Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To be worried about going on holiday with baby & partner's family??

29 replies

Showbel · 07/09/2024 08:01

Hi all. Just read a thread on here about how awful it is going on holiday with a young baby and now I'm panicking. Aibu to be worried?

For some context I've been with my partner 9 years, we're engaged, have a baby who will be just over a year old at the time of the holiday.
We go to a different UK holiday park each year with his family for a week, it's always really nice, he has a few uncles and his grandparents come as well as his mum and brother. The entire side of his family basically. His uncles are all married, one has two young children, so for the most part the previous holidays activities have revolved around them (natural). But everyone is free to do their own thing as well if something the children are doing doesn't suit them.
His auntie who has the two young children - brings her family as well (sister and parents) so they help out with childcare for them.

My partner's brother and mother (i'll call her MIL just to make reading this easier) usually stay in a caravan with us, but this time round I've insisted we have our own.
MIL has been really great since baby has been born, and clearly adores her but I have serious concerns that she won't be there for childcare on the holiday. She has multiple health problems and has frequent naps throughout the day.
My partner has made it clear that the holiday is also 'his holiday' even though I have clearly told him it's unlikely to feel like a holiday like it used to.

I am also, probably selfishly, worried about myself. None of my own family will be there, they would naturally offer to help with childcare. I exclusively breast feed, so I'll be up most of the day/night anyway, though I do know she will feed a little less at that age. And when MIL comes to visit, even now as baby is 10 wks old, my partner thinks it's his time to do nothing, so does the bare minimum and leaves me to do everything.
I have postpartum depression symptoms but not been officially diagnosed, but gp has told me to go to counselling. So I apologise if this post comes across harsh or selfish. Feel free to tell me if I'm being unreasonable and if so, little things I can do to make the holiday easier for myself?

Poll- Aibu to be worried?

OP posts:
Fingerscrossed2015 · 07/09/2024 13:52

Don’t worry, it will probably be more fun than you think and you may even have a fab time! If your baby is only 10 weeks, you are in the absolute trenches and everything is overwhelming but it all gets easier, I promise.

Either DH will be pulling his weight by then or he won’t. If he is, you’ll share the load and it will be fun for both of you. You’ve got plenty of time between now and again to have a few heart-to-hearts about how you need to parent together.

And, if he’s still not doing his fair share, it’ll still be ok as you’ll have been parenting unaided for a whole year so nothing will phase you anymore. You’ll have learned how to schedule your day to get the rest you need and will not feel as physically and emotionally exhausted as you do right do. Any help you then get from MIL or anyone else will feel like a bonus.

Also, if DH is being lazy, DH’s family will witness this and may even be able to talk some sense into him. Your MIL may turn out to be your greatest ally!

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 07/09/2024 14:28

He sounds a right selfish dick.

As PPs have said, when’s your holiday?

My exh was like that - as soon as another member of my or his family came round, or we were with them, he would think they were stepping in to do “his bit”. So he’d melt away and do nothing. Said family member might have no idea they were being seen as childcare, or might resent his melting away if it was my Mum, so it would end up with me doing everything myself.

I actually turned down an extended family holiday for this reason - I knew it would be me doing all childcare alone whilst everyone had a lovely relaxing holiday - with the very adult-friendly meal times my dad always insisted on. Granted, the extended family had no duty to help out, but exh would expect them to, and do nothing himself.

So yes I think this holiday sounds a v bad idea.

OooSorryDoctor · 07/09/2024 14:37

It’s a year away and parenting a 1 year old is quite different to a 10 week old 💐 Try not to worry or overthink this holiday as it’s quite a long way away at the moment

suburberphobe · 25/02/2025 01:10

baby is 10 wks old, my partner thinks it's his time to do nothing, so does the bare minimum and leaves me to do everything.

I can't believe I've just read this.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread