A soon-to-be mom turned to Reddit for support after opening up about how her family reacted to her pregnancy news.
The 27-year-old explained that she and her husband had been planning to start a family, and she was thrilled when she learned she was expecting.
“I was so excited when I found out we were having a baby!” she wrote. But her happiness wasn’t matched by those around her—especially her mother.
Her younger sister, 23, had recently welcomed a baby, and the family had been completely focused on the new arrival. “The entire family has been over the moon, and my mom has been the biggest help to them, even staying over often to help with the baby overnight,” she shared.
That same level of enthusiasm was what she hoped for when announcing her own pregnancy. Instead, she said, “when I announced my pregnancy, I was not met with the same enthusiasm.”
At first, she tried to brush it off, thinking her family might be “babied out.” But the response still hurt. “I recently had a conversation with my mom about being a little disappointed with the family’s reaction, and she proceeded to tell me that it was poor timing, because she needed a break,” she explained.
The mom-to-be stressed that she never expected her mom to play the same role again. “I never asked or assumed that I would depend on her for help with the baby, although I can’t lie and say it wouldn’t hurt if she refused to offer at all,” she admitted.
What made it harder was remembering how excited her mother had been for her sister’s first pregnancy. “She was excited from the moment my sister announced her pregnancy,” she recalled. In comparison, her own news felt ignored.
Her post ended with a vulnerable question: “Does it make me the AH for getting pregnant a few months after my sister has a baby?” She admitted she worried her timing was being unfairly judged.
Many commenters jumped in to reassure her. One person wrote, “OP, this isn’t normal. I would honestly go low contact for a bit until your family can show up for you and realize that it’s not okay to be any less excited for you or treat you differently than your sister.”
Another commenter congratulated her directly: “Well that’s a weak and selfish reaction from them. I’m excited for you, congratulations!”
Others reminded her to focus on her own joy. “Also, you get to start your family whenever you want, regardless of what’s happening in your family at the time!” one reply read.
As the discussion continued, more users encouraged her not to let her family’s reaction take away from her happiness. “Try to focus on your excitement with your husband and take joy in the process,” someone advised.
For now, she remains hopeful her family will come around. But even if they don’t, she knows her pregnancy is still something to celebrate.
