“My Husband and Sister-in-Law Decided I Should Babysit Her Child”: They Say I’m Already on Maternity Leave

When I first found out I was pregnant with our third child, I was overjoyed. My husband, Mark, and I had always wanted a big family, and this new addition was a dream come true. Little did I know that my maternity leave would turn into a nightmare orchestrated by my husband and his sister, Emily.

Emily had always been somewhat of a free spirit. She had her first child, Lily, at 22 and has been struggling to balance her career and motherhood ever since. When she found out she was pregnant again, she was overwhelmed. Mark and I were supportive, offering advice and emotional support whenever she needed it. But things took a turn for the worse when Emily decided to go back to work just three months after giving birth.

One evening, Mark came home with a proposition that left me speechless. “Emily needs someone to watch Lily while she’s at work,” he said casually, as if he were asking me to pick up an extra gallon of milk from the store. “You’re already on maternity leave, so it makes sense for you to help out.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Mark, I’m on maternity leave to take care of our newborn, not to become a full-time babysitter for your sister’s child,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.

“Come on, it’s just during the day. You can handle it,” he insisted.

I felt a knot forming in my stomach. “I have enough on my plate with our own children. I can’t take on someone else’s responsibilities.”

But Mark wouldn’t let it go. He and Emily had already made up their minds. The next morning, Emily showed up at our doorstep with Lily in tow, thanking me profusely for agreeing to help out. I hadn’t agreed to anything, but it seemed my opinion didn’t matter.

The first few days were chaotic. Lily was a sweet child but demanding. She needed constant attention, which left me with little time for my own children and even less for myself. My newborn’s needs were being neglected because I was too busy trying to keep up with Lily’s schedule.

I tried talking to Mark again, hoping he would understand the toll this was taking on me. “Mark, this isn’t fair. I’m exhausted and our children are suffering because of this arrangement.”

He brushed off my concerns. “You’re overreacting. It’s just temporary until Emily finds a permanent solution.”

Weeks turned into months, and there was no sign of a permanent solution in sight. Emily seemed content with the arrangement, enjoying her newfound freedom while I was drowning in responsibilities that weren’t mine to bear.

One particularly rough day, I reached my breaking point. Lily had thrown a tantrum that lasted for hours, my newborn was crying inconsolably, and my older children were acting out because they felt neglected. I called Mark at work, tears streaming down my face.

“I can’t do this anymore,” I sobbed. “You need to find another solution for Lily.”

Mark’s response was cold and dismissive. “You’re being selfish. Family helps family.”

That night, as I lay in bed, exhausted and defeated, I realized that my husband didn’t see me as his partner but as a convenient solution to his sister’s problems. The resentment began to fester, and our marriage started to crumble under the weight of unspoken frustrations and unmet needs.

Months later, Emily finally found a daycare for Lily, but the damage had been done. My relationship with Mark was strained beyond repair, and I felt like a stranger in my own home. The joy of welcoming our third child had been overshadowed by the burden of responsibilities that were never mine to bear.

In the end, there was no happy resolution. My marriage continued to deteriorate, and the bond between Mark and me grew weaker with each passing day. The experience left me feeling isolated and unappreciated, a stark reminder that sometimes family can be the source of our greatest pain.