Neighbour's note about her baby leaves new mum ‘in tears’, sparking community debate

In the quaint, typically serene suburbs where camaraderie among neighbours is often taken for granted, a surprising conflict has emerged, leaving a new mum in distress.

The tranquillity of a ‘friendly’ Australian neighbourhood in Redcliffe, Queensland, was disrupted when Tiffany, a new mum who preferred to keep her last name private, found herself at the receiving end of a neighbour's grievance about the sounds of her infant son.


Tiffany's discovery of the note left anonymously in her mailbox was a jarring experience that brought her to tears.

‘I was just checking my mailbox and saw a letter,’ she recounted.

‘I was pretty upset by it, like, I was in tears.’

The A4 paper bore a message that was both a plea and a complaint, voicing the frustrations of an unnamed neighbour—or neighbours—over the cries of her four-and-a-half-month-old baby.


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A new mum was left ‘in tears’ after discovering a neighbour's note about her baby's crying. Credits: Shutterstock


The note read: ‘I’m writing this on behalf of your neighbours and wanted to reach out to you regarding the noise level coming from your residence, particularly the crying of your baby.’

‘While we understand that babies cry and a newborn can be tough, we can clearly hear everything from the early hours of the morning, throughout the day and into the evening.’

‘The prolonged and frequent crying has disrupted your fellow neighbours. Some of us work from home and others are shift workers. We have tried closing our windows and doors and even have turned on appliances with the TV and radio and the crying is still being heard,’ it continued.

In a bid to maintain neighbourly decorum, the note concluded with them saying they valued ‘being good neighbours and respecting each other’s space’.

They then requested Tiffany and her partner John to keep their rear doors and windows closed ‘while the baby is feeling unsettled’.


Tiffany and John, who had invested in their first family home—a standalone 1950s three-bedroom house—were taken aback by the complaint.

Their home is situated near a bustling main road ‘with a reputation for hoons’ and close to a high school, a police station, a service station, and a ‘very lively’ ibis colony.

‘I have a feeling it might be the upstairs neighbour in a unit complex behind because I have heard them slam their window a couple of times,’ Tiffany speculated.

‘Their windows overlook our backyard but they’re set back quite a distance from the house.’


Addressing the note's content, Tiffany defended her baby as ‘pretty chill’ and ‘settles quickly’, rarely crying throughout the night.

She labelled the complaint ‘unreasonable’ and expressed how new parenthood was already a ‘challenging and isolating’ journey without the added pressure of neighbourly disputes.

‘When you read the undertones, you know the reason they’ve used that language is to cause guilt,’ Tiffany explained.

‘It’s to make them not feel as bad by making it sound like it’s from multiple people because I think deep down they know how unreasonable it is to complain about a baby crying in suburbia.’

She also mentioned that there are more constructive ways to handle this type of disagreement.

‘If they’d come and had a chat with us and said, “Hey, look, we work these hours and these are the times that it’s really bothering us,” we would have been open to a conversation. But I won’t be closing my windows, and we’re not going to lock our house up or muzzle our baby,’ Tiffany asserted.


Tiffany shared the incident on social media, and it quickly gained traction, sparking a debate with over 160 comments and almost 300 reactions.

‘As a new mum myself, this really hurt reading this,’ one commenter lamented. ‘As if we don’t have enough to worry about already.’

‘Ew they could have offered to help you out,’ another said.

‘That person obviously has never dealt with a newborn,’ a third chimed.

Another commenter described the note as ‘rude and pathetic’.

Others, however, found the note to be a reasonable request, not perceiving any malice in its tone.

‘I see nothing abusive in the wording or attitude of this letter,’ one remarked, saying that the request to close the rear doors and windows was ‘very reasonable and well-considered’.

‘I don’t see any harm in it,’ another agreed. ‘It’s not an aggressive letter or anything abusive or threatening. Even says he wants to be good neighbours.’


According to the City of Moreton Bay website, the council could investigate noise regulation breaches related to various household activities such as air conditioning, amplifiers, blasting, construction, gardening equipment, power tools, and refrigeration equipment; however, there is no mention of a baby's cry.

A spokesperson suggested that residents try to resolve noise issues amongst themselves.

They advised, ‘We encourage City of Moreton Bay residents to engage with their neighbours first about any noise complaint.'

‘Your neighbour may not realise the noise from their household is affecting other persons. Council only regulates certain noise issues.’

Meanwhile, the Queensland Police noted that ‘a noise complaint can be made at any time of the day and can be made about music, instruments, gatherings of people, a motorbike or vehicle, or a car stereo on a road or public space’.


Tiffany’s case is a scenario that many parents can relate to, as the challenges of raising a newborn often spill over into interactions with neighbours.

However, such incidents could also spark broader discussions about community dynamics and the need for understanding and empathy, especially in shared living spaces like apartment buildings or suburban neighbourhoods.

This was echoed by a similar yet different situation in which a Western Australian couple received a heartwarming gesture regarding their crying baby.
Key Takeaways
  • A new mum from Redcliffe, Queensland, was brought to tears after finding a note from a neighbour complaining about her baby's crying.
  • The anonymous neighbour cited the disruption to their work and rest due to the noise and asked the parents to close their doors and windows.
  • The mother described new parenthood as challenging and felt the note was unreasonable, preferring open communication over such anonymous messages.
  • The City of Moreton Bay council encouraged residents to address noise complaints amongst themselves first, as the council only regulates certain noise issues and a baby's cry is not specified.
Have you ever faced a similar situation? How did you handle it, and what advice would you give to Tiffany and other new parents in such predicaments? We invite you to share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.
 

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Babies cry, and if these neighbours are so sensitive to the noise, wear ear plugs at night. Some people just like to complain. They are lucky it is not a dog barking constantly, like we put up with around here. Don`t get upset about your baby crying. Unless it is screaming constantly, then obviously something is wrong. Just ignore the note Enjoy your new Baby.
 
I think the neighbours need to lighten up. If it’s as bad as they say then they should have the guts to speak to the new parents and work something out with them. I can honestly say I have never complained about noise from a neighbour. I might have a bit of a grizzle to my husband at a dog barking or a late night party but I just accept that sometimes noise happens.
 
Speaking as someone who at time contended over 45 years of continuous noise, you do get used to it? having said that you state that the mother concerned is a first time one, so has it occurred for you to get off your fat arse and see if she would like some help or encouragement? unfortunately I've seen the erosion of neighbourly friendships disappearing in the latter times which in itself is a rather dire predicament? of the future.
 
Speaking as someone who at time contended over 45 years of continuous noise, you do get used to it? having said that you state that the mother concerned is a first time one, so has it occurred for you to get off your fat arse and see if she would like some help or encouragement? unfortunately I've seen the erosion of neighbourly friendships disappearing in the latter times which in itself is a rather dire predicament? of the future.
The complaining neighbour's sex & age isn't stated but l wonder if this is a single male who has never been a father. A person in this category would have no idea how to offer help.

THE NOTE IS COMPLETELY UNNECESSARY IN THIS SITUATION.

The area is known for hoons, is near a busy road, Police & Petrol Station & a school but all this person can complain about is a new born in an unsigned letter? This person should grab a life, put up & shut up & have the fortitude to come forward & tell the parents the author is him or her.
 
Okay I’m going to be devil’s advocate here!
A baby’s cry is a very disturbing sound for most people especially women because we are hardwired to respond to it with urgent action - that’s one thing!
Some people have sensory issues that increases the agitation of some sounds turning their life into hell!
The wording in the note is in no way confrontational and how hard is it to close your rear window in the room the baby is crying in? - the new mum has challenges sure - but so do other people and if you want to be considered then try considering other’s challenges as well
Just saying . . .
 
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Okay I’m going to be devil’s advocate here!
A baby’s cry is a very disturbing sound for most people especially women because we are hardwired to respond to it with urgent action - that’s one thing!
Some people have sensory issues that increases the agitation of some sounds turning their life into hell!
The wording in the note is in no way confrontational and how hard is it to close your rear window in the room the baby is crying in? - the new mum has challenges sure - but so do other people and if you want to be considered then try considering other’s challenges as well
Just saying . . .
well put.
 
My neighbours little boy Arlo bawls so loud but my cat sits in the units circle and meows a lot louder than he bawls. But who gives a shit it’s what bubbas do.😊
 
Okay I’m going to be devil’s advocate here!
A baby’s cry is a very disturbing sound for most people especially women because we are hardwired to respond to it with urgent action - that’s one thing!
Some people have sensory issues that increases the agitation of some sounds turning their life into hell!
The wording in the note is in no way confrontational and how hard is it to close your rear window in the room the baby is crying in? - the new mum has challenges sure - but so do other people and if you want to be considered then try considering other’s challenges as well
Just saying . .
THE BEST AND MOST SENSIBLE RESPONSE
 

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