Pregnant Woman Got Unsolicited Advice from Her Grandma About Her Illness. Now She’s Not Sure She’s Wrong for Cutting Her Off

A pregnant woman has sparked a discussion online after deciding not to share details of her pregnancy with her grandmother.

The original poster (OP) shared her story on Reddit’s AITA forum, explaining that she is expecting her second child and suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) — a severe form of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. According to the Cleveland Clinic, HG can cause persistent vomiting (more than three times a day), dizziness, lightheadedness, and weight loss.

OP described her symptoms as “morning sickness’s evil, overachieving cousin” and said her nausea is constant, sometimes leading to dehydration and the need for IV fluids.

Before her pregnancy, OP had weekly catch-ups with her grandmother, where they would chat about community updates. But once OP began feeling sick, her grandmother started calling more frequently — and offering plenty of unsolicited advice.

“The problem is that she is very overbearing,” OP wrote. “I’m sure it comes from a good place, but I’m tired of hearing her advice about how I can just get over it, or that I should drink more water or eat ginger — all things I’ve already tried for two months.”

The grandmother has also shared her own pregnancy stories, telling OP that she “just had to get up and deal with it,” encouraging her to do chores to “get back in a rhythm.” Despite OP’s explanations that her illness doesn’t work that way, her grandmother keeps repeating the same comments.

Eventually, OP decided to stop discussing her pregnancy with her grandmother altogether.

“I’m not cutting her off — if she has actual valid questions, then I’ll answer them,” OP said. “But I won’t be talking to her about how I’m feeling or how it’s going.”

While OP feels this boundary is reasonable, her family disagrees. She’s received texts from aunts insisting that her grandmother “deserves to know what’s going on.” OP wondered whether she was wrong for limiting what she shares.

In the comments, most Reddit users sided with OP.

“NTA. I had a friend with too much ‘helpful’ advice during my pregnancy that really felt like she was disregarding what was actually going on,” one commenter said. “I stopped talking to her about my pregnancy. We’ve stayed friends, but that wasn’t a topic we could discuss.”

Another user suggested OP share educational resources with her grandmother.

“There have been some good articles about HG recently and how frequently women used to die from it,” they wrote. “I’d maybe send her one and say, ‘Grandma, look — this is what I have.’ Then if she brings up her own experience again, remind her she was lucky to only have typical morning sickness.”

Others emphasized that OP has every right to control who knows about her medical condition.

“Definitely NTA. I had hyperemesis too, and it was horrible,” another commenter said. “So many people brushed it off as morning sickness, which was really discouraging. It’s a serious condition that can have major consequences for mom and baby.”

“Your grandmother probably thinks she’s being helpful, but what she’s suggesting won’t work for you. You don’t owe her every detail of your pregnancy — you’re entitled to protect your peace and privacy.”