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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Overbearing MIL. How often does your MIL visit?

22 replies

NameChange433 · 18/01/2022 13:33

I’m just curious to see how often other MIL’s visit when you have a new baby?

OP posts:
Grasping · 18/01/2022 13:35

Once or twice a week minimum

Drinkingallthewine · 18/01/2022 14:20

We lived about 40 mins drive away so it was probably every fortnight or three weeks. They would either come to visit here, or we would go for the weekend to theirs. It would always be arranged by text first and there were never any issues if it wasn't convenient for any reason.

When we moved to the same village as them, we would see them a lot more often. I'd usually see them once or twice a week in total, with DP probably seeing them more often than that to help them out with paperwork or DIY in their house.

But my ILs were absolutely lovely people and I was heartbroken when they passed. I still miss them.

hoomae · 18/01/2022 14:21

My MIL was SO overbearing when I had my first baby. She started turning up unannounced every single day (sometimes with friends) for the first 3 months. Eventually got my partner to say something but it took a few chats before she actually listened. It makes me so angry thinking back to this. Wish I hadn't put up with it for so long.

She probably visits 3/4 times a week now but it's because she provides childcare etc for us.

In an ideal world, I would see her once a week.

Billandben444 · 18/01/2022 16:41

She probably visits 3/4 times a week now but it's because she provides childcare etc for us. In an ideal world, I would see her once a week.
Wow.

Grasping · 18/01/2022 16:46

That’s what I thought too @Billandben444!

Nap1983 · 18/01/2022 16:52

@hoomae

My MIL was SO overbearing when I had my first baby. She started turning up unannounced every single day (sometimes with friends) for the first 3 months. Eventually got my partner to say something but it took a few chats before she actually listened. It makes me so angry thinking back to this. Wish I hadn't put up with it for so long.

She probably visits 3/4 times a week now but it's because she provides childcare etc for us.

In an ideal world, I would see her once a week.

That might be one of the most selfish things I’ve ever read on MN and that’s saying something 😳
hoomae · 18/01/2022 18:31

oh no, is it because I said ideally I would see her once a week? 🙈. I'm
Not a horrible cow I promise!!

I massively appreciate her help but she is very overbearing and would move in and take over given half a chance.

MooPointCowsOpinion · 18/01/2022 18:39

Looking back I think I was quite mean to my ILs when we had our first. We had the first grandchild, there were no babies or children in the family at all and they just wanted to be involved. But I had such anxiety and I felt so judged by them and so stressed being a first time mum. I wish I had just been honest and said it’s all too hard, rather than being standoffish and making my husband send them away.
I see them a lot now, it’s always lovely.

user1958493 · 18/01/2022 18:45

@hoomae I read that as in your MIL was selfish, not you. You have my full sympathy !

JustWonderingIfYou · 18/01/2022 18:48

Mine turned up everyday when I had a newborn. Promised to stay for only an hour but would still be there 8 hours later eating my dinner! The days she didn't turn up, our presence at demanded at hers.

It was awful and makes me quite sad to look back on. I was struggling to feed and just needed quiet skin to skin time with he baby but she always wanted to hold him. Made it really awkward for dp and I to work together as parents as she was always there. She is a lovely woman and means well but the complete opposite of me in that she loves company and is an extrovert who takes over everything.

We have moved now for the next baby Grin

Santahasjoinedww · 18/01/2022 18:49

Been 7 years since she crossed my threshold!!

MintyGreenDream · 18/01/2022 18:51

Rarely as shes entitled and believes everyone should visit her.She lives 2 mins drive away.

80sMum · 18/01/2022 18:53

I'm a MIL. I visited DIL and baby in the hospital post-birth and after that I only visited when requested.

I would never dream of turning up at anyone's house unexpectedly.

RoseMartha · 18/01/2022 20:01

When my now teens were babies my mil at the time visited once each baby.
Having said that pre dc (10 years), she visited once.
Total visits while we were married for over 20 years from mil were 5.
When invited she declined and expected us to visit her.

thetruthisout · 18/01/2022 22:52

Basically when we need her or she needs us. I'm happy for her to live here instead of going in to a nursing home but only if I'm swapping DP for her. I can only look after one at a time so he will have to foxtrot Oscar.

D0lphine · 18/01/2022 23:00

So many people here had their mat leaves ruined.

Grow a backbone and say "no, not today" for goodness sake!

Billandben444 · 19/01/2022 07:26

Basically when we need her or she needs us. I'm happy for her to live here instead of going in to a nursing home but only if I'm swapping DP for her. I can only look after one at a time so he will have to foxtrot Oscar.

GrinGrinGrin

Ragwort · 19/01/2022 07:39

My MIL (& my DPs) both lived over 100 miles away from us when we had our DC. My MIL did the round trip in a day to visit me in hospital when I had just given birth ... I am now the same age as she was at the time and looking back it was a very kind thing to do, stressful drive, not sure I'd do it.

Anyway, we never had unannounced visits of overbearing behaviour because of the distances involved.

Grasping · 19/01/2022 07:43

@D0lphine

So many people here had their mat leaves ruined.

Grow a backbone and say "no, not today" for goodness sake!

So many? Really?

What about DMs visiting. Is that ok I wonder.
Why the MiL hatred. I always try to treat DM and MiL the same.

Grasping · 19/01/2022 07:44

Is this ‘ruined’ the same as Christmas being ‘ruined’ because you run out of wrapping paper.

ChubbyMorticia · 19/01/2022 16:56

I can’t speak for everyone, but my sense is that the primary difference is due to relationship. For many women, they have a closer relationship with their own mother than MIL, so it simply makes sense that when you’re feeling most vulnerable and emotionally raw, you’d turn to the person closer to you. If there’s EVER a time to put your own feelings and comfort first, it’s labour/delivery/post partum!

I think it’s probably unusual that someone has as close (or closer) a relationship with in-laws as their own parents.

It’s fairly easy to solve, though. Husband hosts his parents when available, Wife hosts hers. Anything more should be viewed as bonus vs expected.

I think expecting a DIL to treat her MIL exactly as she does her own mother is probably where a lot of issues stem from. The relationship simply isn’t the same for most people. Weirdly, I’ve never seen anyone complain that a SIL doesn’t treat his MIL like his own mother.

And the relationship pre-baby isn’t magically going to be closer after. I’ll never understand parents/in-laws/extended family who saw the couple a few times a year pre pregnancy expecting to reside up their nose after baby arrives.

AuntieMarys · 19/01/2022 17:01

Saw mine twice for 2 hours in the first year post birth. Suited us both.

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