Being a brand-new mom can be an incredibly tough and exhausting experience. That's why newborn parents need tons of support and approximately zero judgment. But one new mom got the exact opposite of that, and it came from guess who? Her in-laws.
The woman complained about the experience in a Reddit post where she explained what happened when her in-laws came over to meet the baby.
"My husband's family had been pressuring us to visit to meet the baby," she began. "I tried to hold them off as much as I could but yesterday, I was surprised to find them standing on the porch. turns out hubby invited them for dinner."
The new mom was certainly not prepared for company. "I was embarrassed and felt like I wasn't ready for visitors (judgemental ones at that ) cause the house was a M.E.S.S y'all," she writes. It's certainly a relatable experience. But anyone who knows anything about babies, or postpartum, would hopefully be a little bit understanding of the mess.
However, that wasn't the case. "Anyways, my husband sat with them while I fed my son then later I asked my husband if we should order take out for dinner," she continued. "He said 'NO' because his parents would find this rude and unwelcoming. He suggested that I go inside the kitchen and prepare something, anything long as it's 'homemade.'"
Uh, wow. Bold move there, hubs. But OK.
The new mom didn't have anything ready to go, so she did the best she could in the uncomfortable circumstance. "I said fine then went and made some Mac N cheese," she explained. "The reason I prepared this meal is because of how easy it is."
That didn't exactly please the in-laws. "Once I served the family, My husband's mom looked at me and was appalled. I noticed something was wrong. She asked if I really found it 'appropriate' to serve her and the family Mac N cheese."
We're starting to see where this woman's husband gets his tact from. And grandma wasn't finished: "I asked why not and she went on a rant about how disrespectful this was and that I clearly have no experience in what is right and wrong when it comes to hosting."
Of course, this new mom didn't exactly ask for company, and she was quick to defend herself: "I said excuse me? Who said I signed up to host an expected visit from them and she took it as in I didn't want them there."
The whole thing resulted in one epic blowout. And the husband? Well, he stayed on the phone with his parents for an hour after they went home angry. He gave his wife — the mother of his 4-week-old — the "cold shoulder."
Luckily, the new mom found some support in the online community where she shared the story. But it seems like she has her work cut out for her with her husband's family.
Is it wrong for a tired postpartum mom to serve a simple dish like mac and cheese? Or should the in-laws have maybe brought something to eat instead?
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