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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Told she was IVF

720 replies

Timbuck3 · 11/01/2024 13:40

Name changed for this:
My wife and I had a child and wanted a second. Wife couldn't conceive again so we went down the IVF route and she fell pregnant. Daughter was born. Wife asked me whether we should tell daughter she was conceived using IVF and I said, Yes, definitely, but only when the time was right.
Wife has asked a few times since and I've always said not yet.
In September last year we were having a discussion, can't remember about what exactly, but it came out that my daughter knew about her being IVF. I froze! My daughter said "I've known since March. Mum told me on my 16th birthday!"
I was furious! I should have been part of that conversation! I wouldn't have told her then because she was just coming up to doing her GCSEs, but she would have been told soon enough.
When I finally calmed down enough to properly discuss this with my wife, she just said, "Sorry, I didn't think it was that big a deal". Even though I'd told her often enough that i didn't think it was the right time.

I'm not saying that it had to be when I said so, but i think a decision like this should definitely have been a joint one with almost a power of veto.
I've deleted the poll as I'm not looking for a score, but just wanted opinions because despite it being months ago, I'm still seriously pissed off about it. I know I've got to have a proper discussion with my daughter about it, and I will, but I think it would have been a lovely discussion for the three of us to have had at the right time. I've effectively had that taken away from me.

OP posts:
Ingibjörg · 11/01/2024 13:42

How bloody weird of you to think this is such a big deal. Unless you’re going to drip feed that donor sperm was used or suchlike. Why was it ever a thing you needed to tell her? As opposed to just being part of what she knew about her life…?

Lastqueenofscotland2 · 11/01/2024 13:42

I honestly think it’s a complete not issue if the baby was IVF or not, unless there was a donor involved.

piscofrisco · 11/01/2024 13:43

What's the big deal about being IVF?

Daleksatemyshed · 11/01/2024 13:43

Frankly this is only a big deal if you make it one, why would your DD care about how she was conceived? If she was adopted that's different but I don't understand why she'd care otherwise.

Ratfan24 · 11/01/2024 13:43

I thought you were going to say your daughter as 6 or something. You are being very controlling, it's not some shameful secret and your wife should be free to talk about it.

Ohreallyreally23 · 11/01/2024 13:44

It should never have been made to be a big deal in the first place!

There should be no need for a conversation, DD should have known all along in an age-appropriate way. "The Drs had to help mummy and daddy make you" or whatever.

I say this as a parent to an IVF child of similar age.

TeaKitten · 11/01/2024 13:45

IVF isn’t a big deal, the talk should have just naturally come round when explaining to her as a young child that babies grow in bellies, made by a mum and a dad etc. keeping is secret for 16 years is nuts, why have a big family secret about nothing

janruarry · 11/01/2024 13:45

Jesus, get over it, it should have just been an innocuous fact of life that she grew up with

Khdzgg · 11/01/2024 13:45

Really I don’t think bring an IVF baby is a big deal but I do think it should have been something that you and your wife agreed to tell her about. Why do you think your wife couldn’t challenge you on your view?

mynameiscalypso · 11/01/2024 13:46

It's not a big deal at all. It's odd the fact that you've made it into one (and probably makes your daughter feel a bit shit compared to the one who was conceived naturally). It should have just been a fact of life from early on. It's hardly earth-shattering news.

janruarry · 11/01/2024 13:46

As a side note, I'm more worried about my eldest being jealous about not being IVF!

TokyoSushi · 11/01/2024 13:47

How odd. Surely it's just something like 'we're so lucky to have you, the Dr's had to help us to make sure you could be born' or something like that? Something that could have been woven in at a much younger age as you went along?

Why the big secret and reveal?

uncomfortablydumb53 · 11/01/2024 13:47

You're making a huge deal out of this!
Your daughter is yours and your wife's child. I could understand if you found she was not yours!

Timbuck3 · 11/01/2024 13:48

Wow, I really wasn't expecting that, but I'll take it on board! I thought my wife telling her when she knew I wasn't ready was out of order, but apparently not! Seems it's ok to just ignore your other half's wishes.
And no, it wasn't donor sperm.

OP posts:
JustanotherMNSlapperTwat · 11/01/2024 13:48

I have no idea how this didn't naturally come up when talking with your daughter about conception and "how babies are made"

Honestly this should never have been a big thing to tell your daughter it should just have been part of the natural conversions with her

OhmygodDont · 11/01/2024 13:48

I mean the actual ivf aside I though these where things that come under the earlier told the better as the it’s not a big deal or shock. Say if you used a donor or adoption etc

yabu if it matters then your daughter should of known all along. If it doesn’t matter it just doesn’t matter.

AnneLovesGilbert · 11/01/2024 13:48

If your wife agreed you’d discuss it and agree when to tell her I think she should have stuck to that. But you don’t say why you think it’s such a significant thing or why you didn’t tell her when she was young enough for it not to be a big deal. Can you explain?

Is DD biologically both of yours?

Blondeshavemorefun · 11/01/2024 13:48

Not sure why it's such a big deal

I've told our dd she was ivf at 5yr. She didn't really know what it was

But I mentioned in in passing and she has seen the scan pics etx

I just said mummy couldn't get preg so went to a special clinic who helped us

I often call her my most precious thing and we have a cute book about a bear looking for a precious thing. And find a snowflake and flower etx and in the end it's the animal who is the most precious thing to the mum

And I said she was like that

I def wouidnt have waited to 16

If anything wouid have been around 8/11 and the sex chat

TTCSoManyQuestions88 · 11/01/2024 13:49

YABU! It's not a big deal at all. And yes it's ok to ignore your spouse's wishes when they are bonkers.

Being conceived by IVF was probably a big deal in the 90s. It really isn't now.

TokyoSushi · 11/01/2024 13:49

I'm not sure why you'd need to be ready though, there's not really anything to tell!

dementedpixie · 11/01/2024 13:49

I can't believe it got until she was 16 before she was told. She should have been told at a much younger age and not made out to be such a big deal

AnneLovesGilbert · 11/01/2024 13:49

janruarry · 11/01/2024 13:46

As a side note, I'm more worried about my eldest being jealous about not being IVF!

Why?

Squirrelblanket · 11/01/2024 13:49

IVF isn't a big deal. What a weird post.

You are unreasonable, OP. And quite strange.

Aquamarine1029 · 11/01/2024 13:50

And no, it wasn't donor sperm.

Then what on earth are you so hysterical about? Stop being ridiculous.

JustanotherMNSlapperTwat · 11/01/2024 13:50

OhmygodDont · 11/01/2024 13:48

I mean the actual ivf aside I though these where things that come under the earlier told the better as the it’s not a big deal or shock. Say if you used a donor or adoption etc

yabu if it matters then your daughter should of known all along. If it doesn’t matter it just doesn’t matter.

Yes research shows children cope much better if they are told before 7

But I don't think that IVF needs to fall under that unless donor material is used? Because its just a different method of conception and I know some children would prefer to know there was a medical process involved rather than think their parents had sex 😂

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