Mom Furious When Mother-in-Law Knowingly Exposes Her Newborn to the Flu. Now Mom Wants to Ban Her from Seeing the Baby

A new mother says she’s questioning her relationship with her future mother-in-law after learning the woman exposed her newborn daughter to the flu without informing the parents.

In a post shared on Reddit’s Am I the AITA forum, the woman explained that she and her fiancé welcomed their baby girl in October. Initially, she said, her mother-in-law was supportive and helpful. That changed after the parents left their daughter with her for a few hours and returned to find the baby’s nails had been cut.

According to the post, the couple’s pediatrician had specifically advised them not to cut their newborn’s nails because they are fragile and tend to fray on their own. After the trimming, the baby’s nails were cracked down to the cuticle. While the mother said she was willing to move past that incident, she soon discovered something more troubling.

The day before watching the baby, the mother-in-law had spent time at her sister’s house. The poster later learned—through Facebook—that the sister had the flu. She said she was furious to realize her mother-in-law never mentioned the exposure before caring for the newborn.

The woman’s fiancé confronted his mother, who, according to the post, deflected blame onto others. He then told her that if she couldn’t respect them enough to disclose potential health risks, she would no longer be allowed in their lives. The new mom said she’s now questioning whether cutting off her mother-in-law entirely makes her wrong.

In the comments, many readers supported the couple’s reaction. Some said trimming the baby’s nails could be an honest mistake, but failing to disclose exposure to the flu crossed a serious line.

“If she didn’t know not to cut the baby’s nails, that’s forgivable,” one commenter wrote. “But knowingly being around someone with the flu and still seeing the baby without saying anything is a major issue. Set clear boundaries and see how she responds.”

Others argued the parents’ expectations were simply common sense, especially with a newborn.

“A baby that young is extremely vulnerable,” another commenter said. “These aren’t overprotective rules—they’re basic safety. Being a grandparent is a privilege, not a right.”

Some commenters, however, urged caution before completely cutting ties. While agreeing the parents were justified in being upset, they suggested limiting unsupervised visits rather than severing the relationship entirely.

“Life is long, and cutting someone off permanently is a big step,” one person wrote. “Strong boundaries are necessary, but you may still want to find a way to keep support in your life—on your terms.”