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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

I have been asked to host a party for a friend in my house while 9 months pregnant

593 replies

BrinaEds · 04/10/2022 13:20

AIBU, I have been asked by a close friend to host a party in my house for them. I'll be 9 months pregnant by the day of the party and I'm already tired all the time but I don't feel like I can say no. I would have thought that some consideration would have been given to the fact I'm pregnant before they even asked but they recently did helped me out with something which they pushed to do but was helpful (nothing on this scale) so now I feel obliged. My main concern about the whole thing is having a bunch of strangers in my house (20-30 people), the possibility of picking up a cold/flu and the deep clean that will have to happen after the event because tidying is not the same as cleaning. DH says he will manage the day and sort out all the cleaning after but I just don't feel comfortable with the whole thing. AIBU?

OP posts:
Musti · 06/10/2022 23:54

Hi op. I’m glad you’re booking a hotel. Maybe one with a pool so you can have a nice relaxing evening?

Tell your husband that this is the last time it happens or you with split up. He needs to understand that he needs to prioritise his wife and child and not the whims of his family. I am shocked that any mother would have suggested that.

if you’re not firm, they will use you and your husband and house and child like theirs.

ThereIbledit · 07/10/2022 00:12

I mean this kindly OP, but do you normally have a problem with not being assertive enough?

@AnotherEmma is right, this is absolutely a masterclass in how NOT to be assertive.

Once she said the invites were out what can I do

Tell her it's a shame she didn't ask you if she could use your house before she sent the invites, and tell her to let you know the alternative address so if any guests turn up looking lost on the day you can forward them to the correct one.

she's given a bunch of strangers my address

TELL her that that was categorically NOT OKAY.

The fact that the only response to message was I understand is a bs response.

It was a wiggle out of cancelling it response because you hinted, you didn't straight up say NO this party isn't going to happen in my home when I am 9 months pregnant and/or with a newborn.

I've heard nothing since so tells me that opinion doesn't matter.

None of them have been told a clear and unequivocable NO this 'aint happening.

You could go into labour while the party is in swing or hours before it FFS, and would your Darling Husband come with you or want to stay to be a good little host?? You could have had the baby and be coming home with babe in arms for the first time and there would a house full of bloody strangers and a shit ton of housework for your DH to do when he should be looking after you both. You could be having those precious first few weeks at home when you don't want to see anyboy and no matter how locked away in your room you want to be they would all want to traipse to see and cuddle the new pet. No, no, no no NO.

You are 9 months pregnant and what you need more than anything else, is to not have a party going on in your fucking house. No discussion. No heavy hinting.

Lose your shit at your husband if you have to.

Lose your shit at your MIL if you have to.

STOP worrying about offending everybody else and start BEING the person who is justifiably offended and pissed off that these fuckers had the audacity to arrange a party at your house, right when you are due, and nobody bloody well even thought to ask you if you minded! Yes you bloody well do mind, and SAY SO. LOUDLY, CLEARLY and if necessarily REPEATEDLY.

Cancel. The. Damn. Party.

Text your H at the same time as texting your MIL if you really can't say it over the phone or face to face. Be crystal fucking clear and leave no room for doubt. TELL don't hint to them that there will not be a party of any configuration in your house at this time. If you want some wording that you can copy and paste:

"As you know I learnt very recently that a party is being planned at my house for So and So's birthday on X date. As you also know I am heavily pregnant and on that date I will be either due any second, overdue, or will be recovering from childbirth and looking after a newborn baby. As I am sure you will all understand it is therefore COMPLETELY inappropriate for our house to be used to host a party at this time so I must insist on cancelling this party which didn't even have my blessing anyway and suggest that you make alternative arrangements. My decision is final and in order to avoid embarrassing situations like this in future please ask me before inviting people to my home because my dickhead husband didn't.

I hope you have a lovely party and that So and So has a lovely birthday. We will invite you to visit when baby is safely here after we have found our feet as new parents."

And then switch your phone off and if necessary yell/cry/rant and rave at your H when he comes to ask you what the hell that text message was all about. Dickhead.

ThereIbledit · 07/10/2022 00:25

Hotel? Ho-fucking-tel??!?!?!!!

You would rather go to a cheap hotel for a few nights than stand up for yourself and tell everybody straight that the party house venue is cancelled?????

Here's an alternative text message to the one Iin my previous message:

"In an episode of what I'm going to kindly put down to pre-partum madness, my H agreed to this without considering the basic needs of his heavily pregnant wife. Please consider this immediate and full notice that our home will NOT be hosting any size or type of gathering at this time."

gumball37 · 07/10/2022 04:37

Since he thinks it is a non issue then he can be the one to clean and be on hand for them. You can chill in your bedroom with snacks and a good book or the TV.

genuinelyaskingforafriend · 07/10/2022 05:07

@BrinaEds

He knows I don't want this to happen, we've spoken about it almost everyday and his response is literally "then don't be around".

Your response to this should be "if this party goes ahead I won't be around permanently".

What if you give birth and have to bring a baby home to this party?

I'm sorry but you need to stick up for yourself. Just tell his family that it's not happening!

BruceAndNosh · 07/10/2022 05:10

gumball37 · 07/10/2022 04:37

Since he thinks it is a non issue then he can be the one to clean and be on hand for them. You can chill in your bedroom with snacks and a good book or the TV.

That's fine if the baby decides to arrive on its due date, a couple of weeks after the party.
If OP is in labour the day before, she NEEDS her DH to be supporting HER, not him fannying about with paper plates.
If she is cluster feeding a new born, she needs peace and quiet, and her DH delivering drinks and snacks to HER. She doesn't need a background of 40 people loudly socialising downstairs, singing Happy birthday when she finally manages both her and baby napping.

Even If she's not actually in the middle of producing or caring for a baby, her solitude will be interrupted every 15 minutes by "where are the bin bags?" or "come down and have a sausage roll" and "oops, I thought this was the bathroom"

Anamechangeisasgoodasarest · 07/10/2022 06:32

OP, you are going to be a mother.
You will be responsible for a child.
You need to stand up for yourself. NOW.

This should be a calm and special time for you and your DH.

Next threads will be:

In-laws insist on being at the delivery
In-laws won't use the name we have chosen
In-laws have given EBF baby formula
In-laws wake baby every time they visit

Is that really how you want life to be for you and your child?

ALittleBitofVitriol · 07/10/2022 06:32

I am SO angry for you @BrinaEds, furious. I'm 35weeks pregnant right now, I hosted 3 people + kids here a few days ago and dh was upset with me because I need to rest! He was right, I ended up in hospital the next day.

Do you know what a dh & in laws who care about you and your baby do when you're 37 weeks pregnant? They help you! They fill up your freezer, do your dishes, help with laundry etc. In short - they don't add to your workload. They would be embarrassed and insulted by the very thought.

How dare your husband do this to you. He should be utterly ashamed, what the hell kind of man or father is he? Eff the lot of them.

BoxcarMilly · 07/10/2022 06:48

He knows I don't want this to happen, we've spoken about it almost everyday and his response is literally "then don't be around".

Whaaaat?!

You need to make a stand OP.

If you don't then this is going to be the story of your life as long as you are with this guy.

Mummyoflittledragon · 07/10/2022 07:15

Please listen to people, this is utter madness. You’re at a point, where life should be full of adventure, where you should naturally be renegotiating your relationship for the next chapter. Your husband sounds rather selfish or weak or both. You need to put yourself and the baby first, which due to his behaviour does mean putting your marriage to the test. It sounds as though financially you’d be better off alone. Don’t let him and his freeloading family bring you down.

Lunabun · 07/10/2022 07:26

OP just reading your posts has raised my blood pressure - your husband and in laws, but especially your husband, are selfish twats. I would not be taking this lightly at all.

I do feel you could benefit from learning to be more assertive. It's your house too! You are entitled to totally veto the whole thing. It doesn't matter if your husband doesn't get it or doesn't agree. If one of the homeowners doesn't agree to the plans, then the plans don't happen. End of.

billy1966 · 07/10/2022 07:41

BoxcarMilly · 07/10/2022 06:48

He knows I don't want this to happen, we've spoken about it almost everyday and his response is literally "then don't be around".

Whaaaat?!

You need to make a stand OP.

If you don't then this is going to be the story of your life as long as you are with this guy.

"Then don't be around"????????

He really doesn't give a damn.

Truly unbelievable.

If my husband spoke to me like that while pregnant I cannot imagine how I would ever get over it.

I really do think his behaviourth is deal breaking, marriage ending stuff.

Telling your wife to not be around her own home at 9 months pregnant.

I would be permanently not around and the house would be up for sale.

OP, stop funding this waster.

You need your money.

Stop funding such a selfish waster.

Telling you to leave your home and he doesn't even pay his way.

Heard it all🙄

Zonder · 07/10/2022 07:58

What if you go into labour alone at the hotel while he and his family are unreachable living it up at the party?

He clearly doesn't understand how much this says about him.

madasawethen · 07/10/2022 07:59

I'm wondering if your grand home is mostly due to you and your income?

Your H response of "well we already had my birthday party a month ago" as an excuse for this party is telling of the future?

RampantIvy · 07/10/2022 08:04

He knows I don't want this to happen, we've spoken about it almost everyday and his response is literally "then don't be around".

Message the family to say the party has been cancelled. If that fails you lock all the doors upstairs, take the keys with you and take yourself off to your family if you can, a hotel if you can', for a few days. Do not message your husband and mute him so he can't contact you. Make him sweat.

Before you go do what you can to sabotage the party. When this is done and when you are able to get yourself on an assertiveness training course so you can learn to say "no" with conviction.

MsTSwift · 07/10/2022 08:08

Dh was the opposite. When I had our first he kind of stood guard and made everyone wash their hands thoroughly. He totally had my back. Sorry you’ve ended up with such a dud.

DameHelena · 07/10/2022 08:36

she's given a bunch of strangers my address
Apart from all the other things that piss me off the most about this, THIS pisses me off the most!
Call the non-emergency police for advice (I find them very helpful), but I'm pretty sure it's unlawful.

Anamechangeisasgoodasarest · 07/10/2022 08:50

Unlawful 😂

It is many things - outrageous, cheeky, unfair, rude, stupid etc etc

Just say, for arguments sake that these hypothetical police turn up to take a statement...

OP: My in laws have arranged a party at my house and I don't want it to happen.

Officer: So what did they say when you said that it won't be happening.

OP: Um, I haven't actually told them this.

DeadDonkey · 07/10/2022 09:11

DameHelena · 07/10/2022 08:36

she's given a bunch of strangers my address
Apart from all the other things that piss me off the most about this, THIS pisses me off the most!
Call the non-emergency police for advice (I find them very helpful), but I'm pretty sure it's unlawful.

Don’t be silly - this isn’t a police matter. They aren’t an advice line for people without the backbone to say ‘no’.

Yes the OP’s DH and family should have the common sense to think that at 37 weeks pregnant she doesn’t want a party, but as they don’t seem to have any common sense she needs to tell them ‘no’ while there is still time to re-arrange.

DameHelena · 07/10/2022 09:16

DeadDonkey · 07/10/2022 09:11

Don’t be silly - this isn’t a police matter. They aren’t an advice line for people without the backbone to say ‘no’.

Yes the OP’s DH and family should have the common sense to think that at 37 weeks pregnant she doesn’t want a party, but as they don’t seem to have any common sense she needs to tell them ‘no’ while there is still time to re-arrange.

Once again for those at the back/a bit hard of thinking:

I suggest the OP calls the non-emergency police for advice on the legality of giving out her address without permission.

Weirdlynormal · 07/10/2022 09:19

DameHelena · 07/10/2022 09:16

Once again for those at the back/a bit hard of thinking:

I suggest the OP calls the non-emergency police for advice on the legality of giving out her address without permission.

I think you might add yourself into that category...

DameHelena · 07/10/2022 09:20

Weirdlynormal · 07/10/2022 09:19

I think you might add yourself into that category...

Can you explain? Thanks.

Tippexy · 07/10/2022 09:24

This is the strangest thread, and update.

Clearly you don’t really mind about the party happening, because otherwise, when they messaged to ask you if you knew about it, you’d have replied to say it wasn’t happening. Your response to them signalled your consent. All you had to do was say no. It’s bizarre!

Tippexy · 07/10/2022 09:25

DameHelena · 07/10/2022 09:16

Once again for those at the back/a bit hard of thinking:

I suggest the OP calls the non-emergency police for advice on the legality of giving out her address without permission.

Ye gads 🤦🏻

BadNomad · 07/10/2022 09:29

DameHelena · 07/10/2022 09:16

Once again for those at the back/a bit hard of thinking:

I suggest the OP calls the non-emergency police for advice on the legality of giving out her address without permission.

What, as in "My husband is hosting a party in our house for his family. Is it illegal for guests to be told our address?"