I am thirty-eight weeks pregnant and being induced due to having preeclampsia. Things are slow going, and the meds are barely making me have contractions, but the moment I start having one, my mom jumps up from her chair, places her hand on my belly, and begins cooing unhelpful phrases at me.
As time goes on, I get more and more irritated, but I keep my mouth shut for the sake of keeping the peace. Eventually, she shares this gem.
Mother: “I couldn’t stand people touching my belly when I was having contractions!”
My husband, noticing the angry glint in my eye, quickly pulls out the DVD player we brought and a copy of a movie he knew would be great as a decoy.
Husband: *To his mom* “Ma, why don’t you take [Mother] and watch this movie in the waiting room?”
Mother: “But I want to stay in here!”
[Mother-In-Law] understands the assignment and speaks sweetly while firmly grabbing my mother by the arm and directing her out of the room.
Mother-In-Law: “But you were telling me how you hadn’t seen this movie yet, and you really wanted to!”
Bless my husband and [Mother-In-Law]. The pregnancy didn’t progress quickly enough, and I ended up having a C-section, but my child was born healthy and happy, thankfully!
