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The original was posted on /r/bestofredditorupdates by /u/Choice_Evidence1983 on 2025-06-22 04:04:05+00:00.
I am NOT OOP, OOP is u/Prestigious-Ice-7293
Originally posted to r/AITAH
AITAH for grabbing my newborn baby from my SIL
Thanks to u/soayherder & u/queenlegolas for suggesting this BoRU
Editor’s note: edited the title for ease of readability
Trigger Warnings: emotional abuse and manipulation, verbal abuse, controlling behavior, medical issues, physical assault
Original Post: June 10, 2025
I (28F) had my son Kyson 4 months ago. At 22 weeks I was diagnosed with partial placenta previa and we were hoping and praying it would resolve, but at 28 weeks I was told I have complete placenta previa. This news hurt because I had a birth plan but my doctor still closely monitored it even though he made it clear that there might be less chance of resolving it and might have a C-section. At 35 weeks I had heavy bleeding so I delivered my beautiful baby boy through an emergency C-section. My son was in the NICU for 2 weeks before we got to go home.
2 weeks ago there was a family party at my MIL’s house, I was sitting in the ladies when Ky started crying. So I breastfed him while chatting nobody had a problem with that them after that I handed him to my SIL since she wanted to play with him. While he was holding him she said something.
So they started talking about my SIL’s labour and she said it was a breeze. Then I said “aww thats nice, I hope to have a natural with my second some day”. Then she said “a natural birth needs preparation during the whole pregnancy.” Then she went on to say “you never worked out or got active much.” So I told her it was because of the placenta previa situation. This woman literally said “that’s not an excuse tho, I had Roud Ligament Pain and I still managed to keep active.” I told her I was kept on bed rest half my pregnancy and had too many hospital visits so I didn’t wanna do anything to risk putting myself in danger.
Then she said “your body can feels the nerves and it reads accordingly, you should’ve relaxed and let nature take it’s course. That’s how natural births work, the C-section was avoidable.” I told her to f herself and took my baby out her arms and went to my hubby. We left after. Apparently she told anyone who asked where I am got sensitive and left the party. After a few days she asked to see Kyson and I said I’m not comfortable being around her at the moment. She accused me of weaponizing my son and using him to hurt her.
NOTE: Whole pregnancy she kept on giving unsolicited advice on how to “fix” the placenta previa and I feel like she thinks if I had listened to her I would have had Kyson naturally. I felt sad for a few weeks after birth cause my birth plan didn’t go how I wanted it to, these feelings just feel like they resurfaced tbh. I thought I was ok.
AITAH for Grabbing him and not agreeing to visit her.
AITAH has no consensus bot, OOP was NTA
Relevant Comments
Commenter 1: NTA. SIL can stay in her judgmental bubble by herself. I would’ve humiliated her at the party by asking why she thought she knew more than the doctors who gave you the advice.
And ask her where she got her medical degree from, because you’d like to tell people to not attend that university since clearly their candidates are both ignorant and downright stupid with a capital S.
Sancti-mommies are the worst.
OOP: She hates C-section births, formula, the likes. She’s that type.
Commenter 2: NTA, she sounds like an idiot. What part of bedrest did she not understand??
I went through a placenta abruption, almost died and almost lost my baby. The first thing my doctor said to me once I was coherent enough to hear it was “you did nothing wrong”.
If someone said to me what she said to you after what I went through (and in the same token, what you went through), I don’t know if I could ever speak to them again. What she said was cruel, vile, and more importantly, completely false.
OOP: So sorry about the placenta abruption, so glad you and baby are ok. It was so hurtful especially since she knows how I wanted to have a natural delivery.
Commenter 3: NTA. Nobody’s giving out medals for having natural births and people need to stop looking down on c-section births like it’s a failing of some kind. You did what was advised based on professional opinion for the health and safety of you and your child.
You are not weaponising anything, she is just playing victim and you don’t need to be around this toxic attitude. If she doesn’t apologise or you can’t come to a point where you are comfortable to be around her, just keep enjoying your baby and motherhood without this negative energy!
OOP: They see a C-section as easy but it’s really not. Thank you, I’m prioritizing my mental health and my son.
Commenter 4: Wow. Nta!! Comparing round ligament pain something every pregnant woman feels to placenta previa that legit forces you to have no choice but to limit activity is truly insane. If she said this to your face I can only imagine what they all say behind your back!! I’d send her and your MIL info on placenta previa and why you couldn’t work out and tell SIL you no longer want to be around someone like her and how hurtful it was to demonize a condition you had no control over that could’ve cost you and your son your lives!! She’s the type who’d give your baby something he’s allergic too bc she thinks you’re exaggerating it or he needs to eat it to grow out of allergy. I would not feel safe around her!!
OOP: When we first told her about the diagnoses I provided her with facts but she is just stubborn and she says science makes pregnancy more complicated than it’s supposed to when it’s a natural thing. She doesn’t babysit him neither does my MIL.
Is SIL a doctor and anti-vaxxer?
OOP: No, she is an accountant
Surprisingly she vaccinates. But she hates epidural, ipad kids, eats organic food, etc…
Update #1: June 10, 2025 (same day, seven hours later)
I made my post hours ago and I am so overwhelmed at the amount of support and kindness I have gotten from everyone in the comments.n
So when I told my husband about what he did, I didn’t like his reaction. I told him exactly what happens and he said “I don’t want to interfere in women arguments babe”. I then told him that he can atleast ask his sister to be sensitive about my experience and he said “Why don’t you talk to my mom about it so she sits you two down and have a mature discussion?”. My husband knows SIL is the apple of my MIL’s eye so she would side with her. There has never been a need for my MIL to pick sides but if there ever was we all know who he would. I told him that I would feel more comfortable if he is there. But he said its a birth thing so women should discuss it.
I mentioned in a comment on the original post that my hubby suggested therapy, he feels like the only reason I was offended by SIL is because I have not gotten over the fact that I had an emergency C-section. I mean he is right but I just really want HIM to talk to his sister is that so wrong, I want his support and for him to make things clear to her. If you are wondering whether I have support system like family then no I don’t, my parents are in a different country and I live in my husband’s home country. I do have a few friends.
That is why I appreciate all your kind comments, they mean a lot to me really.
Relevant Comments
Commenter 1: NTA. “It’s not a ‘woman’s birth thing’. It’s MY birth thing and you’re MY partner, and that means that when YOUR family acts like an asshole towards me, YOU need to be the one to step between us and tell them to back the fuck off. I don’t care what her reasons are. I’ve told her flat out not to do a thing and she keeps doing it. If my dad or brother came over and told you about how you’re doing parenting wrong, how you’re a failure as a husband and a father, how would you feel if I just told you to talk to my daddy about my brother picking on you? Instead of standing up for you? You’re making me feel like you agree with everything she’s saying, and that’s making me rethink how this relationship is going. And if I feel like you can actually protect and provide for me. You’re not even protecting me from your family. That’s pretty shitty.”
OOP: He says his hands are tied, but yet again nobody wants me to and up to SIL and offend her. He expressed his displeasure about my post too.
Commenter 1: Because it makes him look bad. His hands are tied by himself. NO one’s holding him down. He’s choosing his family over the one he’s making with you. That speaks pretty loud. "Do you want to be a part of OUR family, or do you want to be a weekend dad because I clearly can’t trust your judgement or trust you in general if you keep letting your family harass me. Your mom is not my fucking moderator. She’s not my mom. She’s also not without fault. There’s a bias there. Where do you think your sister gets it? I’m not playing a game with someone over who can parent MY child best. I’m the parent. My say, between me and your…
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