The letter also comes from Dear Prudence (Mallory Ortberg) at Slate magazine. You can find the article here.

I have an issue with a co-worker. Right before I left work on maternity leave, this co-worker cornered me (literally) and lectured me, complete with finger-pointing, about the dangers of vaccinations and how I feed my baby. He also told me I was killing my baby and not giving him a chance to thrive because I was drinking a Dr. Pepper (I had been at work for 12 hours that day and desperately needed some caffeine). I am dreading returning to work now because I know he will ask me if I am vaccinating my son (I am) and if I am breast-feeding (I am supplementing with formula because of my crazy work schedule). I don’t want another lecture, and it is hard not to feel guilty when someone says you are killing your baby—not to mention it is no one’s business but my own. Personally, I believe that putting my child at risk for polio is far more dangerous than me drinking a Dr. Pepper. How can I tell him to back off and still be nice about it?

Dear LW,

I WISH one of my co-workers would pull some mess like that on me.  They would get an earful.  This guy has some nerve!  You want to be nice to him???  Why?  He’s not being nice to you at all.  He has the audacity to accuse you of killing your unborn baby!  Oh no ma’am! You don’t have to take that.  Be firm with him and say you’re not interested in his theories and accusations.  Let him know that you will report him to HR or his supervisor if need be. How you raise your child is no one’s business. You hold your head high, and don’t let anyone intimidate you.

I’m getting mad just thinking about this guy.  Let me calm down.  People are getting too bold these days.  They need to learn how to stay in their own lane.

Readers, especially the women, what do you have to say about this situation?

~Jana Leigh

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