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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Refusing to release new baby details to certain people

90 replies

IrrationalRage · 24/05/2017 11:07

Okay IABU because it's probably not possible and also unfair to ask certain people to refuse to release name/sex/DOB/photo of the baby when it arrives later this year. But also my inner irrational self is saying "WTF why not? Why can't you just say "no we've been asked not to disclose that because you were acting like a total shitbag"?"

Back story, I'll try not to drip feed I know you guys hate that shit -

Didn't tell my dad I'm pregnant because he's a twat. Knew he'd find out eventually anyway but NBD. From what I've heard he kicked off a bit but didn't approach so all fine.

Took a long time deciding to tell his side of the family who live in a different country. Ultimately decided to tell his mother. She chose not to acknowledge it for whatever reason but I wasn't completely surprised bc she's been a bitch to me since I was young and even worse to siblings and I when parents separated after dad's affair.

Recently received a lovely abusive message from 40+ year old cousin who also happens to be grandmother's golden child berating me for the way we chose to announce our pregnancy (which was like 8 weeks ago) and also accuse me of only telling grandmother bc I wanted money Confused ironic bc whenever she sends an abusive message (of which there have been many over the past 10 years) she always brings up money and inheritance even though she's the only leech in the family. IMO she's worried we're taking what she sees as rightfully hers idk. If grandmother chooses to send us money then that's her choice but as someone in their late 20s I don't expect it but there you go. IMO the way we chose to announce our pregnant was lovely AND ALSO OUR DECISION BECAUSE ITS OUR FRIGGIN BABY. Ahem.

In the divorce we got to "keep" my dad's cousins who have been the loveliest people ever. Particularly during the affair/separation period. In fact they're the only ones on dad's shitty side of the family that didn't shun us. I tell you what, it fucking sucks being a kid when your dad fucks up everything and his family decides to stop talking to you. IMO they behaved despicably. Aaaaanyway I digress, said cousins have wholeheartedly agreed not to disclose any information to that side and fully support my decision and reasons why. They don't speak to them much now anyway so it's not such a difficult situation for them.

We also have some sporadic, neutral contact with dad's sibling who lives in the same country as us. This is where the "leak" will likely come from.

Given the treatment I have received over the years I genuinely feel justified in denying that side of the family the opportunity to share in what is the most exciting time of our lives. I will not subject myself or my innocent newborn baby to tirades of abuse from cousin fuckup and from past experience I do not believe the baby will spared the abuse just bc it's an innocent. Maybe it's hormones and like 10 years of pent up rage but why should they get to worm their way in and share in something so wonderful? So I asked dad's sibling to not disclose the info. I assured that I was aware of the difficult situation this would pose which they agreed would be difficult and they were pretty bland in their response anyway. It sounds so stupid, I know, but it would feel like a great betrayal if they were to learn the sex/name/DOB soon after the birth. I feel an irrational rage about it. I know it sounds completely ridiculous. And god help anyone who sends photos that's for sure. So they said it'd be difficult but didn't explicitly agree as such but said they still wanted a relationship with the baby (because I offered an alternative of NC with me and baby - I know this sounds drastic but I don't feel willing to compromise and I don't know of alternatives!) I partially blame hormones but in my head I'm going "but whyyyyyyyyy can't you just do as I ask" in the whingiest voice ever.

Rant over I thought I'd feel better but I just feel more ragey. Feel free to bring me down a notch or 10 and tell me I'm ridiculous and childish and stupid and maybe I'll get some perspective but right now I just can't shake it and the anger keeps me up at night. Not good for me or my baby Sad

OP posts:
WellThatSucks · 24/05/2017 13:36

They already know you're pregnant right? So presumably they know there will be a baby along within the next few months. If you want to keep any further details from them the only way to be sure nothing will leak out is to not tell anyone connected with them. Actually, if I were your neutral relative - neutral suggesting wants to not take sides - I'd find it very uncomfortable to have this secret-keeping burden put on me and risk being put in the middle of fallout drama should I ever inadvertently trip up and let something slip to the wrong person. You're very unfairly setting the relative up to fail one side or the other here is my view.

zivashighkick · 24/05/2017 13:44

I think feeling protective of a new or unborn baby can bring up rage about situations from childhood where you weren't protected. It's okay to feel this rage and try to come to terms with your experiences. You can be confident that you won't let your baby feel the rejection and disappointment that you felt. You certainly don't need parenting advice from someone who aggressively seeks you out just to criticise you. Give the sibling as much information as you want to whenever you are ready (maybe never) and try not to engage with the rest of the family at all. You might not be able to stop mad relative from finding ways to contact you but you can build your own family environment with love and kindness, something they will never have.

LundyFastnetIrishSea · 24/05/2017 13:48

I fully expect an abusive message soon after birth criticising my parenting ability and the name I choose and the appearance of my child. That isn't me being irrational though, that is me being realistic given past experiences.

I have similar, OP. I, and my family are NC with my brother for the last few years. He's a horrible and abusive person, and actually being NC has been really easy because for nearly 20 years he hasn't once asked how anyone is, he only cares about himself, and any news he hears about us he gets jealous, then angry, then nasty.

When I was pregnant last year I was petrified of something bad happening. And irrationally, what made it worse was that he would know and gloat about it. I didn't want anyone to tell him. I didn't want my innocent baby subjected to the nasty comments, or even just bad wishes, having someone wishing ill on him. It became all-consuming and my anxiety was sky high.

Now DC is here, and perfect, and the anxiety fog has lifted, and I genuinely couldn't give two fucks whether he knows or not. I don't think he does know, since he has no friends and doesn't talk to any family, but I don't care. We're all happier without having any contact with him.

IrrationalRage · 24/05/2017 13:51

@zivashighkick thank you!

@LundyFastnetIrishSea yes! That's exactly the situation I feel I'm in! Thanks so much for taking the time to share your story, it's so helpful to hear from someone who's been through it.

OP posts:
Hissy · 24/05/2017 14:00

Have you told BitchCousin to just FTFO?

She has no power over you, you can tell who the fuck you like, when you like and there is NOTHING she can do about it. You can announce what you want - or not - it's totally up to you

she doesn't have to like it.

If she isn't happy for you, that says more about her than it does you.

Seriously, don't give them a second's thought.

If she is targeting siblings to get to you, why are they not blocking her? are they passing the messages on? Can you set your FB to max security and not allow messages from people other than friends?

I wasn't completely surprised bc she's been a bitch to me since I was young and even worse to siblings and I when parents separated after dad's affair. The thing here is not to expect any different of them than they have been in the past. write them off once and for all.

Stand your ground, they are in the wrong here and they are the ones needing putting in their place. LET them erupt, who cares? They have nothing over you, no power, no influence. The more they act up, the more difficult it becomes for decent people to associate with them.

IrrationalRage · 24/05/2017 14:01

@Hissy I'm gonna save this for when I next need it most bc holy shit you're like a life coach. I felt compelled to go put my big girl pants on! In all seriousness thank you though, sometimes you just need a stranger to make you see the light!

OP posts:
Hissy · 24/05/2017 14:03
Refusing to release new baby details to certain people
Hissy · 24/05/2017 14:06

.. for when one is in the wash...

Refusing to release new baby details to certain people
IrrationalRage · 24/05/2017 14:16

@Hissy hahaha they've just made my whole day! Grin

OP posts:
Hissy · 24/05/2017 14:17
Grin

I have challenging families, nothing on this scale, but the lies are the same. It's really irritating to hear the crap they say trying to look good, but we can't control what they think or say, and we know that they have to say what they say, because if they saw the real truth it would be shouting very ugly things about them from the highest rooftops for the world to see, and their entire sorry lives would come crashing around them.

Just as we can't control what they do/say/think.. neither can they control what WE do/say/think They have NO power over us

Knowledge is power. They work so hard to get us undermined because if the real truth came out, they would be finished and exposed for the hideous beings they know they are.

We know this. therefore WE are more powerful!

All the best to you lovely, you have been through so much. When your baby arrives you will know just what love is and how amazing it is.

FYI, I had almost terminal depression pre PG, and when I went on to get PG with DS, it was a concern that I might PND. I didn't. Not a flicker!

There is no need to expect that you will either. Perhaps having had depression before we have more coping strategies? we know to ask for help?

You have us anyway, you are very far from being alone!

IrrationalRage · 24/05/2017 14:44

@Hissy thank you so much, I truly appreciate all the support you've given and it's only our first time speaking! It's hugely relieving to hear that you didn't suffer with PND in the slightest. I last worried about it while we were TTC and was in sweet ignorant bliss during the pregnancy so far to even think about it again until now! MN has been awesome at providing insight and support, first time pregnancy and motherhood has left me with a ton of questions and so far they've all been answered on here so it's been great to have that to hand for sure!

OP posts:
ALHCTPS · 24/05/2017 14:53

OP, I totally get where you're coming from. My parents are still together, but my father is a violent, damaged man who made my childhood a misery and my mother, who I always considered a victim, I've now realised is just as much the problem as he is, as she facilitates his behaviour and endlessly covers up and compensates to save face, no matter what it costs her or her children. I feel sorry for her, but it's psychotic how she's so happy to sacrifice her children and friends and family to protect this man and keep up a facade no one believes. She cannot admit to the world how bad it is and that a nice middle class well educated woman like her could be taken in by such a lying nasty shit for 40 years.

Anyway, I moved to the other side of the world when I was 19 to get free of all the shit, but I still kept in contact with my mother. What I didn't realise until about five years ago, when it dawned on me that she almost as bad as he is, is that, in my absence, my mother had been rewriting my childhood and repackaging it as perfect and my father as a saint. She even came up with this tall story that I'd left the country because my cousins bullied me, which i only found out about when one of them, deeply hurt, asked me if this was true - I was utterly bewildered until I realised what was going on. When I twigged to what extent this had been going on and objected, my mother went mental and put enormous pressure on me to toe the party line and go along with her fantasy. Basic facts of my life had been twisted out of all recognition. Utterly disturbing. And she was desperate for me to play along. Not happening. She chose to be with him, I didn't. Why do i need to facilitate him too? Anyway, after a year of manipulative hell, I decided, with the full support of my partner, that it was healthier to cut contact altogether (he rang up and told her, to keep things as clean as possible), but, every now and then there is a new attempt to drag me back into the shit storm. For example, I had a huge wobble when there was a new attack timed for my wedding day, which involved other family members who she'd roped in and who were deeply uncomfortable about it but didn't feel they could say no. No one wants anything tainting their wedding day and we had made it crystal clear that they weren't invited and we wanted no contact, but she couldn't respect our wishes and had to mess with me.

So, soon after I discovered i was pregnant, like you, I started to freak out about what might be in store re my parents. For a long time I hadn't wanted children, as part of me was worried I'd repeat the same patterns, so it's a big deal my getting pregnant and I feel very vulnerable. I knew they would find out sooner or later, as there is family I'm in contact with who are still in contact with them (unlike my mother, i never badmouthed her to others and never asked that anyone take sides, always saying the minimum and insisting it was between us - I couldn't do that to her, even though it's been heartbreaking that some family members I loved have turned against me because they believe the horrible things she says about her own child, but then they're over there and I'm here and it's 'out of sight, out of mind' and they knew me at 19, not now), but it was horrible not having any control over when and how and feeling like I was always waiting for the other shoe to drop. Wondering when they'd kick off, just when i'm feeling so vulnerable. I also didn;t want the family I am in contact with put in an awkward position or dragged into anything a la the wedding. We hummed and haaed, but we've now decided that, once i've had my 12-week scan, my husband is going to email my mother and state that we're having a baby but that nothing has changed and that we want no contact whatsoever. That way, we control when and how and aunts and uncles and cousins don't have to worry about putting their foot in it or telling them anything we don't want them to know. I'm still a bit twitchy about photographs etc. Most people would respect my feelings, I know, but my godfather, who's an old fool and utterly insensitive, sent them photos of my wedding, which upset me, but then he had a relationship with them before i was even born, so I wouldn't ever ask him to choose (too afraid that he'll ditch me as certain other family members have, as my mother throws mud and i don;t and they swallow what she says about me, as I'm not about to defend myself).

Long, rambling message, but it's not just you, believe me. Like me, i bet you're envious of all those who have loving, supportive families, but that's just how it is. And we can do better with this new generation. I'm determined that none of this shit will get anywhere near my child. When they're an adult, they can make their own decisions about whether to have any contact with their grandparents, but, until then, if my father or mother want access to my child, it's over my dead body.

teapotter · 24/05/2017 15:39

Op, if you're worried about abusive messages it might be wise not to release the baby's exact DOB to that side of the family or reveal it on FB. It would be nice to celebrate baby's birthday in future without having to worry about phone calls etc. Give a 'mistake' date if you prefer, say 9th instead of 19th.

Italiangreyhound · 24/05/2017 17:08

QuintessentialShadow "So, You announced to them that you are pregnant. Then you decide you need to collude with other family members to keep any MORE details secret in future." What are you talking about! She told someone who she thought would like to know. Then because of that another family member knowing the OP.... "Recently received a lovely abusive message from 40+ year old cousin who also happens to be grandmother's golden child berating me for the way we chose to announce our pregnancy"

The rest of your post QuintessentialShadow is pretty rude.

"Would it not have been better to not tell them in the first place" well I guess the OP knows that now so let's all jump in the time machine and....

WellThatSucks "Actually, if I were your neutral relative - neutral suggesting wants to not take sides - I'd find it very uncomfortable to have this secret-keeping burden put on me and risk being put in the middle of fallout drama should I ever inadvertently trip up and let something slip to the wrong person."

Why, it is very clear that she doesn't want the baby talked about. So all hat family member needs to know is don't talk about the baby. How hard is that to do? They are on card giving contact at the moment so not like they are constantly bumping into each other.

"You're very unfairly setting the relative up to fail one side or the other here is my view." That may be your view, which you are, of course, entitled to. But the only choice the OP has is to cut contact with this relative unless the relative from just do one thing, not talk about the OP's child. Its fairly simple.

Italiangreyhound · 24/05/2017 17:11

" Give a 'mistake' date if you prefer, say 9th instead of 19th." I love it, great idea!

EffieIsATrinket · 24/05/2017 17:17

We're the middleman in this type of scenario. It's s nightmare. I refuse to censor my children while is apparently controversial Hmm

IrrationalRage · 24/05/2017 17:51

I feel like it wouldn't become the subject of conversation often so in my mind it's a case of "we have been asked not to disclose any information" then doesn't really crop up much more. But obviously I don't know this, it's just how it plays out in my head 😅 that's why I feel like it's not such an issue for relative to withhold the information.

OP posts:
IrrationalRage · 24/05/2017 17:53

Anyway I feel I've received the support and advice I sought so I thank you all for that; some of you especially so. Really do appreciate hearing other people's similar experiences though, they've made me feel a little less unreasonable!

OP posts:
Dianneabbottsmathsteacher · 24/05/2017 18:04

It's so bloody awful that the people who are supppsed to love you treat you like this.

ALH my darling dils parents sound like yours and it's taken me a long time to realise that they are actually vile although butter wouldn't melt when they meet me and dh.

They wouldn't dare start on her in our presence but do it subtly via emails and texts

Dianneabbottsmathsteacher · 24/05/2017 18:05

Good for you op keep posting for support and just to rant. It's allowed Flowers

ALHCTPS · 24/05/2017 18:15

Dianneabbottsmathsteacher - bless you. Wish my PIL felt as you do, but I suspect they think there's something wrong with me and I'm a bit defective. They'd have far preferred a DIL with a 'normal' family rather than some reject whose parents don't want her. No smoke without fire etc. Ah well.

Dianneabbottsmathsteacher · 24/05/2017 21:57

ALH well we know better and more importantly you do Flowers xx

Italiangreyhound · 25/05/2017 02:12

ALHCTPS sorry I missed your post. Your family sound like a nightmare. Well done on staying strong. I hope your PILs appreciate you. But even if they do not, your dh picked you, and you are worth it. We marry a person, not their whole family.

Dianneabbottsmathsteacher "They wouldn't dare start on her in our presence but do it subtly via emails and texts" Does your DIL know how much you support her? I hope if she feels able she will cut contact, no one needs abuse in their life - being related to anyone by blood, marriage, adoption or anything else is no reason to have to face abuse.

Italiangreyhound · 25/05/2017 02:16

EffieIsATrinket I am sure it must be very hard to be in the middle of any situation. But it kind of depends what you are being asked to censor your kids about.

Our daughter knows not to talk about our son's adoption. Is that a form of censorship?

Both our kids are not meant to swear or say mean things to people, even if they genuinely feel them. So I do censor what my kids say to others, even if I give them permission to say mean things or express angry things to me. If I let my dd say everything she is feeling she may well say some very inappropriate things in front of her six year old brother.

I think lots of parents do censor to some extent - so it isn't that weird really.

WellThatSucks · 25/05/2017 02:35

Effiels Yep, me too. I've been the piggy in the middle Switzerland in these family dramas too and it's bloody exhausting trying to walk a constant tightrope between warring factions including my divorced parents and my on-again off-again NC brother. They all say they're not asking me to take sides but really mean 'could you just take my side anyway?' In the end I just told all of them just don't tell me anything I'm expected to keep a secret especially a secret they're going to find out from other sources anyway. I got so sick of getting the flak from all sides - one accusing me of breaking confidences and the other accusing me of withholding info they felt they should know. Just leave me the fuck out of it.

Like I said Italianreyhound the only way to be absolutely sure of a secret being kept in these circumstances is don't tell any fucker who's in contact with those you don't want to know.

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