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MIL 'talking telepathically' to baby in my womb and has named him

89 replies

KoiMama · 22/07/2024 13:23

My MIL has said she talks to my baby who is still in my womb. She did this with my first child and is now doing it again with my second. She says things in passing like "we talk a lot" / "all the time". My DH and I also have a name for our baby but are keeping it secret until the birth, but in the meantime she told us that she has a name for him and now whenever she asks me how I am doing she will refer to him as this name "how is xx doing?" - like it's just decided. (It's also a name that I can't stand). With my first baby I felt she was so overbearing, she would never ask if she could hold the baby she would just look at the baby and say "oh come here" and reach her hands out and basically make it impossible for me to refuse without saying no - which would seem unreasonable. But it's the feeling of having a right to them. She also to this day never greets me first, she will first make eye contact with my DD and greet and talk to her, and then say hello to me. It's just a constant feeling like she sees them as her children and I was just a delivery vehicle for them. Every time it's been my birthday or an occasion since she will also say things like "thank you for being a wonderful mother to OUR (DD's name)" - again as if the child is theirs and as the mother I am just playing a role in service to them. I feel frustrated, a loss of confidence and a feeling like I just don't even know how to respond. Am I being silly/overly controlling myself? How would you feel about this?

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KoiMama · 29/07/2024 08:46

haha thank you. A hard stance.

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KoiMama · 29/07/2024 08:47

It's a spiritual / mystic thing :/

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KoiMama · 29/07/2024 08:48

He kind of ignores it, he doesn't take her seriously and says I really shouldn't take it seriously either... But it's just like a mother's instinct of protection I can't help and it's exactly as someone else said in the thread - a strange sense of wanting ownership.

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KoiMama · 29/07/2024 08:51

Ah thank you for sharing. This is exactly the kind of belief system we are talking about here. Very much into talking to ancestors, using essential oils, existence of aliens, ayurverdic medicine etc. - I guess these people are searching for meaning. I have always kind of let it slide because I really think it's more about bringing attention to herself than anything else. (They get to look alternative I guess?) - But it is a different story when you start engaging with my children in this way and makes me feel really uncomfortable.

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Sugargliderwombat · 29/07/2024 09:22

Wow this is very bizarre! Id find this very possessive and controlling. It's almost like a power struggle, a way of saying 'I've got a connection, too!'.

Edingril · 29/07/2024 09:26

Ssb85 · 28/07/2024 18:02

This is actually a form of witchcraft divination. And I would be raging at anyone attempting this with my children, in womb or outside womb. As a Christian, I would pray against it and command it to stop. As a mother, I would be putting boundaries in place as regardless of what she’s doing she’s taking “ownership” and it’s unhealthy. I don’t know what your beliefs are, but witchcraft comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes and sometimes can even appear harmless but it’s very real.

Not sure what sounds more bizarre this or what the op has said

KoiMama · 29/07/2024 12:31

Sugargliderwombat · 29/07/2024 09:22

Wow this is very bizarre! Id find this very possessive and controlling. It's almost like a power struggle, a way of saying 'I've got a connection, too!'.

Yes exactly!

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MarkWithaC · 29/07/2024 12:46

Edingril · 29/07/2024 09:26

Not sure what sounds more bizarre this or what the op has said

I know. It assumes that a) the world works according to the beliefs of one religion only and that b) witchcraft is part of this world and is always and only sinister.

JetLagHell · 29/07/2024 12:53

I love ImTheProblem’s responses to her MIL.

RivkaTheBold · 29/07/2024 14:29

She's a weirdo.

What name does she think he's called?

KoiMama · 30/07/2024 09:38

MarkWithaC · 29/07/2024 12:46

I know. It assumes that a) the world works according to the beliefs of one religion only and that b) witchcraft is part of this world and is always and only sinister.

That's exactly the assumption yes. Because when you actually believe something, you believe it. Just like your assumption that a) the world doesn't work according to this particular religion and b) witchcraft is not part of this world and is not only sinister - Those are your assumptions based on your beliefs. Does not make it true. It is just what you believe. You could be wrong, you could be right.

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PerkyMintDeer · 30/07/2024 09:48

“XX? Good Lord, MIL, we’re not calling him that! What a horrid name!”

”Look, I’m feeling a bit tetchy today MIL, please can you not do the thing where you pretend you are psychically communicating with my unborn child? I’m finding it really irritating - pregnancy hormones - and it just seems a bit silly!”

Maybe do what she does to you, don’t make eye contact and communicate through DD before acknowledging her. “Oh it’s Nana. Why don’t you ask Nana if she’d like to see your new toy? Ask Nana if she’d like a cup of tea?”

If she says anything, “To be honest MIL, I think you sometimes forget I’m a person in my own right. It’s like you just see me as the bearer of your grandchildren. I’m hurt when you take the baby off me without asking and don’t even say hello or make eye contact with me before you go straight to DD. I am a person too, and it’s not very nice to be sidelined in my own home.”

With the caveat that I am ND and can be “blunt”.

MarkWithaC · 30/07/2024 09:50

KoiMama · 30/07/2024 09:38

That's exactly the assumption yes. Because when you actually believe something, you believe it. Just like your assumption that a) the world doesn't work according to this particular religion and b) witchcraft is not part of this world and is not only sinister - Those are your assumptions based on your beliefs. Does not make it true. It is just what you believe. You could be wrong, you could be right.

OK yep, sure.

KoiMama · 30/07/2024 10:13

WoopsLiza · 26/07/2024 09:52

I think what you are dealing with is someone who is pathologically incapable of asserting herself to adults, but who is at the same time is controlling and with a high degree of anxiety about her lack of control. In her personal relationships she has developed methods to make demands for example about what the baby should be called, in such a way as to avoid being challenged on (its not my idea, the baby told me).

You may or may not feel compassionate about the reasons she is like that but whatever I think the way to deal with it is to reflect back and voice the demands she pretends she is not making in the first place: "Oh you really like the name [x] for the baby". Or when she is holding her arms out: "Oh you'd like to hold him, Mil, but I just want him to settle with me for now".

Basically, every time you feel the unspoken demand, speak it. Doing this a way that ascribes positive intentions to her is the least conflictual way of doing this, it gives her space to step into her request rather than double down on the batshit origin she has ascribed it (the baby is now SHOUTING!).

I well remeber the pressure I felt to sort of give in to requests around my babies, for example about holding them when they were tired, or spoonfeeding them when I wanted them to feed themselves, but I also found that it is enormously healing to be able to draw boundaries around your chukdren that you were not able to have for yourself as a child.

This was so intelligent and insightful. Thank you wow

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