“AITA For Accusing My Brother Of Replacing My Wife’s Refrigerated Breast Milk With Cow Milk?”

Many sibling dynamics can be complicated. These tumultuous relationships may sometimes extend through adulthood, as you’re about to read. 

In today’s story, a man suspected his younger brother of stealing his wife’s breast milk and swapping it with cow’s milk. He confronted his little sibling, who denied the accusations and refused to apologize. 

The author has yet to find solid evidence but is nonetheless convinced. Feeling confused about how to resolve the issue, he asked the AITA subreddit if he was wrong about making such allegations. 

Theft in any form automatically damages the relationship between two people

Baby drinking milk from a bottle held by an adult, focusing on breastfeeding and milk replacement.

Image credits: Sarah Chai / Pexels (not the actual photo)

A man suspected his younger brother of stealing his wife’s breast milk 

Text discussing replacing refrigerated breast milk with cow milk.

Text discussing a brother's awkward behavior and noticing milk bottles in the fridge.

Text message about brother visiting and dropping off baby clothes.

Person in a brown jacket using a smartphone outdoors, focusing on a texting activity.

Image credits: Ave Calvar / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

To make matters worse, the little sibling may have swapped it with cow’s milk, which caused a bad reaction in the baby

Text discussing a baby's reaction to a new bottle, mentioning wife's refrigerated breast milk and cow milk.

Text discussing suspicion of brother replacing breast milk with cow milk.

Text discussing suspicion of brother swapping breast milk with cow milk.

Two bottles of breast milk on a table, highlighting milk replacement issue.

Image credits: ParentingPatch / Wikimedia (not the actual photo)

The author confronted his brother, who denied the accusations and refused to apologize

Text about brother denying swapping wife's breast milk with cow milk.

Text exchange about discovering cow milk replaced refrigerated breast milk, revealing uncertainty and suspicion.

Text message about accusing brother of replacing wife's breast milk with cow's milk.

Text questioning if brother replaced breast milk with cow milk, seeking advice.

Image credits: 902I0

Cow’s milk poses grave dangers to an infant 

Many readers may not understand the concerns the author and his wife had when the infant drank cow’s milk and may also wonder why it caused such a bad reaction. 

The couple was fortunate enough that their child only seemed irritated and nothing else because, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), anyone younger than 12 months may experience intestinal bleeding. 

Cow’s milk contains proteins and minerals that may be too much for a baby’s kidneys. It also lacks the proper nutrients to aid in proper growth and development. 

WebMD states cow’s milk does not contain iron, protein, or Vitamin C. Therefore, most experts only recommend formula or breast milk for an infant because they contain antibodies that fight against potential diseases like ear infections, asthma, Type 1 diabetes, obesity, gastrointestinal issues, and sudden infant death syndrome. 

Confronting a family member should be done with respect

Image credits: Victoria Romulo / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

The younger brother may have felt attacked, causing him to be defensive. In cases where confrontations between family members are necessary, toxic relationship expert E.B. Johnson, NLP-MP, advises doing so with respect. 

In an article for Medium, Johnson emphasized the importance of approaching the situation with calmness and compassion. Doing so helps the person feel seen and respected, which may urge them to cooperate more with your needs. 

Johnson adds that it is natural for the person being confronted to lash out and feel insulted. But ultimately, you must stick to factors within your control. 

“Remain respectful, and let everything else fall on the shoulders of the other person,” Johnson wrote. 

Confrontations aren’t always heated, but they are often uncomfortable. Johnson says managing expectations for the person trying to procure information is important. Doing so helps regulate emotions. 

“It’s a way of protecting ourselves and a way of building up realistic goals within that confrontation,” she stated. 

It may help the author to speak with his brother with more compassion and less judgment. The younger sibling may or may not own up to what happened, but taking the response/denial for what it is also keeps the situation from blowing out of proportion. 

He may also want to take more preventive measures to thwart similar incidents that may endanger his child. One way is to change his PIN and deny his brother access to his home.

The man answered a few questions to clarify some parts of his story

Reddit comments discussing brother replacing wife's breast milk with cow milk.

Reddit comments discussing accusations about replacing breast milk with cow milk.

Reddit comments discussing suspicion and evidence about replacing breast milk with cow milk.

Reddit discussion about brother replacing breast milk with cow milk, featuring comments on username choice.

Reddit user discussion about replacing breast milk with cow milk at home.

Most readers sided with the author

Reddit comment discussing breast milk vs. cow milk safety for newborns.

Reddit comment discussing replacing breast milk with cow milk in baby's bottle.

Text response discussing milk replacement and baby nutrition concerns.

Reddit comment expressing outrage over a brother's milk swap, calling it creepy and suggesting distance.

Comment about baby sickened by cow milk, urging follow-up for safety concerns.

Breast milk and cow milk topic discussed by a concerned user in an online forum comment.

Reddit comment discussing brother replacing breast milk with cow milk.

Comment addressing concerns over replacing breast milk with cow milk.

Reddit comment about changing front door pin related to breast milk and cow milk issue.

Forum comment discussing accused brother replacing breast milk with cow milk.

Screenshot of a Reddit comment discussing breast milk replacement and family issues.

Reddit comment discussing family dynamics and advice on brother replacing breast milk with cow milk.

Comment on the importance of breast milk and the dangers of substituting it with cow milk for infants.

Text post discussing accusations of replacing breast milk with cow milk.

Reddit comment discussing how to handle concerns about milk replacement incident calmly with parents.

Text comment about replacing refrigerated breast milk with cow milk, raising concerns about safety and privacy.

Text discussing issues with replacing refrigerated breast milk, concerns for baby's health, and trust advice.

Comment discussing brother replacing breast milk with cow milk.

Comment discussing breast milk versus cow milk for babies' health.

Those who thought he was being a jerk questioned his logic in making the allegations

Reddit comment about accusations of replacing breast milk with cow milk.

Reddit comment discussing assumptions about replacing breast milk with cow milk.

Comment discussing boundaries and family issues related to milk replacement incident.

Reddit comment discussing family dynamics and accusations involving breast milk and cow milk.

Screenshot of a Reddit comment discussing accusations of switching breast milk with cow's milk.

Reddit comment discussing an accusation about replacing refrigerated breast milk with cow milk.

Reddit comment discussing accusation of brother swapping breast milk with cow milk.

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