · 04/04/2013 20:47

YANBU.I am sitting here feeding my 3weeker for the millionth time today.The longest he has ever gone is 4.5 hours,he is fed on demand.Can be every hour,can be longer.She is out of touch.It's hard when you're pregnant and hormonal just to smile & nod sometimes.Hope she leaves you alone!

Report
avoidingarguments · 04/04/2013 20:48

I just feel really bad because I feel she took what I said as an insult to her parenting, which it wasn't, I was just trying to explain that my babies were normal for breastfed babies to want to feed a lot.

Thanks HazelnutinCarmael that is good advice I will just act as though it did not happen next time I see her. She always gives me stupid advice like to leave bottles in the cot so they can feed themselves so I won't get disturbed, that 3 month old babies need easter eggs or they will feel left out, that puress should have gravy in them to make them runny etc... She really stresses me out with her advice but I have always just smiled and nodded but just cannot do it anymore I think I have run out of patience!

I feel bad though because I guess she is just repeating advice from her time, she just cannot understand that things have changed, I don't know why as my own DM understands that what she did is outdated now and lets me just get on with it.

OP posts:
Report
avoidingarguments · 04/04/2013 20:52

everlong I think I will do that, have a nice bath and early night and try and forget about it.

I am glad I posted on here I feel a lot better reading the replies and that I am not being unreasonable, I just feel bad for arguing over our point of views, I usually just let her get on with what she has to say, smile and not and then ignore :) It is just getting harder to do though, but I don't want to argue with her every time I see her.

OP posts:
Report
pamelat · 04/04/2013 20:53

Honestly you sounded refined compared to me in my similar row with my MIL and own mum re this!

It's none of their business, and they are wrong, although I'm told by my SIL that advice has changed again? She says they advocate every 3 hours now rather than on demand?

Mine are 5 And 2 and I fed constantly/on demand!!

I think your DH should approach HER about her arguing with you about sensitive issues which are nothing to do with her at 8 months pregnant!!!

Report
avoidingarguments · 04/04/2013 20:58

pamelat I had a word with my DH tonight and told him that when she comes to visit if she starts complaining to him I am over feeding the baby to stick up for me lol. He said he would, it annoys him as she thinks her way is the only way.

OP posts:
Report
Beveridge · 04/04/2013 20:59

Pamelat-advice has categorically NOT changed , feed on cue as always! Ask your SIL what humans have done for thousands of years -sat in their caves and timed their feeds by their watches/clocks/phones?!

Report
CreatureRetorts · 04/04/2013 21:00

My MIL repeated the four hourly advice. Turns out she followed it when trying to BF her first and ended up with an abcess Shock
But she still couldn't get her head around the idea that maybe that's why the 4hourly thing is bollocks. However we didn't argue as such - she told me what she knew, I told her what I knew, I did what worked and that was that.
She did take it as a slur on her parenting at first, but I shrugged my shoulders as decided it was more her issue than mine.

Maybe remind your MIL that when her MIL gave her advice I'm sure she didn't take to it kindly...

Report
avoidingarguments · 04/04/2013 21:00

Reading all the replies it seems this is quite common with the older generation then, I am glad I am not on my own! It is just so stressful having someone shove their views down my throat and tell me I am basically doing things wrong :( All I am doing is following the current advice. All her other DIL's follow what she calls the 'proper way'.

OP posts:
Report
CreatureRetorts · 04/04/2013 21:01

No pamelat that's not true. Feed on demand (FF or BF)

Report
thompson369 · 04/04/2013 21:01

My mum was also a fan of the four hourly feeding regime. I'm currently BFing DD3 and got loads of comments along the lines of "this is never ending" and "what, she wants feeding again?!". I just ignored her and got on with it - she doesn't go on about four hourly feeding or routines now as she realises she is wasting her breath!

Report
pictish · 04/04/2013 21:01

'The proper way'

Arrogant witch.

Report
Coffeenowplease · 04/04/2013 21:02

Dont see why you shouldnt have put her straight. Just laugh when she says she knows more than the entire NHS. Theres not much else you cant do with a statement like that really.

Just do what you think is best. If she starts telling you rubbish and saying its better tell her why if you feel like it or if not just say mm yes interesting then ignore.

Report
TryDrawing · 04/04/2013 21:03

I think everyone can be forgiven for the odd hormonal meltdown at 8 months pregnant. Part of me is therefore inclined to say you should take advantage of this and tell her to shut up unless she has something supportive to say.

But... She's your mil and you will have to put up with her a lot so smile and ignore probably really is the best thing, along with the odd "I'm very happy with the way I'm doing it, thanks".

After all, she isn't malicious, she means well, she's just factually wrong. It's like she's calling you Fred. It's not offensive, it's just not your name (I assume) and therefore wrong and a bit odd if she insists.

Maybe try lining up a few household chores and ask her to do one every time she starts giving you advice :)

Report
Bunnylion · 04/04/2013 21:03

Agreed with pamelat even if you were talking absolute rubbish (which you are not) she shouldn't be dictating to or arguing with a woman who is 8 months pregnant.

She doesn't sound like a woman who will ever realise that what worked for her may not work for you and your baby, so I'd avoid bringing it up with her again. No one will know when your baby needs to feed more than you do so keep confident in what you are doing.

YANBU, MILIBU.

Report
MortifiedAdams · 04/04/2013 21:05

My DM insists she fed my sister and I every three hours (bf) but she makes a whole load of nonsense up so i fear she is misremembering.

Report

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

saycheeeeeese · 04/04/2013 21:05

My mum breastfed every 4 hours for 20 mins exactly (10 on each side). Needless to say I ignored her advice to follow suit despite her having 4 kids who slept all night from 2weeks.

Gawd its a miracle I'm overweight and not a waif :)

Her other DILs probably just tell her what she wants to hear, just ignore and carry on.

Report
sleepyhead · 04/04/2013 21:06

The four hourly routine sabotaged breastfeeding for a generation of women. I'd bet that a good 80% of "milk too watery", "not enough" milk", "milk not nutritious enough", "baby not satisfied with milk" cases were solely down to 4 hourly feeds.

Formula milk back then wasn't whey based as it is now, but casein based which is harder to digest and lies in the stomach for longer, hence longer times between feeds. The advice now is to ff on demand and some ff babies demand more frequently than 4 hours too.

But you're right, it's pointless. If you can smile and nod then it saves a load of grief.

Report
Loislane78 · 04/04/2013 21:07

Next time she goes to get a brew or biscuit etc. just say "has it been 4 hours since your last drink/snack?" :)

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.