July 2015 Moms

Congrats?

So this isn't anything too much to deal with my pregnancy but thought id check here for opinions.
I'm 22 years old having my first baby. Due July 7th. My 40 year old mom decided to inform me yesterday she is also expecting. She decided she wanted another after I found out I was pregnant and I asked her not to. I am feeling a little slighted and feel like my son is being gipped out of a normal relationship with his grandparents now. Am I being overly sensitive due to all these crazy hormones? I am too angry I don't even want her in the birthing room anymore. What do I do?

Re: Congrats?

  • This is a pretty strange situation. I don't blame you for being upset, my mom and I are really close and I know how much she loves babies and wishes she could have another buti agree with you that she should just be a grandparent at this point. However, if you guys are really close then you're going to have to forgive her at some point and I always feel that no matter the situation the baby didn't chose it and you will love the baby.
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  • I definitely would have been upset. I don't think you are over reacting. My mother offered to carry a baby for me because we were afraid I wouldn't be able to (due to a surgery 3yrs ago), & I kindly declined...some situations are just weird & can make things uncomfortable.
    Eventually this will become your normal, but until then, I don't blame you for not wanting her in delivery. It's your moment, not hers. She will have her own moment in the delivery room later on.
  • I guess I get how you could feel that way.

    I personally would think it would be awesome if my mom had another. 
    But I do have an 11 year old brother right now so it's not that far-fetched.

    I have an almost 3 year old son who plays with my little brother like he's his cousin or brother. It's cute. And I love kids and so does my mom.

    I'd be super happy for her.
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  • I mean, it's her life. Her love for this new baby she's carrying won't diminish the amount of love she'll have for your baby (her first grandkid?). Love adds, not subtracts. 

    But still, that would be a really weird situation to experience and I think you're justified in struggling to accept and make peace with this recent news.


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  • beeishbeeish member

    You should be happy for your mother. Both of my SIL's got baby fever after DH and I announced that we were expecting, and now they're both pregnant as well. Instead of feeling like my thunder has been stolen, I'm extremely grateful for the fact that my son will have two cousins to grow up with. I know your situation is a little different because it's your mom, but she's still going to be your baby's grandmother, they'll still have a relationship, and you child will have an aunt/uncle to grow up with. You don't get to dictate how other people live their lives, and honestly you sound a little selfish in your original post. It's not unfair to you for her to decide that she wants to have another child; having babies is not a competition. I get that it's weird and you'll have to adjust, but I think it will ultimately be a positive thing for your family.

    This exactly!
  • Well... This is a hard situation... A bit selfish of you to assume she's only having another baby to one up you... But chalk it up to crazy hormones possibly. As for your son.. He won't care either way!! He's gonna have an aunt or an uncle his age and his grandparents the more people the better.
  • My mom had her third at 44...he will be 18 in September. He was my 19th birthday present lol. I am almost 37 with my second on the way. My little bro taught me alot about kids and being a mom. He is excited when he spends time with my kids as his other half siblings have kids but never had what we had relationship wise. He loves being an uncle! My mom has a twin sister who had hwr last at 42 and her oldest are 39. Her almost 21 year old hanga out with his 16 year old nephew. Your son will be lucky ro have a playmate close in age! I love my little bro so much-you need to adjust to sharing the spotlight. Baby is coming lol!
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  • I get that this is a little bit of a weird (unique) situation, but I think that you are actually coming across as a little selfish.

    I honestly can't imagine being in that situation and being pregnant and raising a baby at the same time as my mom, but the choice to have more kids or not have more kids is up to every couple to make. Asking her not to is unfair. Additionally, I don't think that her child will take away from your special time. Children are a blessing and love should multiply and not divide your family.

    I think it's totally possible that your hormones and general feelings that come with pregnancy could be slightly clouding your judgment here. It would be overwhelming for anyone to find out that their mom is expecting around the same time as them. It would be even more overwhelming to find out that your pregnancy is what made your parents decide to have more children. Add that to all of the pregnancy weirdness and you have a recipe for disaster of emotions.

    If having your mom in the room with you is something you would ordinarily want, then please think long and hard before changing that decision. I would hate for you to regret it later. If you all are close try not to let this ruin your relationship. Her baby isn't going to effect the relationship she has with your baby and vice versa.

    Good luck!

    PS. I guess I say all of this assuming that you all otherwise have a pretty normal relationship. If I am wrong and she is normally very competitive with you then that does paint things with a different brush.
  • You told someone to not have a baby? Ummmmmmmm, that's not your place. Andplusalso. "Gypped" is technically a racist word. While yes, I think it'd be a weird thing to experience with your mother, its def not your call on what she does. And if you think she'll make your delivery all about her pregnancy then don't have her In the room. But kicking her out just because she's pregnant is overboard.

    "Gypped" is racist? In what way? I'm honestly curious. I had no idea; I've always just heard it as a common phrase. 
  • You told someone to not have a baby? Ummmmmmmm, that's not your place. Andplusalso. "Gypped" is technically a racist word. While yes, I think it'd be a weird thing to experience with your mother, its def not your call on what she does. And if you think she'll make your delivery all about her pregnancy then don't have her In the room. But kicking her out just because she's pregnant is overboard.

    "Gypped" is racist? In what way? I'm honestly curious. I had no idea; I've always just heard it as a common phrase. 
    It's derived from 'gypsy' and is meant to imply that you've been cheated or swindled out of something, to go with the multitude of stereotypes of the Romani people as being untrustworthy thieves. The word is pretty ubiquitous now, but it's roots are stemmed in racism. There are better ways to say that you feel cheated that don't tear down an entire race of people.

    NPR had a pretty good article on it a couple of years ago that really exaplained why it is a racial slur. https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2013/12/30/242429836/why-being-gypped-hurts-the-roma-more-than-it-hurts-you

    (Sorry I'm a bit of an etymology nerd.)
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  • Personally leaning more towards your point of view. I wouldn't be to happy but I wouldn't say anything to my mom. I too also have siblings who are younger (12 and 10) and I am 25. I know I threw a two year old sized fit when I found out I was going to have new siblings back then. If it happened now I am of course older and wiser and would be a tad more mature about it but I'd probably still have anger and think my mother was a nut.

    Now that my brothers are older, its become easier to deal with for sure. I live 4000 miles away so we do stuff like play xbox together, and when I visit home I'm that sister that takes them to get ice cream an hour before dinner, or that one time I dropped $150 at chuck e cheese lol
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  • Never knew about the "gyped" phrase.. But being that I'm pretty uneducated when it comes to racism and races... I didn't know gypsy's were considered a race... Or that it had anything to do with Romans... Hell I didn't know anything about white/black racism until I was about 18. (Grew up in Maine.. Was never an issue and teachers never taught anything but white history.. Now being 27 I believe that's really sad.. I now live in Florida and have had to be taught all the history and why people do these things.. (Only racial slur I knew was the n word.) it has worked for me because I honestly don't have any racist tendencies in me as I was never taught them. But it also don't work when you use certain words that are actually racist and offend people and you never knew. Lol.
  • zmombie said:

    Never knew about the "gyped" phrase.. But being that I'm pretty uneducated when it comes to racism and races... I didn't know gypsy's were considered a race... Or that it had anything to do with Romans... Hell I didn't know anything about white/black racism until I was about 18. (Grew up in Maine.. Was never an issue and teachers never taught anything but white history.. Now being 27 I believe that's really sad.. I now live in Florida and have had to be taught all the history and why people do these things.. (Only racial slur I knew was the n word.) it has worked for me because I honestly don't have any racist tendencies in me as I was never taught them. But it also don't work when you use certain words that are actually racist and offend people and you never knew. Lol.

    I grew up in CA and I never knew it was a racial slur either. You learn something new everyday I guess. Growing up I heard people use the term when they were cheated out of something, never really use slang myself, but this is the first I've heard of this. Good to know. I'm sure you're not the only person who wasn't aware of this.
  • Maybe you are feeling this way because a certain insecurity you have with her. Feeling like its "your time" could indicate you felt pushed to the side during child hood. My youngest sibling is a stepsister who is 11 so I can relate with the age differences. My mom and stepdad wished they could conceive a baby together because that's what you feel most of the time when you are in love. However my mom is out of commission on that, she's 52. If they would've gotten pregnant I would've been happy for them. Because I don't feel like o have to compete with any of these siblings in any way. I'm the oldest by a long shot and I understand there's going to be world of differences on things. Just have to accept it rather than fight it. Be happy for your mom, think about if you were in her shoes and your daughter wasn't happy you got pregnant. It would feel really crappy, especially feeling hormonal and at 40 she is high risk. I don't think her having a baby will affect her as a grandmother, but if you do then talk to her and share your concerns.
  • You told someone to not have a baby? Ummmmmmmm, that's not your place. Andplusalso. "Gypped" is technically a racist word. While yes, I think it'd be a weird thing to experience with your mother, its def not your call on what she does. And if you think she'll make your delivery all about her pregnancy then don't have her In the room. But kicking her out just because she's pregnant is overboard.

    "Gypped" is racist? In what way? I'm honestly curious. I had no idea; I've always just heard it as a common phrase. 
    It's derived from 'gypsy' and is meant to imply that you've been cheated or swindled out of something, to go with the multitude of stereotypes of the Romani people as being untrustworthy thieves. The word is pretty ubiquitous now, but it's roots are stemmed in racism. There are better ways to say that you feel cheated that don't tear down an entire race of people.

    NPR had a pretty good article on it a couple of years ago that really exaplained why it is a racial slur. https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2013/12/30/242429836/why-being-gypped-hurts-the-roma-more-than-it-hurts-you

    (Sorry I'm a bit of an etymology nerd.)
    Huh. I had no idea! Today I learned. 
  • edited June 2015
    zmombie said:
    Never knew about the "gyped" phrase.. But being that I'm pretty uneducated when it comes to racism and races... I didn't know gypsy's were considered a race... Or that it had anything to do with Romans... Hell I didn't know anything about white/black racism until I was about 18. (Grew up in Maine.. Was never an issue and teachers never taught anything but white history.. Now being 27 I believe that's really sad.. I now live in Florida and have had to be taught all the history and why people do these things.. (Only racial slur I knew was the n word.) it has worked for me because I honestly don't have any racist tendencies in me as I was never taught them. But it also don't work when you use certain words that are actually racist and offend people and you never knew. Lol.
    They're not Romans, they're Romani, or Roma, and they are their own race of people. They origininated in India and spread out from there, mostly through eastern and central Europe. Historically they did not idenify as 'gypsies'...that name was given to them by other cultures who mistakenly thought they were from Egypt and developed into it's own sort of racial slur from there to include exotic people who lived fairly nomadic lifestyles in addition to using it to describing people who cheat you out of a deal.

    ETA sorry for hijacking your post to talk about racial slurs, OP.
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  • zmombie said:

    Never knew about the "gyped" phrase.. But being that I'm pretty uneducated when it comes to racism and races... I didn't know gypsy's were considered a race... Or that it had anything to do with Romans... Hell I didn't know anything about white/black racism until I was about 18. (Grew up in Maine.. Was never an issue and teachers never taught anything but white history.. Now being 27 I believe that's really sad.. I now live in Florida and have had to be taught all the history and why people do these things.. (Only racial slur I knew was the n word.) it has worked for me because I honestly don't have any racist tendencies in me as I was never taught them. But it also don't work when you use certain words that are actually racist and offend people and you never knew. Lol.

    They're not Romans, they're Romani, or Roma, and they are their own race of people. They origininated in India and spread out from there, mostly through eastern and central Europe. Historically they did not idenify as 'gypsies'...that name was given to them by other cultures who mistakenly thought they were from Egypt and developed into it's own sort of racial slur from there to include exotic people who lived fairly nomadic lifestyles in addition to using it to describing people who cheat you out of a deal.

    ETA sorry for hijacking your post to talk about racial slurs, OP.


    Oh okay. Whoops.
    This has been informative. We all learned something new
  • For the record. I also didn't know it was a racist word until my days on The Knot long ago. I even once was quoted in a newspaper at the age of 12 using it. My mom was so appalled but she never told me why because I got so embarrassed at her reaction I told her I was misquoted. ;).


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  • I love babies and always feel broody (and a little jealous being completely honest) when someone I know has a new baby. This is my third pregnancy and I'm 31... I was hoping it will be my last as I find the pregnancy itself incredibly hard even if it is so worth it. I'm scared now that I'll want a baby if my daughter has one young /:)
  • mrsb30mrsb30 member
    edited June 2015
    Yes, congratulations it is. I can understand it might be awkward for you that your mom is having a baby around the same time as you. The fact is that your mom is still very young, 40 is quite normal to have a baby. I think it's out of line for you to ask your mom not to have anymore babies. That's completely between your mom and her husband. I don't think it's takes away from her being a grandparent. I'm in my 30's my husband his 40's. I'm pregnant with my first, I can't even imagine if his 22 year old daughter asked us not to have a baby. I'm sure it's a little awkward to her, but it's part of life. I think sorting through your feelings will help, but I don't think it should be something to hold against your mom.
  • I can totally get where you're coming from. Even if you weren't pregnant I think it's always an awkward feeling for a grown child to hear their parent is expecting a baby. I know a couple guys (not related) who's mother was pregnant when they were 18 and 20 they both weren't too happy about the news.
    I also remember my mom mentioning to my brother and I that she wanted to adopt, we were both like WTH (my mom want the best mother when we were little so I think that added to the shock)- she never did adopt (thank God)
    I also agree with you that this new baby might take away from the "normal" grandma/baby experience. I don't get why people are saying it wouldn't. Grandparents typically can't get enough of the new baby. My family has welcomed so many babies this past year and ask the grammies are gushing with pride. I'm not trying to say that your mom won't have these feelings but I think she'll definitely be busy with her own new baby. There's only so much energy and time.
    I'm not trying to be a downer, I just wanted to let you know I get what you're feeling.

    At the same time, it's already done. You have to accept it and move on. This is your mom and baby sibling we're talking about. It might not be the picture perfect scenario you had in mind but this could turn out to be the best thing ever. I think you should still allow your mom to be as involved as possible (if that's what was planned before her big announcement) she may be too busy to help later and you wouldn't want to rob both you and your mother of these moments.
  • I'm 40 expecting my 4th child with a different partner to the father of my 3 eldest, I was worried how at 18,16,13 they would take my pregnancy but luckily for me they are delighted, ask lots of questions and cannot wait for the new arrival.
    It would feel weird for me if I was going to become a new parent as well as a grandparent but I know that's a possibility at my age.
    I don't feel too old to be starting again (I do feel tired but at 37 weeks who doesn't).
    When I had my eldest at 22 my mum was too busy with her own career to help me much, and anyway it was my child my responsibility.
    Both my parents are excited about this baby as they are both now retired.
    It is not that unusual a situation and never has been I have cousins the same age as me as my dad was 12 out of 13 kids.
    I'm sure it will all be fine in the end

  • When I had my eldest at 22 my mum was too busy with her own career to help me much, and anyway it was my child my responsibility.

    This.
    I'm amazed at how many people just assume that their mother has to help them.
    My mother doesn't work, but she has her own life and it wasn't her choice to get pregnant and raise a child - it was mine and DH's ... So while it may occasionally frustrate me that I don't have any help, I believe it is the parents responsibility ultimately.
  • This is an extremely awkward situation, and I've been going back and forth on how I feel about it.
    On the one hand, you certainly cannot expect your mother to stop having children solely beacuse you're having one. That's very inconsiderate.
    On the other hand, (while I agree it's your baby and not your mother's responsibility) your mother is not going to have a normal grandmotherly relationship with your child. She might for the first few months, but once she has an infant of her own, that'll be her main focus (as it should be). With that being said, whose to really say what a "normal" relationship is nowadays. There are so many blended families. Have you ever watched the show Modern Family or the movie What to Expect When You're Expecting? They have very similar situations.
    From personal experience, I've found that the situation is actually not that bad. My mother had my first sister very early, and down the road 4 kids later, she had me at 35. My sister had a child only a couple years later (I know it's not exactly the same because my mom was first but still). My niece and I were best friends growing up, and while it was an odd situation, it was really nice. The relationships weren't exactly "normal." My sister and mother both acted as mothers towards us as opposed to me having a sisterly relationship with my sister, and my niece having a grandmotherly relationship with my mom. But we all loved each other very much and were all very close. It was unique, but it worked.
    I do agree that it may have been a bit easier to take in had she at least waited for you to have your baby first. That was pretty inconsiderate of her. And like PP said, her baby fever may have been quelled by a grandchild. But nonetheless, I think you should try and put this behind you and really enjoy the experience with your mom. Your feelings and emotions are completely understandable, but nothing you do now will change what's happening. Take some time to really accept the situation.
  • Personally leaning more towards your point of view. I wouldn't be to happy but I wouldn't say anything to my mom. I too also have siblings who are younger (12 and 10) and I am 25. I know I threw a two year old sized fit when I found out I was going to have new siblings back then. If it happened now I am of course older and wiser and would be a tad more mature about it but I'd probably still have anger and think my mother was a nut.

    Now that my brothers are older, its become easier to deal with for sure. I live 4000 miles away so we do stuff like play xbox together, and when I visit home I'm that sister that takes them to get ice cream an hour before dinner, or that one time I dropped $150 at chuck e cheese lol




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