Five weeks ago, I became a mother for the first time — a beautiful and exhausting shift that turned my life upside down. Between late-night feedings and endless diaper changes, I barely had time to eat or rest. While I expected support, especially from family, what I got was quite the opposite. The biggest source of stress? My mother-in-law.
She practically moved in the moment we brought our son home, claiming to help, but only adding chaos. She constantly invited guests, made noise, and never once offered to take care of the baby. My husband insisted she meant well, but her presence left me overwhelmed and invisible in my own home.
Most days, I skipped meals just to keep up with our baby. My mother-in-law “cooked,” but never thought of saving food for me — not once. Last night, after hours of feeding and rocking our son to sleep, I came out of the nursery hoping for something simple: a plate of food. Instead, I got a cold shrug and a dismissive “We thought you weren’t hungry.”
That one sentence broke me. My husband didn’t even flinch — and when he expected me to wash the dishes too, I knew I had enough. I packed a bag, took my baby, and left for my mom’s. I thought I’d finally have peace. But then… the calls started.