This Mom Wondered: “AITA For Filing A Complaint About A Hospital Worker Trying To Touch My Baby?”

Personal boundaries are crucial because they allow us to express our expectations for treatment in a clear and concise manner; however, even the most obvious hints don’t always work for some people. 

This Redditor called u/PsychologicalHair519 had to be a part of a pretty unpleasant conversation that eventually resulted in her reporting the other person. The thing is, this mom of a 7-month-old had a hospital visit where a staff member continuously tried to touch the child, who was fast asleep, despite many warnings. 

Hospital worker shames this mother for yelling at her when she attempted to touch her 7-month-old son

She went to file a complaint at the check-in desk but was met with similar treatment

“AITA for filing a complaint about a hospital worker trying to touch my baby?” – this internet user took to one of Reddit’s most philosophical communities to ask its members if she was wrong to file a complaint against a hospital worker who refused to take a hint and proceeded to try and touch her 7-month-old. The post managed to garner over 8K upvotes as well as 922 comments discussing the situation. 

Did you know that according to IBISWorld, a publisher that provides expert industry research, there are 5,795,082 hospital employees in the US as of 2023? Chances are every single one of them has made a stunning impression on their patients – however, the culprit of today’s story got remembered for a completely different reason.

The post’s creator had to stop by a hospital together with her 7-month-old son. The appointment went fine, and all that was left to do was head downstairs to the lab to get some blood drawn. While waiting to check in, a woman passed by and started to make small talk; she wondered about the child’s gender and asked how old he was.

The kid was peacefully sleeping with a blanket over the stroller when the stranger proceeded to lift it up so she could peek at the author’s son. Naturally, the woman immediately hinted to the woman that her baby was sleeping and had been having a hard time with naps – which apparently is mom code for “don’t touch my baby.” However, the woman clearly didn’t get the memo, went quiet, and continued to try and stick her hand further into the stroller.

That’s when the mother reached her boiling point and essentially snapped, telling the stranger not to touch her child. The woman then revealed that she was actually a hospital employee (as if that would change anything), but the OP wasn’t having any of it.

A conflict ensued that provoked the staff member to shame the woman; she stated that it was a shame that motherhood hadn’t turned her into a “sweet” person who wanted to brag about her child as it does for everyone else. As she walked away, it was finally the OP’s turn to check in – however, before proceeding, she asked the desk worker to file a complaint.

The woman rushed out of the hospital but ended up calling in later to report the staff member

To the author’s surprise, instead of taking the situation seriously, the woman at the counter questioned the OP’s wish and asked if she was sure of her decision as “lots of people like touching babies here” and moms aren’t usually upset by it. Needless to say, it left the poor mother speechless, so she turned around and rushed out of the hospital as she was close to having a literal breakdown.

Later in the day, she called the hospital, explained her absence, and asked to reschedule. Thankfully, the representative understood and said that she would file that complaint for her. The woman then stated that as soon as she’d simmered down, she began to fear that she had pulled a typical ‘Karen’ move as she’d never reported anyone before.

What do you think about this situation? Would you do things differently if you were in the author’s boots?

Fellow community members shared their thoughts and opinions on this delicate matter