I was visiting my parents a few weeks ago when my Mom handed me this paperwork and asked me to have my Dr's office fill it out. I was like what is it? And she said it was for FMLA, that she needed it filled out to be able to take time off to help me with the baby. I'm sure my facial expression was something like this ...
This was the first I had heard of my Mom taking time off to help me with my baby. I never asked for help. She never took time off to spend with my SIL when she had her 2 kids. She isn't offering to take time off with my other SIL when she has her baby in 2 weeks. So why me? I get that I am her only daughter, so this pregnancy and birth is probably just a little bit more special than my brothers kids so I am really trying to be understanding. I just don't know why it is assumed that I will need a week's worth of help from her. I am 31 freakin years old, and yeah this is my first baby, but it's not like I am a single Mom and I don't have any other kids to take care of while trying to care for a newborn. I have a very hands-on and supportive husband too who is perfectly willing to get up with the baby at night so that I can catch up on sleep those first few days/weeks. I mean, babies pretty much sleep constantly for the first 6 weeks of their lives and when they're not sleeping, they're eating and I plan to breastfeed and I kinda don't need an audience for that. I just don't know what in the world she thinks she's going to do with us for a week. Not to mention, as much as I absolutely love my Mom (she means the world to me), we butt heads quite a bit. I am EXACTLY like my Dad, and while that dynamic obviously works in marriage (they've been married 35 years), it doesn't work as well in a mother/daughter relationship.
I can't tell her I don't want or need her help. Like I said, I am sure the birth of this baby is SUPER special for her and if nothing else, she will want to spend the week holding and cuddling him... I guess I just wanted to vent a little and see if anyone else was getting unwanted help from family members. I only get 6 weeks off with my little man once he is born and as selfish as it may seem, I want those days with him all to myself.