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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To not want to apologise for being pregnant? *Sensitive*

157 replies

WelshieInIreland · 25/03/2018 10:51

There’s a bit of a long backstory to this.
From reading up about it, I come from a ‘classic’ toxic family environment, with my mum having narcissistic tendencies.
Mum had me, then had an affair with my dads brother and was pregnant by him a few weeks later, which resulted in my sister. (Mum and ‘uncle/stepdad’ are still together, my dad emigrated when I was 4 and I’ve not seen him since)
I’ve always been second best to my sister, who is younger by just less one year.
An example I can give is, my sisters birthday is 2 weeks before mine. She always had lots of presents, a big party and an outing, whereas when it came to my birthday I got a token present as ‘there’s no money left in my purse’
There are many more instances over the years but I won’t bore you with them as I’ll end up being here all day.

I have 2 children from my first marriage which broke down when the dc were 2 and 3. I met and married my now dh 4 years ago. We are very happy.

My sister, (following in my mums footsteps?) had an affair with her best friends husband. They are now married and have a dc who is 9 (her dh also has a 10yr old dc)

Sister and her dh have secondary infertility. They have been trying for another baby for 7 years, have had 2 miscarriages and 1 ectopic pregnancy.
They are saving for for ivf, I have put £1000 in their pot as a gift.

I fell pregnant in 2016 and now have a 9 month old ds. When I told my sister I had nothing but abuse for a whole year. screaming and shouting at me in the street calling me all the names you can think of. She said I was dead to her. I had phone calls telling me I was ruining her life, phone calls saying she was reporting me to SS for being a drug addict(?!?)so the baby would get taken off of me, begging calls asking if she could adopt the baby. My mum took her side and said I was only pregnant to spite my sister (me and dh had been trying for a year) and I was having the baby to ‘get back at her’ as I’d always been jealous of her as she’s prettier/cleverer/her dh has a better job than mine etc. It’s only since xmas when my ds was 6 months that we have started to build our relationship back up. I never received an apology for the way she acted but I was willing to just move on so we could be sisters again.

I’ve just found that I am pregnant. Early days but all going well I’ll be due at the end of October.

I’m absolutely petrified of telling my mum and sister.

I understand that infertility is an absolute bastard to go through, Not on the level of someone who is experiencing it of course, and have always tried my best to be supportive.

I’m absolutely over the moon to be pregnant again but I feel like I’m not allowed to be happy or celebrate it.
I’m tempted to not say anything and just avoid her but we work for the same NHS trust and it will be obvious soon.

I’m stressing out so much about this. I don’t know what to do.
DH said basically it’s her problem and not ours, and that she can’t expect us to not get on with our lives because she isn’t pregnant yet, comparing it to if someone won the lottery you would expect them to not spend the money just because someone else didn’t have any money, but I know it’s more deep rooted than this.

I want to add that she doesn’t treat anyone else who is pregnant like this, only me. Our cousin was pregnant the same time as me, and my sister was out shopping with her all the time for baby things, and organised her a baby shower (that I wasn’t invited to)

Does anyone have any advice? I just don’t know what to do anymore other than move away and never look back.

OP posts:
RandomMess · 25/03/2018 16:18

So glad you are seeing the light, just let them drift away into NC Flowers

aaaaargghhhhelpme · 25/03/2018 16:43

Just wanted to add my voice to the rest. So sorry you've had to go through this but so glad you're looking at moving and going nc

I never say go nc lightly. But honestly I don't know why anyone would stay in touch with these toxic people.

Love your dh! Glad he's got your back! And massive congratulations Flowers

whatisausername · 25/03/2018 17:02

Not that you should have to do this, but you could not mention it and then when it's obvious and she notices, act completely surprised especially to her face and then they have no grounds to claim it's on purpose as it was a surprise (this might not stop them though, as obviously I don't know them) and of course you shouldn't even have to do this. Best wishes and congratulations x

zzzzz · 25/03/2018 17:10

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

AllNamesTakenhell · 25/03/2018 17:26

Congratulations on your pregnancy.

Moving away sounds like a good idea and after you email them, if they start to harrass again then I would warn them that they are harrassing you. If they do continue being awful then report them. They deserve it and you will have warned them.

How do they treat your last dc?

stopfuckingshoutingatme · 25/03/2018 17:52

And the beautiful thing is with 4 kids you will grow to have your own large and loving family around your OP Glitterball

Onwards - you sound kind and deserve better . Whatever path you decide to take be kind to yourself and do what feel easiest

So if it’s a fade away - so be it

WelshieInIreland · 25/03/2018 17:56

@allnamestakenhell my sister hasn’t met him and mum has only seen him a handful of times - she didn’t meet him until xmas, so I can’t really gauge a way of how she treats him - she has had a cuddle and has given him a bottle of ebm when she was here last.

OP posts:
diddl · 25/03/2018 18:24

I'm sure that you would feel bad at just moving-after all, you're a decent person & we tend to let mums & sisters know stuff like that.

However, if you do do it that way-that's fine, they don't deserve to know.

Or you might even ask yourself-why would they want to know-to continue treating you badly?

As for your husband telling hi what he thinks-perhaps best to not stoop to their level?

They would find a way of rationalising it all to themselves & you'd doubtless still/always be the bad guy(s).

moomoocar · 25/03/2018 18:37

@WelshieInIreland I'm so pleased to read your update! Moving is in no way cowardly at all! It sounds like a great way for a fresh start.

Also your DH sounds like a star!!

Good luck with everything op. Thanks

Gemini69 · 25/03/2018 18:41

I agree.. move far far away Flowers

AllNamesTakenhell · 25/03/2018 20:33

Would you trust them with him WelshieInIreland? After everything they said and did? Do you trust them with your dc?

They sounds abusive, cruel and selfish.

Mix56 · 26/03/2018 08:20

I don't think it's a fix all solution, but I would move, & I would not call them, not go to meals or invite them, simply drop off the radar, but them, being as they are, they will want to keep you as their punch bag, so they will contact you with cries of ungratefulness, & false alerts re health etc.
Also you have cousins etc who may still be people you see or speak to,
Then you have the oldest kids schools & friends to consider& of course for the plan to work perfectly you will have to change your job, is that going to be feasible ?
Either way, now you have awoken from their thrall things will improve because you will not be looking for their approval.
It won't be easy, but you are on the right path, the goal is to detach,

WelshieInIreland · 31/03/2018 12:15

Just a quick update - I haven’t told my mum or sister about the baby and have no intentions of doing so

Some good news. we’ve applied for a new house - in essex! Just waiting for the referencing to go through (going to take longer due to Easter weekend) but we can’t see any reason to be turned down so our hopes are high! Taking a bit of a gamble as we haven’t even viewed the house(!) but DH’s elderly grandfather lives there so will be nice to be closer to him.

OP posts:
zzzzz · 31/03/2018 12:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

stopfuckingshoutingatme · 31/03/2018 13:32

Well done OP x onwards and away !

DaisytheDaftDaffodil · 31/03/2018 13:46

I'm not being funny but your sister sounds like the one with issues, not you that stem from being the favourite one. Oh dear big sister is getting something she wants.

If they've been trying for so long, having fertility issues myself, there's a time you have to accept that it just might not happen. The treatment she needs possibly involves Harley St consultants so baby will stick, so why hasn't SHE looked into adoption.

I would speak to HR and warn that there could be possible issues with your sister, when she finds out your pregnant. You don't really know what she'll do to try and sabotage your life, so being forearmed is to be forewarned.

Don't feel bad about being pregnant, to be honest, with the way your sister and Mum treat you I would consider NC. If she's not prepared to be nice even after you've donated money then that's her issue. Write off the money, get on with your lives with people who are positive and support you.

Wishing you all the best OP. I rarely post saying such stuff, I can see how for her it's hard, if it was name I might cry, I might get a bit sulky when DC is born, but it's my issue, I have to pull myself together and deal with it.

If I tell you what I went through, SIL found out we were trying, she decided she needed to try immediately too, even though her husband didn't agree. It was hard, the only reason we went NC was SIL was really rubbing it in our faces. We couldn't cope so we took what we thought to be the best option.

I'm sorry you're having to even feel this way.

We're here for you anyway, if you need to vent etc.

StewPots · 31/03/2018 13:52

Life's too short for this shit OP. Echoing PPs and saying go NC. It'll be hard going but surely you're entitled to a happy life without having this crap piled on you all the time.

Thanksand congratulations. I hope you get it all worked out in the end.

mogulfield · 31/03/2018 13:53

Congrats on the new house and your new adventure! I went NC with my mum and sister after my son was born. It was very hard and I went through a bearevement of sorts, but now I’m out the other end and so much happier.
I still wanted them to care and was desperately sad to say goodbye, but riding through that horrible bit was worth it.
I’ve got a second DS now and this pregnancy/birth/new born phase isn’t marred by them. Becoming a new Mum is such a vulnerable time you’ll be far happier without them 👍 mourn the fact you didn’t have a better mother, not the woman herself and get therapy 😊

StewPots · 31/03/2018 13:54

Just saw your update OP. Got my fingers crossed for you - a great excuse for a fresh start away from the toxic environment.

Good luck with it all Smile

newbie2018 · 31/03/2018 14:00

I have also never said to go NC but this is my first time. They sound awful and to be honest I think it's better to not have family like that than pretend you have family. In this instance I would focus on building up your own family,make it tight knit, loving and supportive so your children all have each other and a supportive extended network with each other in the future and be proud of this.

And sack of your mother and sister. How awful of them. Feel very angry on your behalf. I would absolutely not apologise or make excuses for their behaviour. Infertility is simply no excuse here.

sourpatchkid · 31/03/2018 14:04

Yep, I experienced infertility - took 4 years to get DS and he's the only one we will get so I'm usually really sensitive about infertility and often irrationally on the side of the person experiencing infertility

But she is awful. Awful awful awful! Cut her out. No contact ASAP if I were you.

ichifanny · 31/03/2018 16:47

Well done for taking control of the situation and not letting them make it all about them .

TurnipCake · 31/03/2018 17:08

Great to hear of your update, you sound lovely

I went NC with some family members a few years ago and it has benefited me in a purely positive way. I read the Stately Homes threads a lot, it really helped to get things into perspective

coconutpie · 31/03/2018 18:48

Congrats on the new house! Hopefully it will work out and you'll be successful with your application.

feelingfree17 · 31/03/2018 19:11

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.