Dad's Culinary Experiment With Baby's Food Ignites Fiery Spat With Wife

"I explained that I did research, but she said that didn't matter, because mother's instincts are more important."

Jesse

• Published in Interesting
• September 20, 2023

Each day in the world of parenting, there's a lesson waiting to be learned. From the moment a child is born, parents engage in a constant learning curve, adjusting their methods as they get to know their child better.

One of the most interesting challenges starts when the baby is around six months old. This is the time when many parents start introducing their babies to solid foods.

Parents everywhere eagerly watch for their baby's reaction to that first spoonful of pureed veggies or fruits. But what happens when you can't seem to get your child to eat anything you offer them?

This was the case for our narrator (OP) and his wife, whose 6-month-old baby kept turning his nose up at every meal they tried feeding him.

OP explained that this behavior prompted them to seek advice from their pediatrician. Interestingly, the doctor revealed that babies like to eat what their parents eat. So, OP decided to share the bowl with the baby.

As good as this idea was, there was one little problem. The baby food was too gross for OP to eat—so he decided to spice it up with some cinnamon, garlic powder, and pepper mix.

Not only was the baby now eating often, but OP noticed that his sleeping was much better than ever. Unfortunately, this culinary experiment didn't go down well with OP's wife, who questioned the safety of spices in baby food.

OP argued that he thoroughly researched the safety of the spices before using them. But his wife was in no mood to listen to what he had to say.

Now, OP has brought the matter before the Reddit community for thorough deliberation. Scroll down to find out the verdict.

Let's dig into the details

A little background

OP’s wife is upset that he didn’t consult with her first

In her words, “Moms instinctually know what is good for there babies.”

Here’s how the Reddit community reacted to the story:

This Redditor isn’t buying OP’s wife’s claim

“You did nothing dangerous, and she needs to chill out. Signed, a mom.”

“As a racially mixed person whose been surrounded by spices i cant even pronounce half the time... NTA.”

“No one would be scolding a woman who didn't check with her husband first about what she fed her baby.”

“NTA and your wife is full of shit. Maternal instinct is largely a myth.”

“Look up baby-led weaning. Reading about it may help your wife get more comfortable with the idea.”

“She's shutting you out. She wants to be the gatekeeper, and for some sexist reason.”

The Reddit community has declared that OP did nothing wrong by feeding their baby seasoned food. On the other hand, OP’s wife is getting backlash for trying to undermine his parenting decisions.

OP has also been advised to speak to his wife to make it clear that they’re a team. No parent has the monopoly of “instincts.” Rather it’s about learning how the baby responds to each meal, alongside advice from the pediatrician.

We’d love to get your thoughts on this story. Join the conversation in the comments.

Jesse