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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

MIL odd behaviour - AIBU?

188 replies

newmum0519 · 04/09/2019 02:59

I am not sure if I'm worried about nothing but my MIL does some odd things and often, when we visit, I come away feeling quite uneasy.

For context, this is our first child and her first grandchild. Our daughter is now 3 months old. My in-laws live about 10 minutes away and we see them at least once a week.

The things she does that concerns me...

  1. She refers to my daughter as 'our' daughter when she talks about her to other people. She even corrected my husband once when he said "my daughter" and said "our daughter". It was kind of jokingly said so my husband didn't address it but it made me uneasy.
  1. She wants to hold her all the time (and I mean the entire time we are there.) She hovers over me while I am breastfeeding so that she can whisk her out of my arms as soon as I finish feeding (which is uncomfortable for a couple of reasons.) She is reluctant to let anyone else hold her and makes excuses as to why she should stay with her ("don't disturb her whilst she's sleeping".) When my husband has her, she badgers him to let her hold her. My husband is very direct and tells her to back off but she says things like "this is my only time with her" and "you get her all the time".
  1. She often takes her off into another room when she is holding her. She's doesn't close the door or anything but she basically goes off on her own. I really don't like this but I don't know if I'm being unreasonable so I haven't said anything. Would it be unreasonable to ask her not to do this?

Am I being unreasonable? Is this normal? Any advice on what I can do or say to stop her doing this stuff without upsetting her would be greatly appreciated.

OP posts:
dottiedodah · 04/09/2019 09:41

Apart from the BF thing which must be annoying (just say I need to cuddle her while she settles after her feed ,).You could utilise this ,when DD is around 3 months or so and you fancy a couple of hours out ./Supper/drink /lunch with friends you will have a very willing babysitter! .Maybe she has overstepped the mark a bit TBH,She seems besotted by her GC and is savouring her moments !.She seems keen to help.I BTW am a Granny in waiting here ,and trying to pick up hints for when its my turn !(God willing.)There are many posters on here who are desperate for some input from disinterested GC so I think you are luckier than them TBH

newmum0519 · 04/09/2019 09:45

DuckbilledSplatterPuff - yes, she often waits until DH is conveniently out of the room to broach certain subjects.

Luckily we have a big group of friends who have young and not so young kids who have all offered so much brilliant advice and support.

I would ask them about this stuff but I worry that my DH would be upset about me being negative about his mum to other people.

OP posts:
NoSauce · 04/09/2019 09:45

There’s been quite of lot of people giving their experience of having a new baby and their relationship with the MIL on this thread. It’s natural I guess for people to do that. All I’m saying to the OP bear in mind that people will give their own negative experience.

newmum0519 · 04/09/2019 09:45

*we know

OP posts:
mbosnz · 04/09/2019 09:47

I wish people would think of the baby as a little being with wants and needs of its own, not a dolly or a puppy produced for their entertainment.

I hate seeing 'pass the baby' played - it's unsettling and distressing for a baby, so often. And is it really from a place of love if there isn't actually care for the baby as a paramount concern.

I'm not saying this about MIL's, per se. There's also mothers, sisters, sils, aunties, aunties in law . . and yes, it's usually the women. When you add all the people that desperately want 'their fair share' of the baby's time - poor baby, just wanting to eat, sleep, shit, and grow, while coming to terms to being outside of Mum's tum'!

MotherOfLittlePeople · 04/09/2019 09:48

I'd find this annoying as well but it may not last so maybe make the most off it.

My MIL was very interested for 2 years now is not.

CharityDingle · 04/09/2019 09:49

There are many posters on here who are desperate for some input from disinterested GC so I think you are luckier than them TBH

There's a happy medium, IMO, between trying to take over the baby at every hands turn - to the point that the behaviour is making the OP feel uneasy - and uninterested grandparents.

DarlingNikita · 04/09/2019 09:56

YANBU. I think she's being hugely possessive, and insensitive towards you.

The shower thing would have pissed me right off too. I can't bear people trying to boss me about/'sort things out' over my head.

AmIRightOrAMeringue · 04/09/2019 10:00

Hi OP

In light of your updates, I'm going to go with the behaviour is actually a bit controlling rather purely from a place of love!

Someone that let's themselves into your house to take a picture, insists on inviting someone you've never met and she doesnt like to your wedding that you're paying for, telling you that 'children suffer when parents go back to work', criticising you training your dog, is not loving behaviour, it definitely shows a lack of boundaries across various situations so of course she isn't going to have any boundaries towards your child either.

I wouldn't let her look after her while you're at work more than one day or you may be fighting constant battles against how she thinks things should be done...and it's a lot harder to influence family than nursery that you pay for and who follow current advice!

Minai · 04/09/2019 10:13

My mil did this. Had to hold him for literally every second of her visit. I’d had a traumatic birth and was struggling to bond and having her take my baby off me for an entire weekend to the point where I was only allowed to hold him to feed him (with her hovering over me) led to feelings of such resentment I really pulled away from her and as a result she sees him a lot less than she would have done if she’d given us space. She has calmed down a bit as he’s got older and able to be more vocal about not wanting to be taken away from me.

DuckbilledSplatterPuff · 04/09/2019 10:26

@newmum0519 - re mentioning it to other people. It's a tricky one..as sometimes the situation is really pressing on you its helpful to talk, at least you can let off some of the steam.
I've made a decision not to mention MIL issues to our friends that are local to MIL (DH likes to call in on the way to see them) and to cut down on mentioning it in general because I don't want it to be what our friends remember about seeing us. I don't want this behaviour that I have to deal with to change the interactions I have with friends. I didn't want it to become a permanent topic that needed updating. I began to feel it was like carrying the comments with me and making them more real by giving them air time. I'm not sure what the answer is really. But there have been some thoughtful posts on here and you have a supportive DH so I am sure you will find a good path forward x

BellyButton85 · 04/09/2019 10:36

@RainbowsandSnowdrops
No wonder your child had separation anxiety if you didn't let anyone else near your child. Prime example of making a rod for your own back!

Aprillygirl · 04/09/2019 10:53

Sorry but her referring to your child as her daughter is really really weird in my opinion. As is hovering over you while you are breastfeeding. That is rude and intrusive and I would be as uncomfortable and irritated with my own mother doing these things as much as I would my MIL. She needs telling to back off a bit and reminding that she is nannny/granny not fucking mummy.

Crystal87 · 04/09/2019 10:58

The only thing I wouldn't be happy with is her saying " our daughter" but is she 100 % serious or is she maybe joking? It's nice that she loves her so much, the more loving family members a child has, the better. As for walking in another room, she probably just wants to make the most of the time they have together. I'd leave her to it.

Rubicon80 · 04/09/2019 10:59

When my daughter was a baby, my MIL was also OBSESSED with taking her off me (or off DH) and taking her off into another room. She even spectacularly once left the Christmas dinner table in the middle of eating, took DD (about a year old) into another room and shut both of the doors!

If we went out somewhere, she would wait until I went to the toilet and then grab the pram or just the baby and go somewhere else, out of the shop, into the garden etc. It was like she couldn't wait to separate me from my daughter as much as possible.

This was partly about pretending my daughter was hers, and partly about trying to separate me from the baby.

In her case she blamed this on her having had post-natal depression when her own children were born, and never wanting to spend time with them as babies. She basically played out her neurosis/her regrets by trying to come between me and my daughter. She also made a lot of comments that were intended to drive a wedge between me, DH and DD.

My daughter is 9 years old now, i have a son too, and my MIL still tries to monopolise her as much as she possibly can. So if we go out to eat, she will force everyone to change their seats around until she is not only sitting next to my daughter, but in such a way that my daughter can't interact with anyone else.

And also to demonstrate possessiveness -so for example she will ALWAYS change my daughter's hair (put it in a plait, take out her ponytail, whatever) and change her clothes.

OP I'm sorry that my only real advice is to minimise the contact you have with her. I tried to give my MIL more time with my daughter but this only made things worse. 'Give an inch, take a mile' sort of thing. We don't see them very often now and this is a huge part of the reason.

Motoko · 04/09/2019 11:11

OP, trust your instincts! From what you've said, your MIL is one of those mothers who are domineering, and who think their adult children are still children. They think that they know best.
Do not use her for childcare, or she will ignore any instructions, such as nap time, or not allowing certain foods etc, because she did it in her time, and DH was absolutely fine, and unless she tells you she's done/not done, something, you won't know.

People telling you she's doing it out of love, don't consider that not everyone is as lovely as their DM/MIL.
You know her better than anyone here, so if you're feeling uncomfortable about certain behaviours she exhibits, then trust your feelings, and set boundaries.

There are people on here who will tell you to ignore the "MIL haters". There are no "MIL haters", just people who realise that not every MIL is the caring, loving kind, and will call that out. It's not a blanket hatred, and it's ridiculous to think it is.

Your DH has the measure of her, which is really good. A lot of the son's of these types of MIL don't have their wives' backs. You can work as a team in setting boundaries.

I say all this, as a grandmother myself. I wouldn't dream of doing the things you've described your MIL doing, but it doesn't mean I don't love my GD. I just know that she's just that, my GD, NOT my child, with a baby maker being the one who grew her for my benefit.

Good luck with setting the boundaries. Don't think of it as "confrontation", think of it as being assertive, so you can bring your child up in the way you want them brought up. You and DH are the parents, so what you say, goes.

Footle · 04/09/2019 11:13

@LincolnshireYellowBelly My own DM gave me great words of wisdom. It’s not just me and my husband learning to be parents, it’s everyone else learning to be grandparents, aunties, uncles etc.
It’s not easy.

This should be written in every baby's record book.

Footle · 04/09/2019 11:14

Having said that , your MIL is at best a slow learner.

Motoko · 04/09/2019 11:14

Oh, and I've never felt the need to take my GD into another room. I don't understand that, it's totally unnecessary.

tillytrotter1 · 04/09/2019 11:29

DD had terrible separation anxiety until she was about 10 months so I mostly held her as she would cry with anyone else.

I often wonder if this 'separation anxiety' isn't a result of not allowing anyone else into your baby's life, if only one person holds the baby then it seems inevitable. a chicken and egg situation. This being precious about others holding one's baby is a relatively new fad, similar to keep your little family in isolation for weeks.

Nomorepies · 04/09/2019 12:09

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ on the poster's request.

billy1966 · 04/09/2019 12:22

Pre first child, I was told by an older mid-wife that new babies have soft bones and all the passing about like pass the parcel can be at the root of fussy babies that don't settle. It can actually be sore for the new-borns.

I don't know if it's true but I avoided the passing around for this reason and they all settled for quickly into a great routine and were very calm, non-crying babies.

It maybe a coincidence but might it worked for me.

Zakana · 04/09/2019 12:25

I have a MIL like this with her son but she really isn’t bothered about me or my kids, so she would do the kind of stuff yours does (if I let it happen and if she didn’t live 2000 miles away 😂) but never even sends my kids anything, not even a card, for Christmas and birthdays and never has done. I would say get yourself a voice, pull up your big girl pants and make it clear to her what the boundaries are and why , I won’t say it’s easy if you avoid confrontation, but it’s the only thin* that worked for me.

Zakana · 04/09/2019 12:28

When my MIL is around (not often 😂 - see above) she always does things for my partner, her son, but that’s it, nothing for anyone else. She treats her son as if he were 5 and does everything for him if she can, and he allows and enables it, I don’t!

ILoveYou3000 · 04/09/2019 12:53

Obviously mothers need space to breastfeed their baby and nobody should be hovering over them. But a new grandmother wanting to hold the baby while she’s visiting? Unless the baby is screaming for milk or the GM can’t calm it down then I don’t see the issue here.

Except this new grandmother won't allow anyone, including the new grandfather to hold the baby. That's the issue. If she had a little cuddle then happily handed her back to mum or dad or allowed granddad his time then that would be normal.

No wonder your child had separation anxiety if you didn't let anyone else near your child. Prime example of making a rod for your own back!

Separation anxiety is a perfectly normal stage of development that every baby goes to, to varying degrees.