Fury at MIL’s 5-word response after new mom stops breastfeeding

A mother has been strongly defended online for “going off” on her “judgmental” mother-in-law (MIL) after she criticized her decision to stop breastfeeding her newborn infant.
The mom and original poster (OP), Reddit user MommyMayhem16, has a nine-week-old baby who she was breastfeeding. However, according to the OP’s post on Jan. 27, doing so was “causing total chaos” on her mental health.
So, she switched to formula, she noted.
When the OP told her husband’s inquisitive mother about that change, she reacted with a five-word response that has now sparked some fury on the forum: “Oh, you gave up already?”
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“Yeah… I did,” the OP admitted in her post.
“It was causing me to mentally spiral. I snapped at her and told her to keep her unsolicited opinion to herself.
“Also, apparently when I left the room she told my husband that he should attempt to convince me to keep breastfeeding.
“I think I could be the a****** for going off on her and my husband said I shouldn’t have said anything, but I’ve been having a lot of mom guilt about stopping. It just got under my skin.”
‘Triggered’
The OP asked fellow Redditors if she should have just kept quiet and avoided saying anything.
Since the mom opened up online, her post has been upvoted around 400 times and received north of 180 largely supportive replies.
That includes one from a user who commented: “Your body and it’s functions are PERSONAL and not up for PUBLIC discussion… Keep calm and firm.
“Man, am I ever triggered when people try to do s*** like this.”
A second similarly replied: “While keeping the peace and not snapping usually is not a bad idea, you just had a baby, your body and your mind went [through] a lot already, you shouldn’t be worrying about not [upsetting] your over opinionated MIL.
“If she [cannot] keep her opinions on how to parent to herself then she shouldn’t get upset if you tell her off.”
Another supporter empathized with the OP, telling her she is recovering from birth and caring for a, “Tiny person whose primary communication method is yelling and your hormones are all haywire.
“You get a ton of slack. In a less sensitive time and topic I might have a different answer, but this is totally understandable. MIL can support you or be quiet.”
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, the nutrients in breastmilk are, “Better absorbed and used by your baby”, compared with formula.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends, “Exclusive breastfeeding for approximately six months after birth.”
However, the New York Times has covered that there are, “Also wide-ranging emotional or psychological reasons women may choose not” to breastfeed, and how such women can deal with being asked about that choice.
‘No shame’
A user who also backed the OP, recalled how she “exclusively breastfed” her own two children and offered reassurance: “It’s none of her business.
“Parents are the authority, the decision makers for their children, a message that needs to be delivered to her in clear terms by your husband. You’re doing just fine. You got this.”
To that particular user, the OP appreciatively wrote back: “Thanks, love.
“I’m happy you have good memories from breastfeeding. I really wanted to, but my body decided it wasn’t going to work out. I have no shame in using formula.”
Newsweek has contacted MommyMayhem16 for comment via Reddit.
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