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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To not want mil round same day I bring my baby home?

233 replies

mlj123 · 29/08/2021 13:19

Hi so this Thursday I am having a c section. I will be out on Friday. I can't have my 5 year olds ds at the hospital to visit me due to restrictions, which makes me feel sad. I know it's only 24 hours and he will be having loads of fun, but it's still going to be hard not having both my children there. When I got home from the hospital I was really just looking forward to having the 4 of us as a family, and didn't really want anyone else there until at least the day after. Anyway I feel that my dp seems to think that I'm being a bit silly and unreasonable. He says it doesn't make a difference if she comes round. For context my mil does do a lot for us. She has our ds for us whilst we work and comes pretty much everywhere with us since Fil passed away a couple of years ago she comes on all our holidays and trips and I see her almost everyday. She has always wanted a granddaughter ( she has 2 ds) and I know this means a lot to her. However my ds has already been showing signs of jealousy about baby and I really wanted this time to come home and just spend time as a family of 4 giving him lots of attention and getting him used to his sister as best I can for him. I feel if mil was there she wouldn't b able to contain her excitement and happiness and it might make ds feel even more jealous and excluded ( although I know she wouldn't purposely do this) she loves him to pieces. I just don't want all the attention to be on baby and want the attention at the start to be about my ds having time with his sister etc. When I tell dp I just want our little family for one day he says things like she is family and I'm being u fair to her. Aibu?

OP posts:
Cabbagewhites · 29/08/2021 17:28

Can you explain to MIL about making your son the centre of attention, like you have here? I’m sure she’d understand?

ironorchids · 29/08/2021 17:30

YANBU.

You don't have to go anywhere you don't want to go or have anyone over who you don't want.

You've spent 9 months being pregnant and then will have major abdominal surgery. These things are happening to YOU, not DH or MIL so neither of them get to dictate what you get to do when you come back from hospital.

It's extremely unreasonable for people to expect you to see her on the same day, be it for 30 minutes or 30 seconds.

Your MIL is an adult not a 5 year old, she should be able to get over not seeing a new baby for a day while you're recovering, whether she's looking after DS for a day or not.

Tell DH and MIL no.

CanofCant · 29/08/2021 17:31

It's not MIL that is behaving like a 5 year old.

SoupDragon · 29/08/2021 17:34

I think you "should" go home, get settled on the sofa/in bed and then your MIL brings DS home. I think she will actually be invaluable in allowing you 4 to be together giving DS lots of attention. She can take the baby whilst DS tells you all about his day for example.

I put "should" as there isn't really a should. IYSWIM. Although doI think you should definitely go straight home from the hospital.

PunkAssMoFo · 29/08/2021 17:36

YANBU. Since she’s with you so much, you are entitled to a little bit of time without her to be a family unit and experience this special moment.

Porcupineintherough · 29/08/2021 17:36

OK read all the posts now OP and YANBU to want an evening just the 4 of you, waiting til the next day is no big snub. But your dh needs to get more hands on very damn quickly now you have 2, and not just expect his mum to fill the breach.

Cabbagewhites · 29/08/2021 17:37

Also I don’t think having one evening of the four of you is going to either make DS feel jealous, or stop DS feeling jealous.

It sounds to me like this is what you want and you’re using the jealousy as an excuse.

Just be honest that you want to be a foursome that evening. Why not let your MIL have a quick look at the baby when you pick DS up (I’m sure DS will be excited to see you and interested to see the baby, not worried about what his granny is doing and saying). Then go home just the 4 of you to have an evening together?

YouMeandtheSpew · 29/08/2021 17:37

Well, you don’t have a MIL problem that’s for sure.

I’m generally very much of the view that whatever the woman who’s just given birth wants goes, so YANBU from that point of view. The only thing I would say is that it sounds like you might be putting a lot of pressure on this first meeting - which isn’t necessarily the best thing for your eldest.

pinkyredrose · 29/08/2021 17:40

Your husband sounds like a teenager. Does he not want to spend time with his new baby? Surprised you managed to conceive a 2nd, seeing how he was with the 1st would've put me right off.

OP how much housework does he do, shopping, meal planning and cooking, cleaning, hoovering, sorting drs and dentists appts etc?

lovelybitofsquirrell · 29/08/2021 17:40

Your DH is being ridiculous if he thinks you will be up for visiting granny at her house.

Does she drive? Can she drop DS home, pop in for a cuppa and leave ?

QueenLagertha · 29/08/2021 17:45

Hi OP. I'm all for the women who has given birth calling the shots. However I think you are overthinking this a bit. Just play it by ear when the time comes. Of course you'll not be calling to someone else's house after major surgery though. I doubt any reasonable person who expect that. Your DH needs a kick up the arse. Your MIL doesn't sound particularly overbearing

DontBeAHaterDear · 29/08/2021 17:47

YANBU, this isn’t about excluding your MIL but building a bond between your son and his new sibling, and you’re right, it would be easier to focus on that if you don’t have your MIL (or other visitors) there too. No ones going to combust from waiting an extra 24 hours to visit a new baby, but your son might feel pushed out which would be a huge shame.

mlj123 · 29/08/2021 17:49

@pinkyredrose

Your husband sounds like a teenager. Does he not want to spend time with his new baby? Surprised you managed to conceive a 2nd, seeing how he was with the 1st would've put me right off.

OP how much housework does he do, shopping, meal planning and cooking, cleaning, hoovering, sorting drs and dentists appts etc?

Not really any housework he works long hours. He goes to the gym before work then doesn't get home from work until around 8pm onwards. When ds is at school he can be in bed b4 dp is home then at the weekend he spends Saturday morning in the gym until after midday. My mum takes da out on a Saturday so he doesn't see much of him then. Then goes for a run on a Sunday. He does do some of his own pots before work but he uses a lot and if he's running late he will leave a few for me to do. He does his own shopping on a Friday then calls his mum to get top ups of things he runs out of when she's out.
OP posts:
Zombiemum1946 · 29/08/2021 17:50

You're not getting out till the evening, you'll have had major surgery and your dh wants to drive around for a family meet and greet? A seat belt directly across your wound. No, just flat out no. I'm sure mil will be fine to wait till the next day. I'm sorry, but dh needs a reality check . Maybe talk to mil, she may well sympathise.

AcrossthePond55 · 29/08/2021 18:03

Personally, I'd dump DH and ask MiL to move in. She's obviously more much caring and useful than he is. He sounds like a waste of space.

Disfordarkchocolate · 29/08/2021 18:12

Having read all of your posts I think the reason you want this 'family time' to be special is because your husband is so rubbish you think something being perfect will somehow make him realise who precious family is. It won't.

I say have your MIL there because it's the only way you will get any support or help.

Blossomtoes · 29/08/2021 18:13

I lifted plenty of things, hoover, baby bath full of water to empty it when it was full. Dp did help with dishes and making me food

My jaw dropped when I read this. He let you lift a bath full of water? After you had a C section? Mine wouldn’t have let me do that and I didn’t have a section. What an absolute waste of space he is.

RightYesButNo · 29/08/2021 18:18

@costcocosmos

Your MIL is a mother, who has more than one dc. She knows more about sibling rivalry and the possible issues when a newborn is brought home than you do.

I think she could be useful, and helpful. Your older dc is much less likely to be jealous if grandma is there to make a fuss of him. Chances are you'll be in pain, and not up to much and will appreciate the extra help. It's not worth getting het up about.

I almost always agree that as the pregnant woman it’s your choice, but very gently, I agree with this; YABU.

You haven’t had two children yet, and I could be totally wrong and this is just how you phrased things, it sounds like you have definite plans about what you’re going to do (fix DS’ jealousy issues in a day by showering him with attention) when the fact is that the baby may be demanding a LOT of your attention and you may not have any choice about giving the baby more attention than you give DS; in fact, you may be exhausted from the c-section or unwell, you don’t know baby’s temperament yet, and you may not be able to give DS almost any attention at all that day. Having your MIL there to do what you want (if that’s fuss over DS) could be helpful. If she wasn’t this involved in your lives (apparently happily), I might say differently. AND if you weren’t already making plans you might not be able to do alone (and I mean, just you and partner by “alone”). But it’s a very different MIL relationship because of that.

Also, I’m not saying this to be cruel, but you still seem to be very “precious first baby” about your son when he’s already five and you’re about to have two. I appreciate that at least you admit you’re an overbearing mum; I can’t remember any of my friends mentioning part of the hospital experience for their second being sadness that they had to spend just a single day away from their first, especially after 5 years, only if maybe their first was still too little to understand (I know one friend was sad, understandably, because she ended up not being able to see hers for a week due to complications) and I also don’t remember anyone planning “a very special day” for their first, beyond just trusting the caretaker would have fun and love on them. Of course I think you’ll love your children equally, please DONT think I’m saying that at all, but you may have spurred this jealousy on by treating DS too much like a PFB. Perhaps the last thing he needs now is a ton of extra fuss, or you’re going to have a nightmare on your hands when you can’t keep up the same level of attention due to a newborn needing you, when it’s just you, DS, and baby (maybe you get a totally laidback baby; maybe you get a Velcro baby with colic - it’s part luck).

I don’t mean to upset you, and if I’ve misunderstood you, sorry about that. I wish you the best of luck. But yes, it sounds like your MIL will make your plans work out, not hinder them.

mlj123 · 29/08/2021 18:20

@Blossomtoes

I lifted plenty of things, hoover, baby bath full of water to empty it when it was full. Dp did help with dishes and making me food

My jaw dropped when I read this. He let you lift a bath full of water? After you had a C section? Mine wouldn’t have let me do that and I didn’t have a section. What an absolute waste of space he is.

To be fair this could have been when he was out or something as it's almost 6 years ago I can't remember. It probably was getting on my nerves sitting in the middle of the living room and I didn't wanna wait until he got bk to shift it. He only took a week of paternity with ds and a weeks holiday so for the week he was on holiday he went about as normal as if he was on holiday, he was probably at the gym
OP posts:
daisy46 · 29/08/2021 18:22

YABVVVU

Popitdontstopit · 29/08/2021 18:32

He does his own shopping? This is all quite strange.
That's a lot of gym time. Is he in a job where high levels of physical fitness are required?

ittakes2 · 29/08/2021 18:34

I can see both sides. I am guessing because of Covid she can't come to the hospital - but if it was me I would suggest she meets us on the way out of the hospital for quick cuddle - bigging up seeing the baby when it was as new born as possible - and then say you want two days alone as a family of four.

LuaDipa · 29/08/2021 18:39

I generally believe that the pregnant woman has the final say, but I think as your mil plays such a big role in your life it would be kind to let her have a peek of her new dgc. Given how useless your dp is, you may very well appreciate the help.

I think dp is the issue you should be focusing on here. I have read some awful things on here, but I have honestly never ever seen a man being so casually detached from family life. He should not put the gym before taking his dc to school. He should not be leaving you to have a weeks ‘holiday’ when you are stuck at home caring for a newborn. Why on earth do you put up with it?

Popitdontstopit · 29/08/2021 18:43

No he has said he will be at the gym and that's it
He isn't a bad do or bad df he loves us he is just not very hands on and doesn't let anything inconvenience his routines and doing the things he wants.
These two sentences can't both be true. If you don't make changes in his behaviour now you will live with this shit forever. A lot of men can be selfish and seem to be able to separate themselves from their children's needs. But they can be shown the way and if they don't change there's always divorce. You will doubtless say he has many good qualities but we certainly haven't heard any.
(His mum seems quite nice though).

mlj123 · 29/08/2021 18:51

@Popitdontstopit

He does his own shopping? This is all quite strange. That's a lot of gym time. Is he in a job where high levels of physical fitness are required?
No he is in an office job he just has a huge passion/ obsession with fitness
OP posts: