Welcoming a new baby often brings distant relatives closer, but not always for the right reasons.

One aunt used the visit as a chance to stage an emotional narrative of her own, leaving the new mother stunned and unsure of what to do next.

She doesn’t want her aunt to visit again, but she’s not sure if she’s being too harsh.

You’ll want to read on for this one.

AITA for telling my aunt she can’t use my baby to “fix” her relationship with her daughter?

I (27f) had my first baby 3 months ago. It’s been rough, ngl. Sleep-deprived, overwhelmed, the usual new parent mess.

My fiancé’s great, but our families have been… a lot.

Anyway, my aunt (50s?) lives a few states over. I was close to her as a kid—she’s my mom’s sister—but we hadn’t talked much in recent years.

Things haven’t been good between her aunt and her daughter.

I always knew her relationship with her daughter (my cousin, 25f) was super rocky. Like yelling matches, passive-aggressive FB posts, no-contact phases. Trauma Olympics kinda stuff.

I don’t even know the full backstory, but it’s bad.

But when she invited her aunt to see her baby, she thought they could set all the drama aside.

So my aunt comes to “meet the baby” last week. First time she’s seen me in person in years.

At first, it’s chill. She brings food, holds the baby, takes pics.

Then I notice she’s taking a lot of pics. Like posing with the baby like it’s a photoshoot.

I didn’t think much of it until later that night my cousin messages me like, “What is this?”

Turns out, her aunt had hatched a crazy plan.

Turns out my aunt posted this cringey long Facebook post like, “There’s no pain like a daughter who turns her back on you but life gives you second chances,” with pics of her holding my baby. And tags me. I didn’t even see it because she has me on restricted, but my cousin saw it.

Apparently, people in their circle thought she was talking about adopting or fostering or whatever?? Like it was that dramatic.

This doesn’t sit right with her at all.

I was ticked.

Like, you don’t get to use my kid for some weird Facebook war with your own daughter.

So I messaged her and told her flat out she needs to delete the post and stop using my baby to play mom on the internet.

Her aunt only doubles down on the craziness.

And she hit back with, “I’m sorry you’re so sensitive, but that baby is healing for me. You don’t understand how much I’ve lost.”

Like girl. What. No. Not my job. Not my baby’s job.

So she told her aunt to stop coming around, but her mom didn’t approve of this decision.

I told her until she gets her stuff together, she’s not welcome around us. I don’t need this weird emotional mess near my kid.

Now my mom’s mad, saying I should be “compassionate” and that my aunt just wants to feel close to family again.

Like sorry, but post about a sunset or a Bible verse or something. Don’t weaponize my newborn.

AITA?

This is not the behavior of someone who’s doing well mentally.

What did Reddit think?

Her aunt’s secrecy spoke volumes.

What her aunt is doing isn’t right.

Her mom is one to talk about compassion.

Maybe her aunt really doesn’t belong around the baby.

Healing shouldn’t come at someone else’s expense.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a daughter who invited herself to her parents’ 40th anniversary vacation for all the wrong reasons.