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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To want my parents to live near us when I have twins?

160 replies

Sparkly101 · 03/10/2020 20:47

I am pregnant with identical twins. Identical twins mean a relatively high risk pregnancy, likely a cesaerean and a good chance the babies will come early and may need to be in NICU for a while. My husband will be starting a new job not long before the due date, they have said he can take 2 weeks off but he will be working full time after that.

Me and my DH live about 2 hours drive from either set of parents. My parents want to move nearer for a year so they can help us with the babies in the early months, and they're looking at renting a house only a five minute walk from us.

My husband is freaking out, he doesn't really want them to come at all and especially not so close. He's convinced my parents will be round all the time and he won't get any time just us and the babies. He's particularly bothered by the fact my mum is really excited about her first grandchildren, he takes that as a sign she won't be able to stay away. If i say i think we'll really appreciate the help because twins will be hard, he says I'm focusing on the negatives.

My parents are insistent they won't be around more than we want. They want to be close partly because my mum has arthritis and it's getting painful to drive too much. I believe them because they were pretty hands off parents when I was growing up, they're not the interfering type.

I feel its an amazing thing they're offering to do for us and I would feel terrible telling them we don't want their help, or that we do but only if they live at least three miles away and have to drive to see us. But I also don't want my DH to be unhappy and I feel like I have to respect his feelings. I'm struggling to see a solution to this. Can anyone help?

OP posts:
Nanny0gg · 04/10/2020 15:27

@SecretBlue

I've got say I'm going against the grain here.

I feel sorry for your husband! 5 minutes away!! Now that would freak me out and I love my parents. 5 minutes away!!!!

I feel really, really sorry for your husband, it's meant to be a partnership and you're not thinking of him at all.

You only have to read the threads on mumsnet about in-laws living too close. Your poor husband :(

He'll be at bloody work 5 days a week!!

It isn't a partnership when he's not there and she's got to get on with it.

Does he do a solitary job? Bet he doesn't

BlueJava · 04/10/2020 15:46

As a mother of identical twins I would have hated either set of parents moving nearer to us. Both my parents and his were 2.5 hours away (in different directions). I am glad it was just us.

Not all multiple births are early (ours were not), I had a planned, private c section and it was fine. Actually I recovered quicker than some of the friends I knew who didn't have c-sections. They don't all need special care.

Renting a house 5 mins away from you seems way of the top and interfering - what a nightmare unless both you and DH get on famously with them all the time. I think YABU and I agree with your DH. Sorry!

VinylDetective · 04/10/2020 15:56

Renting a house 5 mins away from you seems way of the top and interfering

It would be if OP didn’t want them to. But she does. It’s the person who will be swanning off to work for at least eight hours every day who thinks it would be a nightmare.

Bubbletrouble43 · 04/10/2020 16:07

My parents live 5 minutes from us. It's brilliant. They don't interfere or pop round too much, we can go weeks without seeing them but are nearby if we need them or vice versa. Being nearby doesn't necessarily mean they have to be in your house all the time!

44PumpLane · 04/10/2020 16:12

Mother of twins here..... Get your parents moved ASAP!!!! My parents and my in laws were a god send (still are).

crosstalk · 04/10/2020 16:20

why do you not discuss with your DP calmly what the issues are? What his and your wish list would be? and have your parents down to discuss the whole thing calmly? While bubble has a clearly great relationship with close parents, we've all seen threads where DPs or DPiLs take over.

myapplegreenjumper · 04/10/2020 20:40

I just told my dh what your parents were planning to do - he said immediately bite their hand off! My friend found twins easy after having a single child - but me I found them lovely but hard, I tried a mother's help but she was bloody useless...the first year was hard - more support would have been great - I still feel sad looking back at the pics, I remember acutely how difficult I found it. Just having someone you trust helping, looking after your babies while you have a bath. Of course they might be really easy - no way of telling - you might be really chilled - who knows. Good luck anyway - it's a rollercoaster with unique challenges...you're planning, that's good!

ferntwist · 04/10/2020 20:48

It is an amazing thing they’re offering to do and you must not let your partner cut you off from their support. He’ll no doubt be very grateful for it when he realises just how much work twins are!

justilou1 · 05/10/2020 07:07

Tbh, my twins WERE easier than my first, but she had terrible, terrible reflux and didn’t sleep for more than 40mins at a time until she could walk. I thought that all babies were like that, so when I found out I was having twins, I cried for most of the pregnancy.

Beautiful3 · 05/10/2020 07:18

You will appreciate the help, as its twins. Literally you'll be trying to sooth/feed/change nappies both babies at the same time! Welcome the help.

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