"My mother-in-law wants to attend my delivery, what should I do?": an exhausted woman asks for advice
The moment of the birth of a child is one of the happiest and most unforgettable events for a mother and father; with the first child above all, the world changes radically when this long-desired firstborn comes into the world, but also the second, the third and so on. In short, the moment of delivery, for a pregnant mother at the end of her gestation is a moment in life that must be lived through with great attention and care, without prying eyes or indiscreet, unwanted or intrusive visitors!
via AITA/Reddit
An anonymous woman retold her unpleasant experience with her mother-in-law on Reddit; the expectant mother is 28 years old, her partner is 31 and both are expecting their first child, but not everything seems to be going well. In fact, it seems that, according to the woman's anonymous account, she is frequently being drawn into arguments with her partner because they disagree on an extremely important detail: she does not want her mother-in-law to be present at the time of the birth.
The 28-year-old mom-to-be tells her story in these words: "At the moment I am pregnant for the first time. My hospital recently changed its policy and now allows two people to attend in the delivery room. My mother-in-law has said from the beginning that she wanted to be there for the birth. But I explicitly stated that for me the time of delivery will be a private experience that will involve only my husband and the medical staff. I thought it was clear that this was not up for debate because it's my body we're talking about and I have the autonomy to decide who sees it in any situation, especially this one. Also, I don't even have a good relationship with my mother-in-law. "
But it didn't stop there: "My husband recently told me that we needed to discuss something. He started off by telling me that he mentioned the change of protocol about the second person in the delivery room to his mother. I tried not to react, but I immediately blurted out asking him why he would mention it, and he replied that his mother "really wants to be in the room to hear the baby take its first breath." The discussion continued back and forth and eventually, I started crying, I told him that the giving birth will be the most painful and vulnerable experience of my life and that I needed him to protect me. I told him that anyone who refuses to protect their pregnant partner is a disappointing person and is just a burden in the delivery room."
Despite pressure from her husband, who later also called her "rude" and her mother-in-law, most Reddit users have taken a stand and sided with the future mother.
How would you have reacted if you had been in her shoes?
