Mother in Law threatening to call CPS to take our unborn child
Hello everyone, this story is entirely second hand accounts from my wife (25F), I her husband (26M) only have so many details because of MIL’s behavior.
(Backstory) So my wife and I are still rather newly wed February of this year! But we have been together since November of 2024. Since we started dating, I got a very good idea of what my now MIL is like. My girlfriend at the time would tell me many stories about how her mother would constantly violate her privacy. She would tell me how her mother would go through and snoop in her room while she at school as a girl. The most egregious example I can recall is going through her journal and criticizing her private thoughts. She would also go through all her messages she sent on her phone to her friends. Beyond violating her privacy she would fear monger her by constantly showing her story’s about a girl in the local area either being killed or some other horrible story. I’m sorry I can’t give more detail on this but these are stories I heard about a while ago and it’s her life and I don’t want to be too specific. But just these stories my wife told me I knew her mother was quite the helicopter parent.
Now moving forward a little my wife moved into my apartment with me (she had the most difficult move of her life moving across the street haha) now as any couple does we talk about each others day when I come home from work. During these talks my wife would very consistently share very manipulative stories about what her mother had been up to almost every other day. Her typical strategy is to offer to take my wife out to go either shop or get their nails done whatever. After she butters her up she will ask her to do her homework for her. My poor wife pushover as she is usually would do it but recently she’s stood up to her and tells her no she can’t as she is doing her own college work. When my wife refuses, her mother nearly left her over an hour away from home in the city and only didn’t because my wife called her dad to tell him what she was doing. There are hosts of examples but it typically involves “treating” her to something then during or after “suggests” she does something for her in exchange.
Now I never see any of this because this always happens when I’m working. I never see any of this behavior first hand. But I know she’s not lying because when her mom knows I’m home and wants to come over she will call and ask permission to come over and when she comes she doesn’t overstep and is pleasant but when I come home early or MIL thinks I’m out doing something that is the only time she comes unannounced and I will be doing dishes when my wife answers the door and I hear the way she kinda begins to talk to her before she sees me and gets really sweet and then leaves shortly after.
Now all of this is just really shitty behavior that I have told my wife since her mom doesn’t behave when I’m not around then she should not open the door for her when I’m not home. Nothing too crazy right.
Now for the great news! As the title implies as of December last year my wife and I found out we are expecting our first child! We are expecting a boy and we are super excited! Unfortunately she’s had a difficult time with the pregnancy. I was going to bore you all with details but essentially there are some medical issues and our OB dropping us because she’s on my insurance now which he doesn’t accept so we are having an awesome time with that. But during some of the visits she has had to the ER or labor and delivery I haven’t always been able to take her since I’m at work and when she needs to go while I’m at work she’s been able to get her mother to take her. (Note to you reader we will revisit this later)
So on top of all the issues, her mom throughout the pregnancy has been happy. Now what does a happy grandparent do? They “spoil” right? So my wife and I have been grateful to have received gifts from her parents like a crib for the baby and a swing. Now revisiting my earlier context her pattern is buy things for my wife seemingly generously and without expectations right?
Any guesses where this is going?
So MIL is buying stuff and bringing it to our apartment while I’m at work and my wife and her will be talking and MIL will make a comment about the baby but she will refer to our son as “My baby”. Now my wife instantly caught onto this and said no. Not your baby this is my baby. So MIL will back track and say “right our baby”. MIL will make another comment about the baby being hers and my wife corrects her again except this time MIL says “Well I buy the baby stuff which kinda makes it my baby”.
(Now reader we revisit her mom taking her to the hospital when I’m at work)
Guess what reader her mother works at the fucking hospital. Her mother who as a child would go through her journal and phone. Who is a helicopter parent. She also throughout my wife’s life has looked at her medical records since she works at the hospital even after her turning 18. This woman who like the eye of Sauron hovers over every detail of my wife’s pregnancy notes. She works where my wife will likely give birth and has made comments on influencing the care she receives when the time comes that she gives birth. And now she has made comments alluding to our child being “her baby”.
Now we are here today.
Where it happens again, she makes a comment about our kid being hers. She responded “Hmm it would be a shame if one day you’re asleep and the baby is crying. He probably missed a meal and he’s super hungry. CPS could get involved and then it would be my baby.” This activated mama bear in my wife who promptly kicked her out. Now today I have heard this very concerning story on top of every other concerning behavior MIL exhibits, we are worried. Now we will vehemently fight to protect our child. But since this isn’t my mom I don’t know what we should do. Honestly it’s hard to even be concerned about this when we are dealing with even getting a doctor again seeing as now we have no OB anymore at 28 weeks and high risk. So much is going on and I don’t know if maybe my wife and I are both paranoid of her and maybe we are seeing into things. But I don’t know. There’s so much going on in life and I can’t personally attest to any of this story just everything else which is exhausting.
I don’t really know how to end this story. I never thought I would ever have a story worthy of posting on this subreddit. But here I am so. Let me know what you think.