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Husband mum broke her wrist and pubic bone and he wants to fly to Spain for 24 hours, leaving me, our 6 week old and our toddler behind

759 replies

DreamWaves · 09/05/2025 09:17

My husband’s mum had a bike accident and broke her wrist and pubic bone and can’t currently walk. She lives in Spain with her husband and daughter (we live in London). My brother in law is flying out to help. My husband also wants to fly out for 24 hours, more for ‘emotional support’ than anything and to ‘rally round’ their mum as a family. He wants to go as much for himself as for her.

However he’ll be leaving me alone with our 6 week old baby and toddler who arguably need him more, as there is plenty of support for his mum in Spain. He’s asked if my parents can come over and help, which is an inconvenience to them as they’ll have to spend the night and potentially cancel plans (and they’re both in their late 70s). My mum thinks my husband is being selfish as his priority should be us - he doesn’t seem to realise the knock on effect leaving me with two young kids would have and the extra work it creates for me, and extra pressure it puts on my parents. He said he’d stay if I ask him to but I know he’d think I was being insensitive to his mum’s plight. Is he being selfish or I am being unreasonable? Not sure how to play this one.

OP posts:
pleasedimfree · 09/05/2025 13:53

If it was my husband id be packing his bags and he could stay alot longer than a day.
It`s his mother not his ex wife fgs.
If you ever get hurt op do you want your kids to rally around for you to be sure your ok.
I dont have a mother but if it was my sister id be on the next flight out to singapore.
As some one said above if you cant cope with your own kids something is up how are you going to cope in the long run if an emergency happens.

ForkyDorky · 09/05/2025 13:53

Yeah I think you’re being unreasonable. I couldn’t wait for my husband to bugger off and leave me to fend for myself 🤣

ERthree · 09/05/2025 13:54

You need to get over yourself. Your Husband wants to see his mum after she has had a accident and you whining ? Hopefully your children will be caring like their Dad and not self centred.

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1SillySossij · 09/05/2025 13:58

Bigcat25 · 09/05/2025 12:54

Be should actually go a bit later on to give her main carers a break.

Yeah I am just wondering whether would be more beneficial to his mother to go in a week or so, when other people have left

WithOnlyTheMemories · 09/05/2025 14:00

YABU

ClearFruit · 09/05/2025 14:01

DreamWaves · 09/05/2025 12:46

Wow shocked by some of the responses here. As I said I’ve told him he must go so it’s up to him now.

Checking out now as I’ve got what I needed from this thread.

It's Mumsnet....

pleasedimfree · 09/05/2025 14:01

DreamWaves · 09/05/2025 12:46

Wow shocked by some of the responses here. As I said I’ve told him he must go so it’s up to him now.

Checking out now as I’ve got what I needed from this thread.

Checking out because you dont like the truth.
You told him he must go lol not what it sounds like in you main posts.

andweallloveclover · 09/05/2025 14:02

CovidMemories · 09/05/2025 12:58

She hasn't got zero help. She's got three close family members with her!

This thread is baffling.

Sure, the OP should be able to cope without her DH for 24 hours. Or even longer, if there was an actual emergency he had to attend to.

What's baffling is why someone in hospital, who doesn't have a life threatening illness, needs four people to support her.

You are missing the point. Its not the needing to be there its the wanting to be there. To see his Mum after she has had an accident. Most people whose parent had an accident like this would want to go to them, despite how many other people will also be there for her.

RoxyRoo2011 · 09/05/2025 14:02

I cannot believe you’d begrudge your husband visiting his mum after what sounds like a horrible accident. It’s one day. One day. You sound unbelievably selfish.

lifeonmars100 · 09/05/2025 14:08

I hear what you are saying about worrying in relation to being alone with a baby and a toddler. that is natural. I did not notice any sympathy for your badly injured mother in law or any understanding that your husband obviously cares for his mum and wants to see her. You will cope, you might even surprise yourself how well it goes and if it doesn't he won't be gone for long.

WiddlinDiddlin · 09/05/2025 14:08

@DreamWaves I don't think you were being unreasonable at all - his Mum has loads of support, he'd not be going for any practical reasons at all, he could speak to her on the phone or video call, he's going because 'its what you do' as you say to 'rally round'...

Sounds like his Mum is sensible and practical even if he isn't. Of course you'd cope if there was an actual emergency, but someone with a husband, a live in adult daughter and yet more family coming in this situation is not an actual emergency.

Mh67 · 09/05/2025 14:08

Why on earth can't young parents cope on their own. There was no male paternity leave I had a baby plus 2 year old and it was fine

AzurePanda · 09/05/2025 14:11

@Mh67 mine are in their 20’s now but my DH got 2 days paternity leave and that included the birth.

ChelleMum85 · 09/05/2025 14:13
Downton Abbey Eye Roll GIF

Woman-up...for the love of God. You'll be asking him to wipe your arse next and to hold your hand while you sit on the loo.

Enthusiasticcarrotgrower · 09/05/2025 14:13

Tell him to bring the toddler.

Muffinmam · 09/05/2025 14:13

It’s 24 hours. Suck it up.

Enthusiasticcarrotgrower · 09/05/2025 14:14

ChelleMum85 · 09/05/2025 14:13

Woman-up...for the love of God. You'll be asking him to wipe your arse next and to hold your hand while you sit on the loo.

Wow, this thread has really brought out the bitches.

Musclewoman · 09/05/2025 14:14

I had newborn twins on my own! You can manage....I feel like you resent him wanting to visit his mum for some reason...?

Arina22 · 09/05/2025 14:14

This is one of the coldest posts that ive read on here.

You sound extremely cold OP.

It's only one day. His mum has been in an accident and has broken two bones.

ThePenguinIsDrunk · 09/05/2025 14:15

CantStopMoving · 09/05/2025 13:37

Why does he need to be of any help? He wants to give her a hug and check she’s ok in person hence the quick visit.

my grandfather had a fall and was fine in hospital but suddenly died a day later so dismissing this as not serious without any idea of their age/ health is pretty awful. Any serious accident once you get older can cause serious consequences. Hopefully all of done for the OP’s mum but you can’t be dismissive that people bounce back from things like this. I am sure the OP’s husband just want to reassure himself she’s ok.

Edited

So it's about him not her then? I still think the same - it's him going out there to make himself feel better about being a 'good son' and not to help out his mum. I just can't understand this attitude that he should ditch his wife who has a 6 week old baby to cope with and rush off to see his mum when it serves no one.

Arina22 · 09/05/2025 14:15

Enthusiasticcarrotgrower · 09/05/2025 14:14

Wow, this thread has really brought out the bitches.

I think some of us are rightly shocked that she cant manage for ONE day without her partner. And that she would stop him from going to see his mum who has been in a bad accident.

Mischance · 09/05/2025 14:21

He must feel very torn poor man. I think 24 hours for emotional support is the right way forward.

CantStopMoving · 09/05/2025 14:21

ThePenguinIsDrunk · 09/05/2025 14:15

So it's about him not her then? I still think the same - it's him going out there to make himself feel better about being a 'good son' and not to help out his mum. I just can't understand this attitude that he should ditch his wife who has a 6 week old baby to cope with and rush off to see his mum when it serves no one.

yeah it is for him. I don’t think there is anything wrong with that. If I was the OP I’d have booked his flight myself and told him to stay for 2-3 days.

survivalinsufficient · 09/05/2025 14:22

You’re being borderline cruel.

Would you not want to see your elderly Mum after a traumatic accident?

crosstalk · 09/05/2025 14:22

I'm not sure why the mum needs him? if I were that mum with a husband and daughter by my side and another son arriving as back up, I'd be telling the other son with the newborn and toddler firmly to stay back. Yes, it's a painful injury, but she needs rest, care and pain relief - and for her husband to take time off work if he's still working. No, it isn't that long, but it's a needless expense.