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To go no contact with PIL

92 replies

ZippySeal · 04/06/2024 17:21

Drama started when I got pregnant. I had pre natal depression and had a hard time coming to terms I was going to have a baby, the baby was wanted but I needed time to work that out with my partner in my own time and I let everyone know that.
Because of that I had a breakdown when my mil bought cakes and a gift basket for me 2 weeks after I found out I was pregnant, but my partner explained my situation to them and they understood.
After that I told my partner I wanted to keep the ultrasound between us until I felt ready to share as I found to get my head around straight away. Partner explained to pil who said they had be waiting all day for the photo and were upset that I wouldn't give it to them, they said I was cutting them out even though I explained my reasoning.
After this I told everyone in the family not to buy any clothes, mil rings dp and cried down the phone to be later rung back with fil calling me manipulative for making my partner do things my way ( my partner didn't mind and understood my situation).
Consistently everytime I saw her she mentioned the pregnancy, asking me questions and getting drunk and making comments after we both have said copious amounts of times I don't want to discuss it. Partner messaged her loads and said it in person but she still didn't stop. She said my baby was craving kfc when I was eating a kfc, I told her right there and then I'd rather not discuss it to which she cried and told dp I was being rude.
I told everyone the same thing, no favouritism and everyone except them was accepting. I said once he's born I'm not stopping anyone seeing him and I want it to be happy families but atm I want privacy and for my boundaries to be accepted.
After baby born it was all fine and I had to accept I wasn't going to get an apology from them and that I should just move on for my partners sake. We'll they've been spam calling me every time baby goes to gp for reflux because she wants information and is worrying for his health and said he might have a genetic disorder based on him crying all the time, i told her this wasnt good for mt anxiety and i wasnt happy and she kept on about not caring it caused me stress as a ftm. I'm angry and they don't get why so I told her where to go and to f off. I've had enough they're never wrong and never accept any criticism or boundaries. I've gone no contact now, allowing them to see baby with me present but we won't be talking to each other. Fil doesn't want to talk to me again either apparently.
Basically aibu to just not talk or involve myself with them again.

OP posts:
ButterCrackers · 04/06/2024 18:04

Focus in on you, your baby and partner. Let your dp do the pil contact. Get mental health support. You are doing your best.

saraclara · 04/06/2024 18:08

Prawncow · 04/06/2024 17:58

No-one is hard of thinking. The tone of the thread is actively recognising that she's mentally unwell, and acknowledging that AND was/is a factor.

Anyone suggesting that she's being reasonable and that she goes NC with them is not helping her.

Prawncow · 04/06/2024 18:12

they've been spam calling me every time baby goes to gp for reflux because she wants information and is worrying for his health and said he might have a genetic disorder based on him crying all the time,

That kind of behaviour from the ILs isn’t something the OP needs right now. I don’t think it’s at all unreasonable to avoid them for now.

user1984778379202 · 04/06/2024 18:15

I think if my DIL was visibly pregnant at a family get together but had banned everyone from mentioning the fact she was having a baby I'd be worried and would have to say something too. It sounds like your PIL's concern is well meaning, if badly executed.

Did you ban your own parents from talking about their future grandchild in your presence?

SapphireOpal · 04/06/2024 18:20

If you were so anxious about the pregnancy why did your PIL even know 2 weeks after you found out?

I wouldn't have dreamed of telling anyone before my scan if I wanted everyone to act like I wasn't pregnant?

Beautifulbythebay · 04/06/2024 18:20

I read the other thread about pil.. Step back op. Tell dp you don't want to hear about their messages... He can update them if he wishes... Your mh is taken a knocking. That's what needs sorting not the pil... Dp isn't in the middle. He needs to be supporting you and only you. His dps need to stfu and leave you alone. Confide on your mw or hv. They won't judge...

SapphireOpal · 04/06/2024 18:21

And why do they know he's going to the GP for reflux?

Honestly, your DPIL sound quite overbearing but actually you could stop fuelling it by sharing so much information. You don't need to go NC, just stop with the detail.

LuluBlakey1 · 04/06/2024 18:21

I do think you sound like you were unwell and a bit over the top.
But, I think your PIL sound dreadful. Your MIL sounds unintelligent, offensive and a shit-stirrer and your FIL sounds a nasty bully. They seem to think they are 'entitled' where your baby is concerned. They aren't and have been very unsupportive of you.

I wouldn't want them near me or the baby.

What is your DP prepared to do?

SammyScrounge · 04/06/2024 18:22

I feel sorry for your inlaws who tried to be kind and concerned and yet had to suppress their excitement about the grandchild.

You say you had prenatal depression but everything all fine after the baby was born. Was it really? Your reactions are so over the top that maybe the depression is still lingering. Maybe MIL phones so often because she is worried about you and the baby.
One thing is for sure - if you carry on like this you will make yourself ill and deprive your boy of loving relationships with his grandparents and drive a wedge between your DH and.his parents and possibly between you and your husband.
Please seek help -health visitor or GPS will help you.
.

.

Beautifulbythebay · 04/06/2024 18:24

People need to read op's other thread. She really isn't in the wrong.

Hummingbirdie · 04/06/2024 18:24

You sound unstable and quite rude!! I think it’s nice that they wanted to get you a cake and they care about you and baby.

user1984778379202 · 04/06/2024 18:36

Beautifulbythebay · 04/06/2024 18:24

People need to read op's other thread. She really isn't in the wrong.

There are no other threads under this user name.

bloodyeffinnora · 04/06/2024 19:18

They sound normal grandparents to he honest, wanting to talk about the baby and showing an interest in the baby, it would have been really hard for them not to and very strange.
I wonder if there would also have been a problem if they hadn't shown any interest in the baby.
I feel like they can't win whatever they do.

ZippySeal · 04/06/2024 20:04

I get people have opinions but some of the comments about my ability of a parent are the reason people don't talk about mental health. Everyone's pro reach out for help until they see real mental health and they judge.

OP posts:
CadyEastman · 04/06/2024 20:06

ZippySeal · 04/06/2024 20:04

I get people have opinions but some of the comments about my ability of a parent are the reason people don't talk about mental health. Everyone's pro reach out for help until they see real mental health and they judge.

@ZippySeal I haven't seen any judgement. Most posters seem very concerned for you and your MH.

ZippySeal · 04/06/2024 20:07

I don't inform them my partner does!! And foe the person said oh well if they didn't taken an interest wjat would you have done. I would've been like that k god they've respected my wishes and are letting me do things in my own time. Did you even read the post that's what it's all about 🤣🤣🤣

OP posts:
ZippySeal · 04/06/2024 20:07

user1984778379202 · 04/06/2024 18:15

I think if my DIL was visibly pregnant at a family get together but had banned everyone from mentioning the fact she was having a baby I'd be worried and would have to say something too. It sounds like your PIL's concern is well meaning, if badly executed.

Did you ban your own parents from talking about their future grandchild in your presence?

Yep everyone!!

OP posts:
ZippySeal · 04/06/2024 20:12

I think the other thing is people are saying if I was them I'd have been concerned. They weren't concerned, they never expressed any concerns and instead completely ignore anything me or dh said even though they knew I was saying it because I needed to protect my mh. If they were concerned they would've reached out to dh and said I need help, but instead all they wanted was news, scan photos and to buy cute outfits and talk about it with me. I also said they could talk to dh privately about it as long as I wasn't brought into it so I'm not sure why they couldn't just keep a lid on it when it came to me seeing them irl.

OP posts:
StarbucksQueen1 · 04/06/2024 20:13

I hope you’re getting support from the GP for your mental health, especially as you’ve mentioned suicide?
I can understand you don’t want people interfering. Maybe your partner needs to stop telling his parents about your son’s appts? Surely he can talk to them and update about necessary things without giving them things to be worried about?

The fact your PIL haven’t respected your wishes is disrespectful so I get why you’d want to go no contact. Maybe they can see your son with your partner and not you?

Alwaysgothiccups · 04/06/2024 20:16

You are kinda being unreasonable in that that's an extreme reaction to them being a bit overbearing.. however it's totally understandable as you have post natal anxiety/depression. I know what that is like. You need to feel safe and these people make you feel unsafe by not respecting your boundaries and constantly harassing you when you've tried to explain how that makes you feel..
It really is on them as if they wanted a better relationship they could have read up and also just used their common sense, regarding anxiety in new mums.
I absolutely understand where you are coming from. I foubd my first pregnancy quite traumatic... felt like I wasn't in control of my own body.. I ended up with pnd. And people acting like you don't matter and are just a conduit for their precious grandchild just adds to it.
You were rude to them and some might say you overreacted... but they are to blame for not listening to you when you've repeatedly tried to explain how invaded you felt. How could you end up doing anything but overreacting?
I hope they come to their senses and apologise. It sounds like you have a supportive partner which is great.

Yesitriedyoga · 04/06/2024 20:20

OP, during my most recent pregnancy I was exactly the same. I'd had lots of miscarriages and just couldn't quite get to terms with the fact I might get to keep this one (I did, he's 13 months old and gorgeous). My MIL was horrendous. Lots of snippy comments, worse when she had had a drink. Couldn't understand why I didn't want her to buy a cot for her house. Cried when my husband said that we'd like some time without visitors when the baby was born to get our heads around the fact he was actually alive.

And yes, I was very anxious. I was very unwell. And people respecting those boundaries helped me get better, helped me trust them to help me and made me feel respected. I was under the care of the perinatal mental health team and everyone I saw said that it was entirely fine that I didn't want to discuss my pregnancy all day everyday. I even had it written into my birth plan that noone called me Mummy/Mum in hospital - apparently a common request. No baby shower for me, all that attention on my pregnancy would've been horrendous.

Asking someone without any medical training not to suggest vague genetic conditions is completely reasonable, so is drawing reasonable boundaries.

In the end, my husband had a chat with her explaining that he was always going to prioritise the mental health of his child's mother over and above anything else. It worked. Our relationship now is great, she's a doting grandmother who sees her grandson multiple times a week. Would it have been lovely if I could've been completely engaged with my pregnancy. Of course it would. Would I have preferred to be entirely mentally well? Absolutely. But I wasn't and so we did the things we needed to do to keep me, and ultimately my son, safe and well. I don't regret things for a moment. I don't think you should either.

Maddy70 · 04/06/2024 20:26

Honestly they sound great and normal. I would really look at getting support for your mental health. Your reaction and responses are not normal responses.

Livelovebehappy · 04/06/2024 20:42

You sound absolutely awful. A total nightmare. You’ve been setting them up to fail as soon as you found out you were pregnant by putting up unnecessary boundaries. I think for their sake you should go nc, but would hope you don’t expect your dp to do the same.

ZippySeal · 04/06/2024 20:50

Livelovebehappy · 04/06/2024 20:42

You sound absolutely awful. A total nightmare. You’ve been setting them up to fail as soon as you found out you were pregnant by putting up unnecessary boundaries. I think for their sake you should go nc, but would hope you don’t expect your dp to do the same.

Okay, so how come everyone else who received the EXACT same treatment understood, respected my boundaries and was supportive. They put their own priorities over my mental health, if I wanted them to fail I would've told them to f off long ago.

OP posts:
Ewock · 04/06/2024 20:58

Livelovebehappy · 04/06/2024 20:42

You sound absolutely awful. A total nightmare. You’ve been setting them up to fail as soon as you found out you were pregnant by putting up unnecessary boundaries. I think for their sake you should go nc, but would hope you don’t expect your dp to do the same.

Great understanding of mental health there..NOT
I hope to god no one you know has a mental health crisis as you sound bloody awful