‘My mother in law smacked my baby and was rude about her name – I was in tears’
A new mother has taken to Mumsnet to share her distress over her mother-in-law’s “overbearing” behaviour, prompting an outpouring of support from fellow parents.
In a heartfelt post, she detailed how her mother-in-law has ignored her parenting choices, undermined her authority, and even slapped her baby on the bottom, all without her consent.
The mother described how her concerns began during pregnancy when her mother-in-law started dictating what she should eat and criticising the name she and her husband had chosen for their daughter.
Since the birth, things have only worsened.
“She just informs that she’s coming and my heart sinks,” she wrote on Mumsnet, explaining how visits feel more like intrusions.
Despite setting boundaries, she feels powerless as her mother-in-law dominates time with the baby, insisting on her own parenting methods.
The breaking point came during a recent dinner at the mother-in-law’s house.
Upon arrival, the grandmother immediately took the baby and walked off without asking.
When the baby became upset, she took her upstairs to change her without permission.
But the most shocking moment was yet to come.
“I then heard three slaps,” the mother wrote.
“My baby didn’t cry out in pain, but I literally heard audible slaps.”
Confronted, her father-in-law casually remarked that his wife was just “getting her attention.”
The mother was shaken. “How dare she slap my baby on the bum when I don’t even do that?” she wrote, describing how she turned “primal” and demanded her daughter back.
The baby remained upset for the rest of the evening, and she and her husband left soon after.
The story has ignited a strong reaction online, with commenters expressing horror at the mother-in-law’s behaviour.
One user wrote: “Awful, awful, awful. This is my worst nightmare. I would kick off if someone didn’t hand my crying baby back.”
Another added: “Oh my god, reading this post has me so stressed even imagining being in this situation. STRICT IMMEDIATE new boundaries are needed. How could you ever trust her again?”
The mother insists she appreciates her mother-in-law’s generosity and excitement but needs her to respect her as a mother.
“She is MY daughter,” she wrote. “I need my husband to speak to her, but I know he doesn’t want to upset her.”