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“AITA For Banning My SIL From Babysitting After She Put Breastmilk In My Child’s Ears”
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“AITA For Banning My SIL From Babysitting After She Put Breastmilk In My Child’s Ears”

Interview With Author “AITA For Banning My SIL From Babysitting After She Put Breastmilk In My Child’s Ears”“I Couldn’t Believe That She Did This”: Mom Bans SIL From Babysitting Because Of Her ‘Remedy’“Just Trying To Help”: SIL Banned From House For Putting Breast Milk In A Child’s EarsMom Is Very Upset Her Daughter Ends Up With Breast Milk In Her Ear While Visiting Her AuntSIL Is Banned From Babysitting After She Used Breast Milk As A Remedy Without PermissionMom Is Horrified To Learn SIL Put Her Breast Milk In Her Daughter's EarWoman Puts Breast Milk In Niece’s Ear To ‘Cure’ Infection, Shocked Mom Bans Her From BabysittingMom Bans SIL From Babysitting After She Put Breast Milk In Her Daughter's Ear To Treat InfectionSIL Sees Nothing Wrong With Putting Breast Milk In Her Niece's Ear, The Mom Finds It Outrageous
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A mom normally can trust another mom to babysit for a short period. Indeed, there is probably no one better than a fellow mother to look after your kids. Unfortunately, some folks have rather unorthodox ideas about everything from bedtime to “natural” remedies.

A mother wondered if she was wrong for banning her SIL from the house after she put her breast milk in OP’s kids’ ear in an attempt to help with an infection. You read that right. Readers were in disagreement about everything from the severity to the SIL’s “medicine” and to OP’s reaction when she learned what happened. We also got in touch with SILbabysit to learn a bit more.

A trusted family member who is also a mother might be the dream scenario for babysitting

Image credits: Towfiqu barbhuiya (not the actual photo)

But one woman was shocked to find out her SIL was putting her breast milk in her kid’s ears

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Image credits: Burst (not the actual photo)

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Image credits: SILbabysit

There is no evidence to suggest that breast milk helps in any way when poured into an ear

Bored Panda got in touch with SILbabysit  who made the post and she was kind enough to answer a few of our questions. We wanted to know if there was any follow-up to this situation. “My SIL started an argument with me over this at Thanksgiving. Rose and I ended up leaving early because of her,” she shared with Bored Panda.  “I agree with the NTA vote,” she added, indicating that she still wasn’t convinced by this “remedy.” At the same time, the SIL wasn’t the only person who believed in this method. “My mom recommended it when Rose started getting ear infections,” SILbabysit added when we asked about the concept in general.

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To get the elephant in the room out of the way first, there is no evidence to support the idea that breast milk directly in the ear can and will help treat an infection. While breast milk has some antibodies that do help the baby deal with infections, we don’t normally apply these sorts of things directly to the area in question.

Furthermore, if this folk remedy worked as well as some people seem to believe it does, why would we not use it on adults? This is a purely academic question, seeing as just this idea might make some folks deeply uncomfortable. However, medical treatments tend to be worth their weight in gold, so the lack of a mass market for breast milk-as-ear-treatment is enough of an indicator that it simply does not work.

If anything, the effects will be the exact opposite. Breast milk has a lot of fat and sugar, a fantastic diet for bacteria, and is the last thing you want to be stuck in one’s ear. For this reason, OP was perhaps justified in her anger since her SIL’s idea wasn’t just misguided, it was potentially harmful.

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Image credits: Jaye Haych (not the actual photo)

Ear infections are common among children and can be serious in some situations

While we don’t know the age of OP’s children, ear infections in kids can be serious enough to warrant antibiotics. While this isn’t commonly needed, children are more susceptible to ear infections in general, so creating an ear buffet for bacteria is the last thing any reasonable adult should do.

It is, of course, possible that the SIL has gotten mixed up along the way. Doctors do recommend breastfeeding sick children (when feasible) and perhaps the SIL got this part of the instructions mixed up. That being said, even with good intentions, she should have still asked OP about it. In the age of messenger apps, phones, and texting, it’s easier than ever to get a hold of someone quickly.

In fact, breast milk in certain parts of the body is already risky enough. One study found that even breastfeeding a child who is lying down carries risks, for example, the milk can get into the eustachian tube, which connects the nose to the, surprise surprise, ear. This has a measurable increase in the risk of infection for the child. SO ultimately, OP’s anger is justified, as the SIL was putting the child through an unnecessary risk.

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Image credits: Towfiqu barbhuiya (not the actual photo)

Naturally, some readers really needed more details

Most thought OP was NTA

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Some medical professionals also chimed in

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A few thought OP’s reaction was too much

A few readers thought both parties were wrong, the SIL for her “help” and OP for her reaction

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Justin Sandberg

Justin Sandberg

Writer, BoredPanda staff

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I am a writer at Bored Panda. Despite being born in the US, I ended up spending most of my life in Europe, from Latvia, Austria, and Georgia to finally settling in Lithuania. At Bored Panda, you’ll find me covering topics ranging from the cat meme of the day to red flags in the workplace and really anything else. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, beating other people at board games, cooking, good books, and bad films.

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Justin Sandberg

Justin Sandberg

Writer, BoredPanda staff

I am a writer at Bored Panda. Despite being born in the US, I ended up spending most of my life in Europe, from Latvia, Austria, and Georgia to finally settling in Lithuania. At Bored Panda, you’ll find me covering topics ranging from the cat meme of the day to red flags in the workplace and really anything else. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, beating other people at board games, cooking, good books, and bad films.

Justinas Keturka

Justinas Keturka

Author, BoredPanda staff

Read more »

I'm the Visual Editor at Bored Panda, responsible for ensuring that everything our audience sees is top-notch and well-researched. What I love most about my job? Discovering new things about the world and immersing myself in exceptional photography and art.

Read less »

Justinas Keturka

Justinas Keturka

Author, BoredPanda staff

I'm the Visual Editor at Bored Panda, responsible for ensuring that everything our audience sees is top-notch and well-researched. What I love most about my job? Discovering new things about the world and immersing myself in exceptional photography and art.

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Jared Robinson
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

NTA that is f*****g gross and best and dangerous at worst. Breast milk like all milk spoils and goes bad, which is the act of bacteria growing in the milk. If you put milk into someones 98 degree ear bacteria is going to grow and fester and GIVE YOU AN EAR INFECTION. This person absolutely is not the a*****e. You morons just don't know what is and isn't healthy.

Per-Ole Sjuve
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When I was a child in the 80's my father would soak a swab of cotton in moonshine and put it in my ear. Worked like a charm.

Libstak
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Nearly 100% alcohol, it's practically an antiseptic. Still wouldn't do it unless there is no other viable option though aka. 1000 miles from the nearest medical help.

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Sophia Grey
Community Member
11 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The fact that ANYONE had the gall to accuse this mother of being the AH is deeply, deeply concerning to me. Some people should not be allowed to reproduce 💀

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Jared Robinson
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

NTA that is f*****g gross and best and dangerous at worst. Breast milk like all milk spoils and goes bad, which is the act of bacteria growing in the milk. If you put milk into someones 98 degree ear bacteria is going to grow and fester and GIVE YOU AN EAR INFECTION. This person absolutely is not the a*****e. You morons just don't know what is and isn't healthy.

Per-Ole Sjuve
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When I was a child in the 80's my father would soak a swab of cotton in moonshine and put it in my ear. Worked like a charm.

Libstak
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Nearly 100% alcohol, it's practically an antiseptic. Still wouldn't do it unless there is no other viable option though aka. 1000 miles from the nearest medical help.

Load More Replies...
Sophia Grey
Community Member
11 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The fact that ANYONE had the gall to accuse this mother of being the AH is deeply, deeply concerning to me. Some people should not be allowed to reproduce 💀

Load More Comments
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