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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Don't want my mother in law to come back to stay with us

215 replies

ZeeB68 · 01/11/2023 09:05

Hi, so I've just given birth to my 3rd baby 2 weeks ago. My mother in law lives abroad and came over for the birth of the baby. Including my husband she has 3 children and 5 grandchildren before who she has never been able to see as babies or their births due to not being able to get a visa. My husband really wanted because of this that if this time his mum got a visa he wanted me to take his mum with me in the delivery room for the birth of our baby. She came here a month ago, I'm very independent and like my own space,my first two children are 8 and 6 so in full time school now,for the last 2 weeks of my pregnancy she wouldn't let me go out alone,not even to pick the kids up she would just bring herself along on school pick up, my appointments, a couple of times I just wanted to go shopping alone and she wouldn't let me go without her. She's here till January, even in the final 2 weeks of my pregnancy I didn't get to rest, she did nothing to help around the house, the bedsheets in her room were on for 2 weeks at that point so I put clean ones on the end of the bed to try and get her to take the hint but she waited until I just changed them myself. On 18th October I went into labour,gave birth to my daughter, I had a huge bleed as soon as she came out plus 2nd degree tear and plus other lacerations which needed stitching too. I have been hoping yo breastfeed as I couldn't breast feed my first two due to the same issue of loosing a lot of blood after delivery and milk not coming in properly. After they sorted me out and I finally got to see my baby, I started breast feeding her, she was on for 20 minutes and my mother in law then just said " that's enough" and took my baby off my breast and out of my arms and gave her a bottle, the midwife who was in the room later spoke to me about this as she saw and told me I shouldn't be taking baby off the breast I should let her come off herself. I let it go because my mother in law has never seen one of her grandchildren be born.
I came home the next day,could barely walk with a 1 say old baby and the house was a mess,I came home and went upstairs and started crying whilst trying to clean in pain, his mum just turned round and said to me " oh I'm old I can't clean" (she's 49!) This is the woman who claimed she wanted to stay here at our house during her stay here in the UK to help so I could rest and recover. I cried many times about this to my husband but he always takes his mums side. Since then things have just got worse, the comments my mother in law has been making,
Such as , " stop picking the baby up she will get used to your smell" ( which hurt as she is my baby! She is supposed to be used to my smell) she has told me " your milk isn't enough for her so feed her a bottle before breast feeding her"
She's also given me dirty looks every time baby is hungry and she asks make her a bottle and I say no I want to breastfeed her and she gives me a dirty look and says ok.
She's called me " very fat" from the legs down on numerous occasions since I have given birth even though I am back down to my pre pregnancy weight 2 weeks after birth.
I took baby to school last wednsday after my older kids kept asking me to bring their new baby sister to school, she of course said she was coming even though I told my husband to tell her I wanted to go alone ( she doesn't speak great English) she won't let me bath baby,she takes her downstairs when my older 2 kids are at school and I just want to rest in bed with baby. She keeps putting pressure on me to bottle feed her and only give her my " breast milk at night" which I've explained will not help my already low supply. She says I can't go out until the baby is older and forces me to leave baby at home with her and pick kids up.
She ( forcefully) went to stay at my sister in law's house the last 5 days,and she has told my husband she is coming back on Friday because she apparently " can't stay away longer she needs to come back " my husband said those where the words.i started crying and begged him to just tell her to stay at his sister's longer because I can't cope with her,she takes over,she doesn't advise she tells me what to do and my husband just lets her say and do whatever she wants to me and sides with her. I don't know what to do honestly,I don't want an argument with my husband as I should be enjoying my last baby as she is our last one. I don't want to cause problems but I don't want her coming back here,I've enjoyed the last 5 days at home with my 3 kids,I've managed,cooked,cleaned took the kids out everything on my own and managed just fine ( as I knew I would this is my 3rd not 1st) it's ruined my last few days with my kids as well at the though of her coming back.
Aibu ? I really can't cope and she's making me I'll,I don't know what the best way to go about this is? As I know if I say something to my husband it will all kick off but at the same time I know I can't go on like this.

OP posts:
Wrongsideofpennines · 05/11/2023 22:38

@ZeeB68 Please get yourself a sling/wrap/baby carrier and get your baby close to you on your chest. Your hands are then free to do things but MIL has no reason to hold your baby if you don't want her to.

FallingStar21 · 05/11/2023 22:42

OP you said so much about what both your husband and his mum are doing to you. How horribly they have been treating you and how you are at breaking point. Only to update now to say "oh but my husband is actually nice"... when his mum is not around.
How is that any consolation OP, when he's already done so much damage to you and the children by being in cahoots with his mother and openly supporting her vile behaviour?
Please re-read your posts, including the last one you wrote, and ask yourself honestly: Do you really want to continue living with this man?
It's okay to have fears about leaving, it's such a tough decision I know. But at this point don't worry about the logistics, rather focus on what is right for you and the children.

Weenurse · 06/11/2023 00:12

A very wise person once said you can’t change another person’s behaviour, only your response to it.
Stop behaving as expected and do what you want.
They will either accept this or not, it doesn’t change what you do.

RampantIvy · 06/11/2023 08:01

Weenurse · 06/11/2023 00:12

A very wise person once said you can’t change another person’s behaviour, only your response to it.
Stop behaving as expected and do what you want.
They will either accept this or not, it doesn’t change what you do.

The best advice ^^
Re the breastfeeding, I would just keep quoting the WHO guidelines at (not to Grin) her ad nauseum.

LinkyDooda · 06/11/2023 10:23

Go stay with your ma

cactidream · 06/11/2023 18:44

Pack and leave!!!
How can you let your daughter grow up in this environment???
this is absolutely horrible- they are treating you HORRIBLY
how can you not see that and just stay silent?! shes abusing you because you are not doing anything to answer her back!

Greenpolkadot · 06/11/2023 19:20

My God, what a horrible mess this is,.
Why dont you take the kids and go to your mum.

AlhambraQueen · 08/11/2023 18:46

From a cultural perspective you are also entitled to go and stay at your mums so she can help with the baby. Use this as an excuse to get some headspace and decide what to do.

Mum5net · 08/11/2023 23:38

OP, hoping you have managed a little more rest now your older two are back at school. Hoping your DM is able to assist you and let you bond with your little one without all the distractions.

readingmakesmehappy · 11/11/2023 20:43

OP, how are you doing? How's the baby?

Chickpea17 · 18/01/2024 09:04
  1. He cheating and the AirTag is so he can go off and have fun and know you're not close by.
  1. He doesn't trust you.
  1. He controlling and unhinged.

You have 3 weeks I would be changing the locks, calling the police and speaking to a solicitor.

Biculturalfamily · 18/01/2024 09:53

Dear OP,
I came to this thread because I read your most recent one about the apple airtag. You sound like the loveliest, gentlest person but your patience and kindness is doing you no favours. You are caught up in a terrible situation. Your husband is not someone to be trusted. You should start planning for a future alone with your children. You need to start thinking about how you can prepare yourself for getting a job ( can you get a qualification or retrain?). Can you put aside some money? Sooner or later, you will have to leave this situation. I wish you strength.

Tesal · 18/01/2024 13:05

Do you want your daughter to grow up in all this and then perhaps be treated as badly as you are if she marries into this culture?
Note I said perhaps as I know not all men are like that but if you stay in this marriage she may well meet men like your husband (god forbid).

LondonUSAGirl · 13/09/2024 10:50

Your husband treats you like garbage and doesn't trust you (AirTag). Why do you stay with someone who treats you so badly?

LookItsMeAgain · 13/09/2024 21:42

#### ZOMBIE THREAD #####

Last posted on 18th Jan 2024

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