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Help me with a family issue (longish) - Page 2

post #21 of 24
I feel like you've already said everything you need to say to her to create boundaries, and if you two start talking again and she asks you anything else about your pregnancy or birth care, you are perfectly within your rights to simply refuse to answer her questions.

It sounds to me like there's a lot more going on with her than just not agreeing with your choices. My best friend is a pediatrician and she doesn't take it as a personal attack on her that I home birthed and I don't vaccinate my daughter, for pete's sake! There are PLENTY of people who work in health care that respect other people's choices and don't think they know everything just because they are health professionals.

It sounds to me like she is unhappy about being on bed rest, probably scared of losing her baby, possibly regretting her choice of health care providers but is unable to admit it to herself, and may be jealous of you for being in better health and better circumstances and/or projecting her anger and hurt about her situation onto you.

I'm not sure from what you posted who decided you weren't talking to each other or what the circumstances were there, but what do you think about reaching out to her, letting you know you you respect her career choices and want to help her through this difficult time, but you still will not discuss your pregnancy with her?
post #22 of 24
Quote:
Originally Posted by lynsage View Post

It sounds to me like she is unhappy about being on bed rest, probably scared of losing her baby, possibly regretting her choice of health care providers but is unable to admit it to herself, and may be jealous of you for being in better health and better circumstances and/or projecting her anger and hurt about her situation onto you.

I'm not sure from what you posted who decided you weren't talking to each other or what the circumstances were there, but what do you think about reaching out to her, letting you know you you respect her career choices and want to help her through this difficult time, but you still will not discuss your pregnancy with her?
I think you hit the nail on the head with this comment, and I was just going to post something similar...

A lot of times people say things out of fear and jealousy that are veiled as expertise or concern for you. I would bet that she wishes not only that she had the same good health in this pregnancy, but also the guts to make choices that are right for her - not choices that she thinks she has to do because of her profession/fear.

Good luck on this one mama, it's hard when there's discord in the family.
post #23 of 24
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by lynsage View Post

It sounds to me like there's a lot more going on with her than just not agreeing with your choices. My best friend is a pediatrician and she doesn't take it as a personal attack on her that I home birthed and I don't vaccinate my daughter, for pete's sake! There are PLENTY of people who work in health care that respect other people's choices and don't think they know everything just because they are health professionals.

It sounds to me like she is unhappy about being on bed rest, probably scared of losing her baby, possibly regretting her choice of health care providers but is unable to admit it to herself, and may be jealous of you for being in better health and better circumstances and/or projecting her anger and hurt about her situation onto you.

I'm not sure from what you posted who decided you weren't talking to each other or what the circumstances were there, but what do you think about reaching out to her, letting you know you you respect her career choices and want to help her through this difficult time, but you still will not discuss your pregnancy with her?
Yes, you got that right! After thinking about it for a while (and thanks to the responses I got from this thread!) I was convinced her reaction to my choices was trigged by some much more deeper things. On top of being in bed rest for a while, she is having a scheduled c-section due to the shape of her pelvis. Her doctor won't even let her try natural birth. She is also very depressed (but won't look for help). She e-mailed me this week apologizing for the horrible things she said. But the last line of her email said something like: Please don't ever talk to me about your birth choices again. It's fine with me since I am not the one who brings it up. It's just very hard to have a natural conversation around her now.
post #24 of 24
It does sound like she has some regrets from the way her pregnancy and proposed birth are going but is not willing to face it and admit it. While I wouldn't back down from supporting myself if provoked again, I would also offer full loving support for her and let her know that you think she is a great nurse and you guys don't need to discuss your birth plans but you can still enjoy this wonderful blessing of being pregnant together, shopping for maternity clothes and baby clothes, planning the nurseries together, taking belly pics together can be very bonding experiences and I would focus on these things, maybe help pull her out of her depression a bit. I know I sounded all hot and bothered in my first post, but that's the way my family works- we don't bottle anything up! We get it all out in the open, kiss and make up, we love each other like crazy and after defending my choice a bit I would let the matter drop and figure out a way we could still enjoy our pregnancies together. My SIL and I were pregnant last time together, her 2nd, my third and though she is a RN who planned a hospital birth with epidural and any other interventions that may come her way and I planned a homebirth for the 2nd time (ended up having to scrap that due to high blood pressure just hours before labor began and had a natural midwife only hospital birth), we were totally supportive of each other and had a lot of fun!
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