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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to not want to speak to MIL

149 replies

witheringcathy · 05/04/2012 08:36

Hello, this is the first time I have posted but I need your advice please.

I have a 3 month old DS. Whenever we go and visit MIL she takes over with DS, expects that when we are out she will push pram, if he needs fed she will do it, if he cries she jumps up to see him etc. She has lifted him out of DHs arms before then parades around the living room with DS, passes him about to FIL and SIL then takes him away from them after a few minutes. Twice she has lifted DS straight out of SIL?s arms even when I told her to leave it. The last time we were there DH asked for DS back as he was getting grizzly and she refused ! Said no you get him all the time I only see him now. After this last time I was really angry and told DH my feelings, he said he would speak to her about it (was worried a bit as DH sometimes not very tactful) After he spoke to her he came back and said she didn?t realise she had done anything wrong and was upset. He wishes he had never said anything . We have seen her since and she didn?t do what she usually does which was good.

However, DH went to visit her yesterday and came back saying I need to sort this out, it will affect mine and MILs relationship if I don?t and he wants me to go tonight and speak to her about it. Truth is I just don?t know what to say -I feel as though it has been said, she needs to deal with it and adjust her behaviour. I told DH this and he said think of something to say you are not stupid ! I am quite angry and know he texted her to say we are coming round but I really have nothing to say about it.

Also when DS first born and during pregnancy (1 week old) DH had issues with my DM, he thought she was ignoring him and visiting too often, so I spoke to her. He didn?t speak to her at all about it and she was hurt at the time so why should I ? Also MIL is jealous of relationship with me, DS and my DM.

AIBU ?

OP posts:
puds11 · 05/04/2012 08:41

I think you just need to kindly ask her not to interfer when someone else is holding DS, and that although she may know from having children, you and your DH need to learn how to do things yourself. I think some grandparents do get a bit carried away, but most dont realise, and think they are helping. Assure her that she will get the time to spend with DS, so she need not be so overbearing all the time

pictish · 05/04/2012 08:42

What's the problem with her wanting to push the pram and hold her dgc? Confused
Is she only to be loving to him under your strict guidance?

Apologies OP, but I think yabu. She's the child's grandmother - just the same as YOUR mum is. Would you take the huff if your mum wanted to push the pram?

Panamama · 05/04/2012 08:42

I think your husband has put you in a bit of an awkward position tbh. Deciding without discussing it with you that you have to go and talk to MIL and "sort it out". I think it will turn into a horrible argument or fall out if it's forced into a confrontation...does he actually want you to go round there to discuss it or to apologise? And this "think of something to say you are not stupid !" is not helpful at all.

FaveRollingEggsDownAHill · 05/04/2012 08:42

YAB abitU

She loves her GC, and wants to cuddle him and be a part of his life.
Her behaviour, whilst irritating, sounds normal. She obviously loves him.
I think you need to talk to her, and maybe meet in the middle.
It would be a shame if this blew up out of proportion and your ds had no relationship with a grandmother who clearly loves him.

exoticfruits · 05/04/2012 08:42

You need to visit her, by yourself without the baby, and talk to her. Explain that you want her to have a lovely relationship and be part of your family, but she can't take over.
I would get your mum on your side and get them both together at the same time. Do you have your own relationship with MIL and do things alone?I would suggest that if not you start.
See her sometimes without DH and DS.
When DS gets a bit older leave him with her while you go out.

everlong · 05/04/2012 08:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Garliccheesechips · 05/04/2012 08:44

The thing that fucks me off the most is that these overbearing MILs know what it's like to have a new baby. They simply cannot be unaware that they are barging in and acting inappropriately when they behave like this. I'm quite fortunate so far in that mine is just a crazed knitter.

Garliccheesechips · 05/04/2012 08:45

oh- yanbu- but it's up to your DH to tell his mother what's what.

exoticfruits · 05/04/2012 08:46

It will get easier as he gets older and does things his way. People are at their worst with a baby, everyone gets possessive and the word my is bandied a lot and 'permission' comes into it.
If your relationship was good in the first place you wouldn't need 'permission'.
Your DS will soon make it clear whether he wants to be picked up.
You do however need the talk to clear the air. However I really would sort out your own relationship and get to know her without DH.

mumatron · 05/04/2012 08:48

I think yabu op. You are both adults. If you don't like something she does you should just say.

I can't see that she has done anything wrong really but if you feel uncomfortable then you should tell her. Not get dh to do it for you. Him not speaking to your mum is irrelevant imo. If you had a problem with him not telling her you should have told him then, not use it as an excuse now.

I had issues with mil after dd was born and things did not improve until I told her to back off.

witheringcathy · 05/04/2012 08:49

Exoticfruits - I do see her without DH at least once a week and when I go back to work she will be looking after DS 2 days a week. She has also looked after him one evening when we went out.

Panamama - I think they both want me to go round and say "I am sorry, I didn't mean it, do what you like" but that would be a lie and she would know it. I ma angry with DHj as well, feel like he is trying ti railroad me into something I don't want to do.

PIctish - My mum isn't like that though, would never lift DS from anyone or insist that she do something.

OP posts:
fedupofnamechanging · 05/04/2012 08:50

My mil was just like this when I had my first dc. It got to the point where I would hide upstairs and pretend to be out, when she called, just because I needed some space and couldn't bear another long afternoon of her monopolising my baby.

Luckily my dp was supportive and recognised that she was driving me crazy. We did ask her not to come around so often and to phone first. Tbh, I wasn't as tactful as I might have been, which I regret, because she really was motivated by love for the baby, but otoh, she wasn't very tactful towards me, in trying to take over my baby! In my mil's case, her own IL's had been very domineering and I think she was trying to get back some of what she'd missed out on with her own child.

You have my sympathy. Your dh is kind of right, in that if you don't clear the air, your future relationship may be strained. However, he has no right to insist that you speak to her, against your will - that could well make matters worse and result in an argument.

I think I would tell my dh that I will speak to her about it, and that she and he, might not like what gets said, but seeing as he's insisting, he'll just have to suck it up, however it goes. Tell him you expect to be backed up by him - you two are a unit and if he wants this conversation to go ahead, he has to support what you are trying to say.

Don't be rude or deliberately unkind, but point out that all your motherly instincts are screaming at you to hold your own baby and it makes you feel very uneasy if someone refuses to hand the baby back, when asked. Now would be a good time to gently lay out some ground rules, like phoning before visiting etc.

Things will settle down - your baby knows that you are his mum. This is a time of great adjustment for the whole family and eventually things calm down, you just have to explain what you feel comfortable with, as kindly as you can manage.

don't let them browbeat you or lay on the guilts - your mil has had a baby herself, she should know how new mothers feel and be sensitive to it.

witheringcathy · 05/04/2012 08:51

I asked DH to say something as I wouldn't expect him to say something to my mum if he was uncomfortable and he was fine with saying it, was only after hewr reaction he started on this.

OP posts:
Cutelittlecatlover · 05/04/2012 08:52

Yanbu and I think your dh is not being very supportive tbh. Does he agree with you or does he think mil's behaviour is ok? I remember when ds was tiny my ILs used to do things like that thinking they were helping and it used to upset me so much to hear ds crying and they would still not give him to me! My dh spoke to them though and it was all sorted, they just wanted to help and didn't realise it was upsetting me.

DaDerDaDer · 05/04/2012 08:53

It sounds to me like she's trying to be a loving involved grandma, but has seriously misjudged it in these early weeks.

It's hard to gauge how new mothers are feeling, and they/we are very often easily and inadvertently offended.

There area as many complaints on MN about disinterested MILs as there area about overbearing over involved ones, so it's obviously a difficult judgment call.

I think you do need to speak to her, kindly and reassuringly, and explain that you feel you need to be in control of your DS at the moment and you've felt upset when she has taken over a bit. Reassure her that shell be able to have him to herself more as he gets older and have lots of babysitting and enjoying him in the future.

I think you do need to speak to her, she can't read your mind, she didn't know she was upsetting you, she probably thought she was being the epitome of a loving enthusiastic grandma and is very crushed that she seems to have got it so wrong.

Sort it out quickly and gently, don't let it become a bitter rift which effects this happy time for the whole family.

witheringcathy · 05/04/2012 08:54

thanks karmabeliever, that's what I thought. I was going to phone her on Monday and ask if she wanted to come a walk with us as that's what we do during the week and speak to her then , normally but then DH started on all this. DH will back me up to his parents, he is good like that. I do think MIL should put herself in my shoes and think what it was like when she first had her DS

OP posts:
HolyCalamityJane · 05/04/2012 08:56

Sorry Yabu. Coming from a different perspective you are so lucky to have such a lovely MIL in your life who can't do enough for you. My MIL rarely visited as she wasn't permitted to smoke in our house we couldn't visit her as she refused to smoke outside and her addictive habit meant you needed a gas mask to enter the premises. She refused to try and stop saying it was her only enjoyment in life. She died of lung cancer last year and we have no happy memories of her with our children. Please don't be too harsh on your MIL it sounds like her heart is in the right place and you might be really grateful of her babysitting servicesSmile

witheringcathy · 05/04/2012 08:57

DH agrees she is being out of line and shouldn't have taken DS from SIL

OP posts:
exoticfruits · 05/04/2012 08:57

If you are already doing that, witheringcathy, have the friendly chat. Remind her of what it was like to have a first baby.

MrFunnytheEasterBunny · 05/04/2012 08:59

YANBU.
My mil did the exact same thing, my mil taking over everything, it is terrible, it was more than her just wanting to push the pram and cuddle him, which I am guessing is actually your situation too, she was actively trying to take over and force us to do what she thought was the correct way to raise a baby, my DH spoke to her eventually when we were both at our wits end, she fell out with us both (me especially) and we have not seen them for almost 3 years.

I have come to the conclusion that I have seen her behave in the same way with various people over the years, so it is nothing personal, but neither me or DH are happy for her to behave like that. My DH spoke to her very gently about it, but she cannot accept she was in the wrong, and consequently hates my very being and has not visited. I figure that if and when she realises we only want to be able to raise our child our way, and are happy to listen to advice but may not neccessarily follow it, then we will welcome her with open arms. I don't expect or want an apology, I just want her to be a granny instead of trying to be a mother to my DS!!!

YANBU either to expect your DH to deal with this. We have always followed the rules that issues with my parents I would deal with, and DH would deal with his parents. It's a lot easier to talk to your own family than someone else's, and from the point of view of hearing something difficult, it's a lot easier to hear it from your own child!!!

Ilovedaintynuts · 05/04/2012 09:02

Just bear in mind that it is fantastic having someone who loves your DS in his life,
I have a mother who isn't interested and a MIL who lives far away.
Yes it's annoying but I'm sure with a honest and open talk you can sort this.

everlong · 05/04/2012 09:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

witheringcathy · 05/04/2012 09:05

exoticfruits - that is what I would rather do, will tell DH this tonight.

MrFunnytheEasterBunny - sounds grim but I really don't think it would come to that with us, she would never not speak to DH or DS

OP posts:
witheringcathy · 05/04/2012 09:05

thank you everlong

OP posts:
NarkedPuffin · 05/04/2012 09:07

Your DH needs to apologise if he said something in the wrong way and stick up for you in front of his family - united front. You don't, but should probably do a 'clear the air' talk, explaining that you know she loves her granchild and you are grateful that your DS has such a loving grandmother, but that it is very much not ok to refuse to hand him back to his parents when they ask - he was upset and needed mum or dad. Also mention that you would like him to have a chance to bond with other members of the family too (SIL etc), as extended family is so important.

As for the other stuff, some of it you just have to suck up. If you're with her she will want to push the pram. Let that one go. Pick your battles. She may well be jealous of you, your mother and your DS' relationship, but there's not much you can do about that. Be calm, don't sweat the small stuff and decide where the line is. When she does cross it, let her know.

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