'AITA for breastfeeding my baby in front of my family on vacation?'
"AITA for breastfeeding in front of my family?"
I’m on vacation at my family’s lake house this week. I haven’t seen a lot of my family members in over a year. I have an almost 6 month old baby who is exclusively breastfed. He is normally super chill but he’s in a new place and is meeting a bunch of new people and is a bit overwhelmed which is causing him to be more fussy than usual.
When he’s fussy and uncomfortable all he wants to do is breastfeed otherwise he’ll scream. The first couple of days, when he wanted to breastfeed I’d go into the bedroom and breastfeed him until he was happy.
But this kept causing me to miss out on hanging out with my family members because a lot of the times when I was finally done feeding him and I came back out, my family members were already away doing some sort of activity or they had gone to bed.
So for the last few days, when my baby wants to breastfeed I’ve just been doing it in the main room instead of going into another room. I try to use a cover when I can, but my baby isn’t used to using a cover since I never use one at home so sometimes he screams when I try to use one. So I do end up feeding him in front of my family without a cover sometimes.
My family is kind of split on if that’s ok. My mom, aunts, and uncles don’t care. My dad and brothers are uncomfortable by it and want me to go into the other room. So far they’ve been leaving the room when I start breastfeeding but they’re annoyed that they’re leaving instead of me.
Again I do try to use a cover when my baby allows but he usually gets mad and screams when I try. He won’t take a bottle either. AITA for breastfeeding in front of my family?
What do you think? AITA? This is what commenters had to say:
Matt-Sarme said:
NTA. You’re feeding your baby, not staging a striptease. It’s wild how some men get all flustered over a boob doing its literal job. If they’re sexualizing a screaming infant’s lunch, that’s their messed-up lens, not your problem. Keep chilling with your fam; you’re not the one making it weird.
FerretGirl123 said:
NTA. Do they want a screaming baby or to be "a little uncomfortable". Honey, this is family. Suck it up.
OP responded:
Right??? That’s what I’ve been saying! 😂
Maximum_Law801 said:
I get the ick if your dad and brothers can’t handle seeing a glimpse of your nipples. I’m pretty sure you’ve seen theirs several times.
OP responded:
Tbf my brothers are still teenagers so I get that it probably is awkward for them and I do feel a little bad. But yeah my dad is always embarrassed/ uncomfortable about most things female anatomy related, growing up he’d get weird whenever I mentioned my period and he’d never buy me pads and things.
International-Fee255 said:
NTA My partners brother leaves the room when I breastfeed because he's uncomfortable, but that's his problem not mine. They don't seem to care of you miss out on the fun, but apparently it's an issue if they do? That's not really acceptable. You are literally using the ladies for their intented purpose, tough lock for anyone who doesn't like it.
OP responded:
Thank you! Their argument as for why I should leave the room and not them is that I’m the one who chose to have a baby. But my dad was so excited for me to come and to see his grandson (my brothers less so because they’re both teenagers). And my fiancé isn’t here which makes it harder for me to manage the baby.
Sad-Country-9873 said:
NTA - but it does sound like you are making people uncomfortable. I know you are missing out, but that is part of motherhood. It sounds like going on this trip was a bad idea. It is overwhelming your baby and he needs to be first. He needs the break to be away from everyone and enjoy your comfort alone.
OP responded:
I haven’t seen most of these family members in over a year, I live across the country from them. My baby is fine as long as he can nurse when he gets overwhelmed. My brothers are teenagers and don’t seem to have much interest in me and my baby, but my dad really wanted me and my baby to come.
MakeitMakeSense115 said:
You can go on ten other room away from your brothers and dad. I breastfed myself. What makes YTA in my opinion is that you know it makes your Dad and brothers uncomfortable, and because you’re missing out on fun you decide to continue to make them uncomfortable.
I personally wouldn’t want my dad or brothers looking at my breast. Yes you’re feeding your baby, but I’m sure your spouse or significant other plays with them during sexy time. You miss out for what maybe 30 minutes.Also it’s a way to breast feed without a cover and still not be exposed. Again I breast fed my kid.
OP responded:
It just feels a bit unfair that I have to leave and not them since they’re the ones who are uncomfortable, not me. Idk, maybe my level of comfortability is different than most people’s, after like 10 random strangers watched me give birth idc who sees me breastfeeding even random strangers lol.
Idk what physical intimacy has to do with this, I’m not sleeping with my fiancé in front of my family lol my fiancé isn’t even here.
momof3gatos2025 said:
Do it in the privacy of your own space. Why would you show yourself in front of the whole damn family?
And OP responded:
Because my baby is hungry, and I didn’t agree to disrupt my schedule to solo travel 4 hours in a plane and 5 hours in a car with a baby (not easy) just to sit in a room by myself for the majority of the day.