u/tropicalguava_

My husband and his family treated me terribly postpartum. They did so much that it felt like they were trying to destroy my mental health. Somehow, they didn’t break me. I kept my head up and focused only on taking care of my baby. Right now, him and I are basically just roommates living together. Our only connection is our son. I just focus on baby I wouldn’t even say he focuses on the baby I do everything. I breastfeed, give him solids, co sleep, and take care of him day and night. He has never even changed one diaper. I’m doing it all on my own… I still live with him because my family is far, and this is my home too. I’ve put my own money, time, and effort into this home it’s not just his. Right now I’m not working, and he is.
Recently, while I was basically just ignoring him and focused on raising our baby, he begged me to be back with him . He said he hated how distant I’d become, that I didn’t even say hi to him anymore, and that we barely spoke despite living in the same house. He admitted that most of that distance was because of the things he’d done. He cried, apologized over and over, and begged me to be good with him again. He kept saying this wasn’t good for our son and that we should be a happy family. Because he brought up our son, I agreed to try couples therapy.
Today we went to our second session first session was was introduction I hadn’t slept all night because baby didn’t sleep well, but I still didn’t cancel the appointment. He, on the other hand, was well rested and showed up dressed up I looked like I hadn’t slept in months. Therapist is young our first session was on telehealth second session in prison.
I went in with an open mind because I genuinely wanted to work on our issues.
Instead, this man lied about everything.
At home, he had admitted to all the hurt he caused and took responsibility for it. In therapy, he defended every single thing he’d done and made it seem like I was exaggerating or making it all up. I was honestly in shock.
What’s the point of going to therapy if you’re just going to lie?
He stayed calm the entire session and bragged about himself about how hard he works to support me and our baby. He made himself look like the perfect husband. The therapist even seemed to take his side. I wasn’t there to convince her that I was right, so I mostly stayed quiet while he painted himself as the most Perfect man, perfect dad and husband… he doesn’t even hold baby and the therapist told him he sounds like A great dad! . She laughed with him, smiled at him, maintained eye contact with him, and asked him about his work. I didn’t feel comfortable at all.
At the end, she scheduled another session for next week. When we got back to the car, the first thing he said to me was, “You tried to make me look bad by telling her all that, but it didn’t work.”
The entire ride home, he talked about how much he loved the therapist and how he couldn’t wait to go back. Then he argued with me about everything I had said during the session. His tone completely changed from how he’d acted in therapy.
This isn’t what I want.
I’m going to cancel the sessions tomorrow. I disrupted my son’s nap schedule, feeding schedule, and our entire day because I truly wanted this to be a fresh start. Instead I felt manipulated and gaslit all over again.

Mil apologized for mistreating me while I was pregnant, during my miscarriages, during my engagement party, and overall even on the first day she met me.. She finally apologized, and I didn’t know if she was being fake because I now have a newborn, her first grandchild. But I put it all behind me for the sake of peace and welcomed her into my house to visit the baby
My goal for her visit was to be kind and respectful because it’s all about the baby. But I was triggered by everything she did suggesting we rename my child because she doesn’t like his name, not buying the baby a single toy or any baby item , but instead getting a mommy and me matching outfit with her and insisting the baby wear it and take pictures all day. Like she is his mother
The baby was not comfortable when she held him and kept crying. She aggressively took him from me, and when I said he needed a diaper and clothes change, she said no he doesn’t and snatched him away from me. She took him outside to get vitamin D from the sun while he was naked, saying doctors don’t know what they’re talking about and that vitamin D drops don’t help and that he needs the sun.
She corrected everything I did as if I don’t know how to be a mom. She said he can have more than breastmilk She tried to give my baby food even though he is not 6 months yet. Her voice and everything about her was annoying to me. I got the worst headache during her 6 day visit, and I was stressed and crying. She posted my baby’s pictures all over Facebook and TikTok even though she was told not to. She said, “I’m his grandma, I can do what I want,” and got jealous when she heard we were going to visit my mom in the summer, like she wants to be the only grandma or something. If my husband tells her no, she says, “I’m his grandma, I have every right.”
Her tone bothered me, and I honestly regretted allowing her to come. Especially when she tried renaming my child. I don’t know if it’s because I’m going through postpartum, but I cried.

After her visit, I noticed I was still bothered by her behavior. I was stressed and crying, meanwhile she was sending videos of herself happy, enjoying her life, saying she was having the best time on vacation and getting drunk. It reminded me how every time she causes me stress even in the past she is always enjoying her life. After my miscarriage, she threw a party. It feels like a pattern I cry and stress over her behavior, and she is out there enjoying her life without a care in the world. She ruined my baby’s first Easter, she ruined the day he was born, she made me cry on my engagement day and wedding day. I kept letting her ruin my days while she was living her best life. Never again.
Stress is very harmful, especially after giving birth when you are already sleep deprived. I noticed how my health and body are affected negatively whenever I am stressed, and that is why I decided never again I simply don’t like my mil and I don’t have to deal with her, so I am blocking her number. I don’t want to talk about her again or be bothered by anything she is doing because she is not worth it. I need to focus on raising my child and raising a happy, healthy boy. I don’t care if this is my MIL’s first grandchild the world does not revolve around her. I need to do what makes me happy. At the end of the day, what matters to my child is that he has a mentally healthy mom.
I fear all the stress from the past my MIL caused still affects me, regardless of her fake apology, which came too late. She will never be hearing from me again, and she will not get updates or pictures of my baby. I have a great relationship with my husband, and that is all that matters.
After her visit, my MIL seemed happy. I assume it’s because she could tell she stressed me out. She is already planning her next visit on Mother’s Day, so she will be surprised to know I’ve actually cut her out of my life this time for good and I don’t need to announce it.
I don’t need a relationship with my MIL at all. She is out of my life, and this will be the last time I ever write about her because there is nothing left to say. She will not be part of my life, and I will not let her consume my thoughts anymore.

I need stroller recommendations for my 6 month old. We recently moved and don’t have a stroller right now. I’ll mostly use it for walks on the sidewalk near my house not long walks and for running errands.