A pregnant woman has received overwhelming support Reddit after describing a tense conflict with her mother-in-law over her choice to have an epidural during labor.

The 24-year-old woman, who recently discovered she was expecting three months into her marriage, has felt pressure from her mother-in-law to forgo the pain-relieving method during labour.

She explained on Reddit’s popular r/AITAH subreddit that the family conflict arose shortly after she and her husband shared the pregnancy news, hoping for support and guidance given their lack of preparation for the unplanned pregnancy.

IN the postwhich has received 13,000 upvotes and counting, she wrote: “My MIL has been pushing me as soon as I got married to have a baby since her second son and DIL miscarried in the last 4 years so she is really stubborn with to want grandchildren.”

During a party gathering at their home, the expectant mother discussed preparations for the birth with her husband’s cousin, who is also pregnant, and she advised getting good health insurance to cover various medical expenses, including the epidural.

However, the conversation took a turn when her mother-in-law interjected: “The epidural is unnecessary and makes everything too easy, women should have their babies as nature intended,” her mother-in-law stated, leaving her expectant. mother – and the rest of the group – in shock.

In response, the mom-to-be expressed her fear of childbirth thanks to the “horror stories” she’s heard, as well as her preference for epidurals.

Things escalated further and the mother-in-law accused her of being disrespectful and demanded that her son “set her straight”.

The woman said in the Reddit post, “My husband told her it’s ridiculous to expect me to have a baby without pain relief,” to which the mother-in-law said, “Yeah, I guess a baby is having your baby,” and has refused talk to the couple.

The situation remains tense, with the woman’s husband suggesting she apologize to her mother and reconsider her position on the epidural in an effort to “keep the peace.”

Newsweek spoke with Cheryl Groskopf, LMFT, LPCC, a dual-licensed marriage and family therapist and professional clinical counselor.

Groskopf, based in Los Angeles, said it’s “natural” to feel overwhelmed by unplanned pregnancies, and added pressure from family can also be difficult to manage.

She told Newsweek: “MIL’s insistence on no epidural is rooted in her beliefs, but it’s important to prioritize your health and comfort.

“Birth is intensely personal, and you have the right to make decisions about your body.”

She also added that the woman’s husband should support her choice and advocate for her autonomy.

The feud remains unresolved and the mother-to-be stands firm, believing she has nothing to apologize for and that the decision on how to handle her labor should be hers alone.

The poster opened up his situation for advice, asking: “Someone please tell me AITAH?” (Am I a ***?).

At the time of writing, the Reddit post has received over 6,000 comments and counting, with the most liked comment receiving nearly 3,000 votes.

One Reddit user wrote a message to the husband to “become a father or stay a son”, declaring that the woman was “not the motherfucker”.

Another commented: “Also, he could tell his mother to consume information about the epidural myths in labor and delivery.

“But I agree, mom is nta, mil is ah, and no one should apologize or ‘make peace.’ When a toxic person holds the peace of a family over their heads and someone gives in to them, it makes things worse. They gain strength from it.

“This couple may also want to study how to live with narcissistic and manipulative family members.”

A Reddit user advised the woman to contact her mother and engage her for support.

They commented: “I had to put my phone down and breathe for a few moments when she opened with ‘we won’t need that anyway’.

They continued: “I can only imagine what my mother would say if she had tried to pull something like this.”

Groskopf told Newsweek: “Apologizing to ‘keep the peace’ may seem easier (in the) short term, but it’s a form of people-satisfaction, known as a fawn response to trauma.”

“Communicate your decisions firmly and respectfully because setting boundaries now can prevent future conflicts.”

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