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Ethical dilemmas

MiL has caused irreparable damage (abusive bully)

51 replies

ZayM · 14/01/2024 13:06

I found out just before Christmas I was pregnant. It was not planned, as we didn't think we could conceive given issues both sides re fertility.

26 August hubby left for work (Royal Marine). He returned late November. We had sex pretty much every day of that week before he deployed. My periods are not regular.(some months nothing, other months can last 3 weeks).

Based on the limited info and check, was told could be anywhere between 18 to 20 weeks.

Essentially, she was insinuating H is not father. Compounded with her general behaviour, It devastated me.

She as a person is hugely manipulative. Twists information, makes accusations, lies. She is just toxic and interfering. Ridiculous at times. I work from home... apparently I need to get off my arse and get a 'real job'. Not sure how my fake income pays for expenses, but hey - can't please everyone. I have so many stories of her behaviour I'd probably crash the site if I posted it all. One of my favourites was her literally turning the lights off, while I was reading a book and having a cup of tea. Essentially telling a 38 year old it's bed time. But previous evening she was on the gin and they were playing games and chatting until 4am. I think she hates me as she has never been able to solicit a reaction from me. I do genuinely believe that. A few months prior to switching lights off incident, H's brother relationship ended, on grounds that MiL is too involved.

I'm not going to lie and say everything with me and H are perfect. It's not. We were working on things within our marriage. Conceiving was difficult, his job with minimal contact for longer periods... we had a few bits to work through. But we took action and started counselling together.

My last straw was over Christmas. I had enough. She was threatening to call my mother re. pregnancy (in the middle of the night). She just went bloody loopy...

In the end it was squashed when she messaged my father, thinking she was 'telling on me'. What she got was a response saying we H and myself are married adults, and quite capable of sorting private matters. That even if he didn't know it was not her news to tell. That H is the father, and should he want, I would happily have a paternity test.

Paternity is definitely not an issue. I have not been intimate with anyone outside my husband for the last 7 years.

What was devastating is that she planted that doubt, and my husband didn't immediately shut it down. He knows me. I would never be unfaithful. That no matter what we go through there is a lot of love and we have never questioned one another on things like this.

I don't know if the timelines are wrong or right. I am really confused with everything going on right now. Is there a possibility that they made a mistake, or something has been misinterpreted. I hope it can clear up soon so I can shut her down on that. H came to his senses after a week and we are now dealing with this on top of the other stuff.

I'm just so angry and sad that she took something beautiful and made it ugly. That looking back I'm going to remember all the hurt and issues it caused. Including H questioning if he wants a divorce.

We are getting ok now... but this is something I think will take a very long time to resolve for all parties.

Anyone around that knows or has gone through a similar thing on dates?

Would I be an aHole to say I don't want her in my life and our child's life?

OP posts:
SunshineAutumnday · 14/01/2024 14:36

Congratulations on your pregnancy, wonderful news.

For the present I'd advise no contract or limited contact with your MIL, until you've reached a decision on the future. Her behaviour towards, is unkind, mean and cruel. I doubt she'll change and maybe be worse once the baby arrives.

Enjoy the rest of your pregnancy without the toxic, negative and cruel people.

My DH is NC with my mother due to her appalling behaviour and I support him every step of the way. I think your DH needs to have words with mother.

Quitelikeit · 14/01/2024 14:38

Why are you giving this woman headspace?

Go v v low contact. Do not bother interfering in your husbands relationship with her - let him crack on and see her whenever he wants

You tell him she has crossed a line and you do not want to see her going forward.

Then don’t let her live in your head rent free.

ToHellBackAndBeyond · 14/01/2024 14:41

She won't change and will ruin your lives if you keep her around.
Congratulations on the baby news.

BlueGrey1 · 14/01/2024 14:42

If she is saying bitchy things to you out of earshot of you H and FIL, you also say bitchy things to her out of earshot, this woman needs to fear you in order for her to stop
this little bitch is out to destroy your relationship and will do if you let her

Chaiandtoast · 14/01/2024 14:52

i do have sympathy because I know it’s difficult having a family member that behaves like that
but if DH didn’t listen to it, it would be irrelevant, it seems very odd he went to thinking he might want a divorce.

First main issue is why are you indulging MIL so much and letting so much drama be formed, You know she’s a bitch, don’t go stay in her house. Your op read like you all lived together for how involved in your business and relationship and life she is. And it seems like she’s treating you like a child, ‘telling’ on you and telling you to go to bed. what has given her the impression she’s in a position of authority, or that you need to prove anything to her? Obviously her being a bitch, but if you’re contributing to that in any way you need to stop
There’s no paternity issue to shut down, at least not with her. None of this is her business.

The second, bigger issue is DH. DH however needs to know how disgusted you are in him that he has both doubted you and allowed other people to publicly doubt and shame you. He hasn’t got your back. The damage was not done by MIL. It was done by DH. She acted appallingly but If my MIL had acted that way DH would have immediately told her to shut up, not be so rude and to mind her own business. There would have been no damage done.

GoingDownLikeBHS · 14/01/2024 14:54

OP are you or the MiL resident in France? Because France has different laws on grandparents access to children (sorry if I misunderstood)

Daffodilsandtuplips · 14/01/2024 15:13

I would not agree to a paternity test. If my dh asked for one I couldn’t look at him in the same way ever again. You know who the father of your baby is, you don’t have to prove it to anyone. Least of all his mother.
Cut all ties with her. Why does she know your period dates, who told her?

ZayM · 14/01/2024 15:22

Apologies if I created confusion.

H's parents own 3 properties. 1 up north and another Wales area.

We were in France on holiday when she started this really weird shit.

In terms of 'allowing'... we didn't realise or see any issues with regards to myself and my family. So there is contact as everyone gets on really well.

I have blocked her across all mediums. My family stated clearly they will not be involved in this. My father's message just stated that H and I are married, and we as adults should be talking if there are any of these 'issues'. That they will not get dragged into something that is private and between them. Outside any concerns of abuse, her messages are inappropriate and she needs to stop.

I think H is feeling like a bit of a dick as he is starting to see the problem. And him, his bro and father also told her to STOP.

They have left her in the house up North and staying in the other property. I can but assume his dad and bro are pretty pissed off.

I have blocked her but still on the 'family' group... and she had obviously messaged something, as H's bro in all caps responded with 'you have too much time on your hands, and do you realise the ppl you are hurting is his son and them. Pretty much told her if I don't allow contact he wouldn't blame me.

So I think she effed up every relationship she has.

H didn't see the message... but I heard him say to her I don't want to know what you wrote, but to stop messaging me and my family.

He should have had that stance from the 'go', unfortunately he was foolish, and he agrees that she has over stepped.

OP posts:
ZayM · 14/01/2024 15:36

It's messy. I could write a novel on it with regards to how much shit she has caused.

I have a scan next week, and hope all is well. But I can without a doubt claim I am 100% certain it's H's child, as I have not been with another man under any circumstances. So if we include that we dated for 2 years, that is 9 years of certainty.

Unless I'm carrying Jesus it is not possible. End of!

H and I need to sort our shit. The penny hadn't dropped that his mommy implied H wanted a paternity test, it meant she is saying I was unfaithful. I could literally see on his face the penny dropped, and he did a 180 and told her to not contact me again.

OP posts:
ZayM · 14/01/2024 15:39

I don't know the laws on grandparents. But I simply don't want myself or my child near her.

OP posts:
legalseagull · 14/01/2024 15:40

ZayM · 14/01/2024 15:39

I don't know the laws on grandparents. But I simply don't want myself or my child near her.

Are you in the UK? If so she can't force contact

ZayM · 14/01/2024 15:49

H needs to figure out how to get my trust again as he shut himself off, and to that end allowed her behaviour.

She has thrown this grenade and now feels like a victim. Literally messaged my mum at like 2am that she was upset and all alone and it's hard to see us not working it out... she just manipulates and twists everything.

I don't understand what she is trying to achieve by sending a message like that to my mother. I don't know what she was and is trying to achieve. But it has created awful memories, as she made good news info something ugly. And it's going to be hard for me to forgive him... but on the MIL front. I want nothing to do with her. Ever!

OP posts:
Sicario · 14/01/2024 15:49

She is toxic. Remove her from your life by going completely No Contact, including with your child.

If she's unable to behave around you, it will be the same with your child. People like that cause untold damage. Your DH is probably "trauma bonded" to her. He will have to deal with that in his own time.

But in the meantime you have a choice, and you would be wise to choose to have nothing to do with her ever again.

Sicario · 14/01/2024 15:50

Tell your parents to block her number. Make sure she has no further access to you or any of your other family members. She is only looking to cause drama and chaos.

Mrgrinch · 14/01/2024 15:55

You both need to cut her out. Do not ever let her near your child. She's an absolute psycho.

Ponderingwindow · 14/01/2024 15:55

Your MIL is awful. For now, go extremely limited contact. Full no contact is actually very difficult and your marriage doesn’t need that strain. You can revise later, but just taking a huge step back will probably be sufficient.

i think you are being unfair to your husband. Even in the strongest marriage, anyone might be scared that the accusation could be true. That he took a bit to consider and needed to discuss with you is not unreasonable.

MillicentRogers · 14/01/2024 16:00

She sounds unhinged but the problems lies with your husband, not her.

Spirallingdownwards · 14/01/2024 16:06

The fact she has said you two aren't working this out means she still doesn't believe it's his baby.

He should tell her there is absolutely nothing to work out but on the basis she doesn't believe it is her grandchild she will be having nothing to do with the child ever. Otherwise at some stage she will be implying to the child that mummy was unfaithful and daddy isn't daddy really. Don't let her near them.

Coyoacan · 14/01/2024 16:35

I can understand your feeling of betrayal that your DH even thought for a minute that this might be true, but he was brought up by that toxic woman.

My MIL went through that with her own MIL.

BlueGrey1 · 14/01/2024 16:36

I would tell your husband to tell your MIL to stop sending silly manipulative texts to your parents, you father has already confirmed to her that ye are adults and can handle situations yourselves

How many times does this old bat need to be told to behave herself!

BetrayedAuntie · 14/01/2024 17:15

theDudesmummy · 14/01/2024 13:13

What do you mean by your husband "didn't immediately shut it down"?

That's pretty self explanatory Confused

AllEars112232 · 15/01/2024 10:04

@ZayM You will get through this and I'm hopeful that you and your H will come out stronger from the shitshow his mother caused.
Congratulations on the baby!

theDudesmummy · 15/01/2024 10:22

@BetrayedAuntie Well I meant what exactly did he do and say in response to this terrible behaviour? What did he say to his mother about her behaviour? Not shutting it down could mean that he did nothing at all, which is what I was trying to establish, as that would be appalling.

rainbowstardrops · 15/01/2024 11:01

Well your MIL sounds batshit! I'd be encouraging your parents to block her on everything too.
Your DH is a different matter though and I'd be hugely hurt that he even considered for a second that the baby might not be his. If he is often deployed then he needs to trust you implicitly and you to him.
I think how he handles his mother now, will tell you all you need to know.

Codlingmoths · 15/01/2024 11:13

I would maintain a strong stance on the mil front: No, she won’t meet my baby. She didn’t think it was your baby so she won’t want to anyway.

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