Relatives grabbing baby out of my arms
Extended family members often feel entitled to snatch or literally rip a child directly from a parent's arms. This aggressive behavior forces parents to let go to avoid injuring the baby, leaving them highly stressed, dreading family get-togethers, and exhausted from constantly patrolling boundaries around holding and kissing.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1try to just let it goDid this help you?
- 2have your partner flat out tell them or run interferenceDid this help you?
- 3say something to explain how you feelDid this help you?
- 4Wearing the baby in a carrier during family gatherings so others cannot hold or kiss them.Did this help you?
- 5Putting a hat on the baby or applying Aquaphor to cheeks as a barrier.Did this help you?
- 6Arriving early and leaving early to minimize exposure to crowd and visitors.Did this help you?
- 7Loudly reminding family members of the rule the moment they arrive or approach.Did this help you?
- 8Enforcing strict consequences, such as taking the baby back or limiting visits if boundaries are violated.Did this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“I have no problem with people holding my baby but I hate when people feel entitled to hold my baby.”source ↗
“my MIL always runs up to us, holds out her arms and says “My turn!” and basically snatches her out of my arms.”source ↗
“My aunt literally ripped my crying child from my arms so that I had to let go so he wouldn’t get hurt (baby didn’t want to go with her).”source ↗
“It’s so exhausting to be on kiss patrol at that stage.”source ↗
“It has gotten to a point where I don’t want him to hold our son, I get stressed when we are going to be getting together with them, and I’m becoming really irritated, thinking it is being done intentionally.”source ↗
“I am not a confrontational person, but at the same time - this is my son and my husband has made clear to his parents that we’re not okay with kisses from other family members.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 3Why do strangers think it's okay to touch my toddler?
- 8Baby cries hysterically whenever I put them down
- 2Why does my mother-in-law act like I don't exist around the baby?
- 2How to do birthday party invites and RSVPs for middle schoolers
- 3Can I let grandparents take my toddler abroad without me?
- 5Is it rude to invite only some cousins to a wedding?