I'm due to have baby #3 soon and this time MIL is coming to help look after our boy and girl usually my Mum comes but unfortunately she's unable to come help this time. I'm starting to get axiety, stressing out I can't sleep 😔 she's caused so much pain in my life, turning hubbys whole family against me. Last child we had we couldn't even celebrate the way we wanted too because we were attacked by her and other family members about how they were told about the birth because she had cried wolf to them. And the fact I had a complicated 23hr birth/labour ended in baby not breathing and myself loosing blood/high fever emergency c did not matter to his family my husband contacted nobody in his family because he was by my side or our babies side the whole time had no phone on him as his only priority at the time was us! and by the time he got back to the room he was so exhausted he fell asleep and didn't msg them till 3hrs later the arrival of our 2nd child. The problem is I was attacked via cruel msgs by his family blaming me for him not contacting them I was in such a vulnerable state I was post 4hrs surgery and got all these nasty msgs blamimg me for them (really her) not knowing straight away. I have always thought I have been kind, caring, understanding when it came to OH family he comes from a family who divorced as a teenager. When I met him he wasn't very close to his Mother because although he was older the divorce still affected him and he always blamed his mother for the seperation, I would see calls come in from his mum and he would ignore those phone calls would call her maybe once every 2mths for a 2min talk she would call 3 - 4 times a week. Sooo! One day she called and I told him to answer it, he said NO! At the time we had a young girl who he adores I used that as an example "how would you feel if our daughter did that to you" ... So from that day I made it my mission to try bring his family close, because we had kids and I wanted them to know his family and vice versa and have that close family connection on both sides. I am very close with my own family we have strong ties and that's what he loves about my family everyone treats him like son/brother/uncle/cousin etc" (we both are dif ethnicity) so I would organise trips to his families side, grandmas,aunties,his mum/dad etc and although his mum never really accepted me and treated me like I was not around for long I tolerated her and still treated her with respect and as a family of mine (even stood up for her when people would say nasty things) so lets say our relationship was not great from the start we were able to be somewhat nice to each other. All for the love of my husband and children but 3years ago we had a falling out and all of sudden my husbands choice of sport (MMA/Boxing) was my fault because of my culture and him wanting to be like my family (cookisland) note non of my family do MMA/Boxing or any sort of of exercise in that matter so she pretty much stereotyped us. Was quite nasty blow out I was too shocked at the nasty things coming out of her mouth I was gobbed smacked and didn't say anything at the time. Look I can go on and on my OH is amazing has stood up to his family etc but she always believes its me making him talk to them like that he has even gone as far as cutting them off (not what I want always try to encourage him to keep contact) she's so hard headed she sees nothing wrong. I don't know what I'm asking maybe just venting because I'm worried about her coming here to help and if it's with good intentions the last birth and all the drama left me with depression and blaming myself! There's more to this but right now my hands are starting to hurt lol.
Thanks IMPERFECT MUMS for letting me vent!.😔
4 Replies
I love that you have such a strong sense of family that you wanted to have it with his family too but honestly a child doesn’t disconnect from their parent for no reason. He clearly knew what she was like back then which was why he had limited contact.
I know what it’s like to have faith in people and want that family on both sides. My in laws are also dysfunctional people who left my husband and I stranded when I was 25wks pregnant with a disabled toddler and he was dying (literally, by the time we got to a hospital his body was shutting down and it was an ICU admission). When I first met him he was telling me about his step mother. And my response was “I’m sure she’s not that bad”. Well, she is that bad. Possibly even worse. And the rest of his family are not much better than her! So trust me, I know what it’s like to come from a loving family and expect that all families treat their children/Nieces/nephews/sisters etc. like your family does. But as much as it sucks, thank your lucky stars that your family is amazing and accept that his family will never be what you want them to be and move on. Stop encouraging contact because they are not the family you want or are expecting and your OH had limited his contact for a reason.
As for the upcoming arrival, are there no other options for childcare? I’m going to say that if it were me, I’d exhaust ALL possible options before inviting a person like that into my home when I’m going to be at my most vulnerable. The last thing you need is anxiety and stress around the way your MIL is going to treat you. How long are you expecting to need your children cared for? If your family do not live close by, would you consider maybe travelling to where they are to deliver your baby? I know it seems drastic but honestly given what happened last time, the last thing you want is your MIL staying in your home!
I don't really have any advice but you sound like a beautiful soul. It is your mil loss if she is sabotaging a relationship with you. Just keep being you, hold your head up high and try not to let her bring you down.
My in-laws are pretty much the same as yours. SIL said to me when I first started seeing hubby that she would always be there long after I was gone (I found this odd)
Anyhow I thought it was odd my hubby had nothing to do with his family.
I pushed us all together, made sure his family were involved...then...they got too involved...SIL...even rang our obstetrician as they wanted to know the sex of 1st born.
Then they wanted to come up at the birth.
I kept them close but they were getting nasty.
Baby number 2 came...SIL wanted a baby...she was starting to tell untruths....we delibratly told them a different due date.
All hell broke loose.
Our kids are now 7 and 8.
We have nothing to do with these people. They have not seen the kids since our youngest 2 birthday..that they ruined.
Hubby was right....I should of never pushed us all together.
Not your job to restore his family connection! He obviously disconnected for a reason. I would not have this woman anywhere near me. Find someone else to help out