Hi. I'm planning to try for my first baby.
I (32F) fell pregnant last year which resulted in an early miscarriage. Anyhow before the loss my mum automatically volunteered to be at the birth. She was quite enthusiastic about being there.
This is nice and all, cause she's experienced. So it would be helpful. But I don't think I want her there.
My reasons:
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I feel uncomfortable about her seeing my parts in such a way. I know it's natural but I feel I am quite prudish and prefer to keep it between me and my partner. It will be hard enough showing midwives but somehow that feels less worse than my own mum seeing. As I'd worry she would remember. And talk about it to others after (the birth). I remember asking her not to tell anyone when I started my period and she told others.
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My mum in general is a nice person who speaks about people in mostly a positive way. She clearly admires some people. We have a decent relationship but sometimes she gives off a bit of a superior vibe. Like she is quite vain about herself and makes out that nobody could deal with the stresses she has had to endure. She sort of downplays a lot of the times I have helped her too and makes out she has done most things solo.
I feel like if she came to my birth or witnessed me in those first few days she would point out what she did better or what she put up with and how hard it was for her etc and basically make the whole thing about her.
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She has adhd and a short attention span and often ignores me for her phone, social media and constantly has relationship dramas etc. Obviously noone is perfect but sometimes I feel only interesting to her if I have something dramatic happening. We don't often discuss my feelings in detail and our conversations are usually more about her or other people. I don't want my birth to be a source of entertainment for her. I can imagine her videoing me in embarrassing states and showing her partner/friends/laughing about it and me not feeling comfortable. She often pushes me to take pictures with her when I don't look my best.
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when I mentioned wanting a water birth, she said "OH NO you don't want one of those!"
I said, "why not? I like the idea." And then she mentioned wanting one for herself but never being able to have one. So strange that she was against me having one.
She is a fine mum and there are definitely worse mum's out there, but as much as we get on I sometimes feel like my mum doesn't have my best interest at heart, all of the time anyway. I don't know.
In a way I'd like the privacy of just me and my partner. But sometimes I think it would be useful to have my mum's expertise and support. It's a shame I don't feel a very maternal bond from her and she feels more like a big sister that is too wrapped up in her own life.