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MIL’s Facebook Fame Grab Ruins Pregnancy Reveal, Gets Shut Down By Her Son And His Furious Wife
Older woman in red hijacks pregnancy announcement, causing family tension as she refuses to delete Facebook post.

MIL’s Facebook Fame Grab Ruins Pregnancy Reveal, Gets Shut Down By Her Son And His Furious Wife

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They say a baby brings families together, but whoever came up with that clearly never had a mother-in-law with WiFi and a flair for dramatic announcements.

Babies might come with tiny socks and big feelings, but they also come with a flood of unsolicited advice, boundary-crossing relatives, and at least one grandma who treats social media like a personal tabloid.

One pregnant Redditor learned the hard way that when you give a boomer the green light to share good news, you’d better specify not to turn it into a public Facebook newsletter, especially when that news involves your uterus.

More info: Reddit

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    Couple smiling and holding ultrasound images during pregnancy announcement overshadowed by MIL hijacking for Facebook glory.

    Image credits: Tima Miroshnichenko / Pexels (not the actual photo)

    One mom-to-be had her joy hijacked by her mother-in-law after she announced her pregnancy on Facebook before she could tell anyone

    Text message screenshot showing a pregnancy announcement hijacked by MIL on Facebook causing family conflict over deletion refusal.

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    Text about MIL hijacking pregnancy announcement on Facebook causing family conflict over social media post.

    Text discussing struggling with hyperemesis during pregnancy, related to MIL hijacking pregnancy announcement for Facebook.

    Text message discussing requesting removal of tags from a Facebook post after MIL hijacks pregnancy announcement.

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    Text excerpt about MIL hijacking a pregnancy announcement for Facebook attention, sparking family conflict.

    Older woman and younger woman sharing a tender moment, illustrating family tension over a hijacked pregnancy announcement.

    Image credits: xRDNE Stock project / Pexels (not the actual photo)

    The woman and her husband shared the joyful pregnancy news with their families and allowed them to let their relatives know

    Text excerpt showing a family dispute over a pregnancy announcement hijacked on Facebook by a mother-in-law refusing to delete it.

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    Text excerpt describing family conflict after MIL hijacks pregnancy announcement on Facebook, refusing to delete it.

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    Text message about MIL asking husband to take down pregnancy announcement post, causing family conflict on Facebook.

    Text excerpt discussing a MIL hijacking a pregnancy announcement on Facebook, causing family conflict over deleting it.

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    Text excerpt about MIL hijacking pregnancy announcement causing family conflict and refusal to delete Facebook post.

    Middle-aged woman focused on laptop screen at home, illustrating MIL hijacks pregnancy announcement for Facebook glory.

    Image credits: Mikhail Nilov / Pexels (not the actual photo)

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    The mother-in-law posted the news on Facebook for everyone to see and threw a fit when asked to delete it

    Text message expressing emotional distress about work and personal worries related to a hijacked pregnancy announcement on Facebook.

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    Text excerpt showing a family struggling with MIL hijacking pregnancy announcement for Facebook attention and refusing to delete it.

    Text excerpt about MIL hijacking pregnancy announcement causing family conflict and refusal to delete Facebook post.

    Text message discussing hospital stay and anti sickness medicine, highlighting conflict over pregnancy announcement on Facebook.

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    Text expressing frustration about needing serious boundary setting with MIL who hijacks pregnancy announcement for Facebook glory.

    Image credits: Realistic_Ask6829

    The dad-to-be confronted his mom about the post, and went ballistic when she said she would get divorced because of him

    The OP (original poster), an excited mom-to-be, and her husband gave their parents the go-ahead to spread the pregnancy news to their family and friends, assuming common sense would cover the “don’t blast it online” clause. But apparently, common sense isn’t included in every mother-in-law’s emotional software update.

    Before the couple could even start telling their inner circle, the mother-in-law took to the internet and hit “post” like her life depended on it, gushing not about the parents-to-be, but about herself becoming a grandma. And just like that, the congratulations came flooding in, from old friends, distant cousins, you name it.

    The OP texted her mother-in-law politely, asking for the tags to be removed, hoping to contain the viral spill. What did she get in return? A passive-aggressive thumbs-up, a digital slap in the face if there ever was one. But this lady wasn’t done. Not even close.

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    Turns out the brother-in-law had already tried to get ahead of the drama, calling her to explain why Facebook wasn’t the place for baby announcements that weren’t hers. Her response? “Get off your high horse.” She even tried roping in her husband for backup, except he agreed with the kids.

    Faced with overwhelming logic and a solid wall of unified family disapproval, what did she do? She called her son to complain that she was being treated unfairly. Big mistake. Her son was furious and reminded his mom, loudly and clearly, that this wasn’t her story to share.

    The mother-in-law, of course, played the victim card, claiming the family dispute would lead to divorce with her husband and it would all be their fault. That’s when the OP’s hubby finally lost it, went nuclear on his mom, so she did end up deleting the post, but the damage? Already done.

    Sad woman sitting hugging her knees, representing family conflict over a hijacked pregnancy announcement on Facebook.

    Image credits: Kaboompics.com / Pexels (not the actual photo)

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    Pregnancy already comes with a full plate of weird symptoms, but add a cup of stress to that, and you could be looking at more than just annoyance. Chronic stress during pregnancy has been linked to complications like low birth weight, high blood pressure, and even preterm labor.

    According to the pros, cortisol (the stress hormone) can affect both mom and baby. And dealing with severe morning sickness and a mother-in-law who doesn’t know what boundaries are can definitely increase stress. So, whether it’s muting group chats or skipping that “urgent” call from auntie Carol, setting boundaries isn’t selfish, it’s basically prenatal care.

    Because some people have an uncanny ability to make everything about them, even someone else’s pregnancy. While not every self-centered relative is a narcissist, behaviors like attention-seeking, overstepping, and lack of empathy fall under what experts call “narcissistic tendencies.”

    These traits can come from deep-seated insecurity or a lifelong habit of being the center of attention. If someone treats your news as their spotlight moment, odds are they’re stuck in a cycle of self-importance. Responding with boundaries instead of validation helps disrupt the pattern, because your life is not their personal branding campaign.

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    What do you think of this story? What would you have done if you were in the poster’s shoes? Share your thoughts and comments below!

    Netizens advise the woman to stop sharing any news with her mother-in-law as she will probably do the same thing again

    Screenshot of a Reddit conversation about a MIL hijacking a pregnancy announcement and family tension over deleting it.

    Facebook comment showing 745 points about someone using a "Grey Rock" technique in text communication.

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    Screenshot of a Reddit comment discussing MIL hijacking pregnancy announcement on Facebook and causing family conflict.

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    Comment suggesting to block a meddling MIL and let husband handle family communication for health and baby focus during pregnancy.

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    Comment discussing consequences for MIL hijacking pregnancy announcement, warning of postpartum impact and family conflict on Facebook.

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    Comment on social media post about MIL hijacking pregnancy announcement causing family conflict over Facebook pride.

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    Poll Question

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    Monica Selvi

    Monica Selvi

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

    Read more »

    Hi! I'm Moni. I’m a globetrotting creative with a camera in one hand and a notebook in the other. I’ve lived in 4 different countries, an visited 17, soaking up inspiration wherever I go. A marketer by trade but a writer at heart, I’ve been crafting stories, poems, and songs, and creating quirky characters since I was 7.

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    Monica Selvi

    Monica Selvi

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

    Hi! I'm Moni. I’m a globetrotting creative with a camera in one hand and a notebook in the other. I’ve lived in 4 different countries, an visited 17, soaking up inspiration wherever I go. A marketer by trade but a writer at heart, I’ve been crafting stories, poems, and songs, and creating quirky characters since I was 7.

    Rūta Zumbrickaitė

    Rūta Zumbrickaitė

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    Read more »

    Hi! Here at Panda's I'm responsible for Photo Editing and all of the things surrounding it. I love finding great, moody or even dramatic photos to fit the story. Besides that, I'm a proud owner of 3 cats with the silliest names and a bazillion plants<3You can find me at a makeup counter with headphones swatching all of the sparkly eyeshadows

    Read less »

    Rūta Zumbrickaitė

    Rūta Zumbrickaitė

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    Hi! Here at Panda's I'm responsible for Photo Editing and all of the things surrounding it. I love finding great, moody or even dramatic photos to fit the story. Besides that, I'm a proud owner of 3 cats with the silliest names and a bazillion plants<3You can find me at a makeup counter with headphones swatching all of the sparkly eyeshadows

    What do you think ?
    Taylor's Ferry
    Community Member
    5 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    #1 you can untag yourself if others choose to tag you in a FB post. #2 you can set your FB account up so you cannot be tagged in a post without your consent.

    L Sarris
    Community Member
    5 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I see how the MIL is not someone id want to deal with, but im confused by "we gave them the go ahead to tell friends and family" . I dont think it is unreasonable to think this included social media unless specifically stated. Not saying Mil is not going to need managing, but i think they shot themselves in the face with that statement

    Anna Losonczy
    Community Member
    5 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    but when they asked her to delete the post, she should've deleted it..

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    Kate Johnson
    Community Member
    Premium
    5 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I wouldn't respond to any texts. Let hubby be her singular point of contact.

    Janelle Collard
    Community Member
    Premium
    5 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Absolutely. And I hope OP's hubs is ok with not telling Mommy Dearest immediately after baby's born cuz you know she'll be right over.

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    Taylor's Ferry
    Community Member
    5 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    #1 you can untag yourself if others choose to tag you in a FB post. #2 you can set your FB account up so you cannot be tagged in a post without your consent.

    L Sarris
    Community Member
    5 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I see how the MIL is not someone id want to deal with, but im confused by "we gave them the go ahead to tell friends and family" . I dont think it is unreasonable to think this included social media unless specifically stated. Not saying Mil is not going to need managing, but i think they shot themselves in the face with that statement

    Anna Losonczy
    Community Member
    5 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    but when they asked her to delete the post, she should've deleted it..

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    Kate Johnson
    Community Member
    Premium
    5 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I wouldn't respond to any texts. Let hubby be her singular point of contact.

    Janelle Collard
    Community Member
    Premium
    5 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Absolutely. And I hope OP's hubs is ok with not telling Mommy Dearest immediately after baby's born cuz you know she'll be right over.

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