New Mom Refuses To Coddle Infertile Sister Who Doesn't Want To Be Around Babies
Sep. 18 2022, Published 12:48 p.m. ET
Infertility is a touchy subject, and it is understandable why some people may not want to be around triggering topics. The issue gets even more complex for one family because while one sister has difficulty conceiving, another is a new mom.
This story was posted on Reddit by a new mom who grew tired of walking on eggshells for her infertile sister. According to the original poster openheartclosed, it's been years since her childless sister Julie has avoided being around babies. Suffering from infertility, Julie tried to have a baby for five years, ending in a heartbreaking miscarriage. After the unfortunate incident, the family hasn't been allowed to talk about babies around Julie. She won't attend baby showers, and kids below three aren't allowed to attend events where Julie is present.
It's been tough for the new mom to navigate her decisions around her sister's boundaries. "When my son was born, I posted a birth announcement on Facebook. My parents lectured me for this and said it was going to hurt Julie," she said.
The last straw came when Julie prevented her and her new family from attending their aunt's 70th birthday party. Since Julie wanted to attend, she didn't want to see the new baby and asked to leave the baby with a sitter.
"I finally snapped and asked what would happen when she got pregnant? Would we all be expected to shower her with the love and attention she’s refused to give other people’s kids?" the Redditor shared.
Read on below to view the original post.
Tired Of Walking On Eggshells Around Her Infertile Sister, This New Mom Stood Up For Herself And Her Baby
The Trauma Of Losing A Baby
According to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, fertility declines with age in both men and women. In the U.S., about 9% of men and 11% of women of reproductive age have had infertility problems. It is an unfortunate but common problem that can affect anyone.
Because of society's expectations for women to conceive, it can be stressful for a woman to have fertility issues. Losing a baby in a miscarriage can also cause extreme emotional distress. Women can go through trauma, shock, and feelings of failure and guilt after a miscarriage, says Tommy's, a pregnancy charity in the U.K.
While it is understandable to want to protect a family member's feelings, when is it too much?
Redditors Agree That Julie Is Being Unfair
