A mum-to-be who says she's always been "very private" about her body says her mum just can't understand why she doesn't want her in the delivery room with her when the time comes for her to give birth. The 20-year-old woman, who is currently six weeks along, has decided to have her boyfriend and best friend with her during labour, but just doesn't feel right about her mum being there.
According to this expectant mother, she simply doesn't feel comfortable being naked around her mum, who is much more open about such things than she is.
During the birth of her own first child, her older sister had also asked their mother to wait in the waiting room during the labour, prompting her to leave as she felt "disrespected". Because of this, her sister felt compelled to allow her mother in the delivery room for the births of both her second and third children to keep her happy.
Today, the pregnant woman decided to tell her mum that although she’s more than welcome to wait in the waiting room during the birth, she doesn't want her in the delivery room.
Her mum replied stating that she "just wouldn’t be there then", and when pressed as to why she wanted to be there so much, she simply said that her own mother had been there for her.
Taking to Reddit, where she goes by the username u/DistributionFirst604, the mother-to-be wrote: "I told her that’s not a good reason and that she’s not entitled to be in the room while I give birth just because she’s my mum.
"Again I prompted why she wants to be in the room and she said 'because I want to' to which I replied, 'I’m the person giving birth so I think what I want is more important'. She had no response to that."
Reaching out to fellow Reddit users for advice, she continued: "She ended up saying that if she couldn’t be in the room then my best friend shouldn’t be in the room either and that it’s only fair that way.
"But my best friend and I have been friends for ten years and I am comfortable enough for her to see me naked or talk about sex or other private things. It’s a completely different relationship.
"I can understand how my mum might be upset about it, but isn’t it up to me who gets to be in the room for this life-altering moment in my life?"
Now her mum is giving her the "silent treatment", which is making things incredibly uncomfortable, particularly as she's currently staying at her house.
One fellow Reddit user commented: "Childbirth is NOT a spectator experience. The only people that need to be in the delivery room are the people you are comfortable being in the room."
Another remarked: "The entire purpose of anyone in that room is to help you have the most comfort and support possible while delivering. If you get anxious about your mum seeing you in such a vulnerable and exposed position, it is absolutely your right to let her know she can love you and support you from the waiting room.
"She is having a temper tantrum to manipulate your choice. I suspect she wants to post/brag to her friends about how much you needed her to be there with you for every moment."
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