Pregnancy can be the most magical time of a person’s life, but it can also be overwhelming if an individual doesn’t get the kind of support that they require. The issue is that sometimes, toxic family members might overshadow this wonderful time with their own drama.
This is what a lady had to deal with because her attention-seeking mother-in-law kept insisting that the unborn child was her baby, and that she was experiencing a phantom pregnancy. This obviously left the lady feeling unnerved and worried for her child’s safety.
More info: Reddit
When overbearing in-laws start interfering in a person’s pregnancy, it can end up causing stress and lead to a lot of conflict
Image credits: pressfoto / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The poster shared that she didn’t really have a bad relationship with her mother-in-law, but after she got pregnant, the older woman began pushing boundaries
Image credits: Freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The grandma-to-be kept insisting that she already had such a deep connection to the child, so she called it “her baby” and referred to her daughter-in-law as the “surrogate”
Image credits: bearfotos / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The poster’s mother-in-law also insisted that she was going through a phantom pregnancy, and tried to take control of her labor plans
Image credits: anon
Since the poster was just three weeks away from her delivery, she started feeling anxious about the situation, also because her partner kept justifying his mom’s actions
It seems like even though the OP and her significant other had been together for eleven years, she still struggled to connect with her mother-in-law. The poster explained that this was mainly because she didn’t know how to set boundaries and kept trying to please her partner’s mom, which was a tough habit to change.
Although it might seem obvious that the best way to set rules with other people is to talk to them, sometimes even this may not work. That’s why counsellors explain that people should seek professional help with boundary-setting, as this could help them approach the situation in a different way.
So far, the poster was just trying her best to handle her pregnancy without giving in to her mother-in-law’s crazy comments and demands. Unfortunately, it was a lot to handle since the older woman kept calling her unborn grandchild “her baby,” and she also claimed to be experiencing phantom pregnancy symptoms.
According to medical professionals, it is actually quite rare for a person to experience pseudocyesis, or false pregnancy, and if they are undergoing it, they must seek professional help. This is because a person dealing with the condition might experience phantom symptoms like the “baby” kicking, their belly getting bigger, or nausea.
Image credits: SkelDry / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The poster was obviously quite concerned about her mother-in-law’s insistence on taking over the pregnancy. She didn’t like that the older woman was referring to the child as her baby, which is why she talked to her partner about it. He brushed off the situation and said that his mom was just excited, which is why she was getting carried away.
In situations like this, where a person might be dealing with overbearing in-laws, especially during pregnancy, it’s important for their significant other to step in. Experts explain that people should act as a bridge between their loved ones and parents so that their partner doesn’t have to bear the brunt of such interactions.
The problem is that the woman’s significant other wasn’t willing to stand up to his mom, and he kept justifying her behavior by saying that she was just looking forward to her grandchild’s birth. That’s why the poster had to deal with her mother-in-law's comments and jabs on her own, which was tough.
Apart from the conversations about her phantom pregnancy and her daughter-in-law being like a “surrogate,” the older woman also tried to take control of the OP’s labor plans. All of this made the poster quite uncomfortable, especially since she was fast approaching her due date.
What do you think can be done to curb the overbearing behavior of such in-laws? Do share your thoughts down below, and let us know if you’ve ever faced such toxic relatives.
Folks were shocked by the mother-in-law’s comments and urged the woman to take a strong stance with her partner so that he could control his mom
