When my mother-in-law, Melissa, came to help with my colicky baby while my husband was away, I expected a break. Instead, I found myself questioning her intentions, my instincts, and even my marriage.
I sank into the couch, exhausted. My baby, Emily, cried faintly in the nursery.
At three months in, I still didn’t know how people survived with a colicky baby on minimal sleep.
Peter had called earlier. “How are my girls?” he asked. “You need a break. Mom can help tomorrow.”
Though I didn’t have the best relationship with Melissa, I agreed to a visit—if only for the chance to rest.
The next day, she arrived with a casserole. “You look pale,” she said. “Are you eating enough?”
I forced a smile. She took Emily from me and told me to lie down. “Go rest. I’ve got this,” she said.
But as I lay down, something felt off. I heard her mutter, “Babies today are so coddled.”
I woke to Emily’s cries. My phone and the baby monitor were missing. Panicked, I rushed to her room—she had been left alone.
I found Melissa outside, on the phone with Peter, ignoring Emily’s cries.
“What happened?” I demanded. “Why was she crying?”
Melissa dismissed my concerns. “Crying doesn’t hurt babies,” she said defensively.
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “You left her alone for 37 minutes? I don’t trust you to care for Emily.”
“You’re being dramatic,” Melissa retorted.
“Leave,” I said, my voice firm. “Don’t come back unless Peter is here.”
Melissa stormed out. Holding Emily close, I asked myself, had I overreacted?
No, I decided. I’d done the right thing.