A forum post purportedly written by a mom keen on "consent" and safeguarding her baby's "privacy" has sparked heated debate after she revealed no one other than she or her husband is allowed to change her son's diaper.

According to diaper manufacturer Pampers, newborn babies require anywhere between 10 and 12 diaper changes a day. But while the process of freshening things up for an infant may be time consuming and unsavory to most outsiders, some experts believe it's a crucial developmental routine in early childhood.

In an interview with the childcare app famly, Amy Hunter, an assistant professor and children's mental health specialist from Georgetown University's Center for Child and Human Development, explained why diaper changes are about more than just health and hygiene.

"Diaper changes are part of how babies and toddlers learn about relationships, about themselves, and their bodies," she said. "They take those lessons throughout their whole lives. So if you take the time to make the diapering routine a tender, caring, gentle experience, then babies will start to learn that that's what the world is like."

That outlook may go some way to explaining the perspective of one concerned new parent posting to Mumsnet under the handle Mum070322. Unfortunately for her, it's a perspective she's found little support for online.

"I'm very keen on consent and protecting my baby's privacy and prefer that only myself and my partner are the ones to change my son's nappy," she wrote. "Obviously I understand if we're not available due to nursery eventually or if someone else is babysitting then I'm happy for someone else to do it however this has not yet been the case."

However, she was less than happy recently when her mother-in-law took matters into her own hands after the baby started crying. "Rather than just give him back [she] decided to take it upon herself to change him (I was standing right there)," the woman wrote. "He continued crying throughout the change and she gave him back straight after, but it annoyed me as it wasn't her place to change him."

The concerned mom said that while she made no issue of it at the time, she is "getting close to drawing the line" with her mother-in-law.

But while the new parent appeared steadfast in her belief that "only the parents should change nappies" others online disagreed.

One Mumsnet user posting as DancingBeanstalk took no prisoners with their response. "If you don't trust grandparents to change the baby's nappy, they shouldn't be seeing the baby," they said. "If you do, no issue. Babies don't need consent no matter how keen you are on it."

"I think this is something you seriously need to address with yourself," GAW19 commented. "All my family members have offered to change nappies...it's because they're being helpful and just giving me a tiny break...If you can't trust your immediate family to change a nappy then, well, your child is going to grow up with you literally obsessing over 'privacy' for them."

Sweeetpotato, meanwhile, warned: "You really need to try and relax and calm yourself down with this or you are going to alienate your family and friends and offers of help when you may really need them will stop."

Elsewhere, a confused Wimphole asked: "If you're genuinely worried about privacy and consent in these matters, then surely nursery must be a total no go?" NewBlueGoo took it a step further, commenting facetiously: "Has your baby given you and your partner consent?"

However, others like Helogast offered some support. "Some mums are more sensitive about these types of things than others and you know what, that is completely okay!" they said. "The thing you should have done however was to step in and not let her do it. You could have politely said, 'thank you, but I would prefer to change him' and that should have been that."

Newsweek has contacted Mum070322 but wasn't able to verify the details of the case.

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