A first-time mother who experienced a traumatic delivery of twins has explained her ‘heartbreak’ after her husband’s parents had expressed their ‘huge upset’ at the couple's choice of names. The 26-year-old, who revealed that the birth was such a nightmare that her and her husband had both agreed they wouldn’t be having any more children, told how after her two-day labour, both sets of parents had come to visit.
With her husband snoozing after only four hours sleep when her father came to visit, she said that his heartwarming actions towards her had made her cry. She said: My dad, sat by me first and just held my hand for a bit. When I told him to go get some cuddles in with the twins, he said: ‘I’m here to see my baby’ meaning me.”
She continued: “It was honestly so sweet and I started tearing up. I didn’t even realise how invisible I felt when my husband was sleeping and my dad was there to make sure I was also being taken care of. He took me down to the hospital cafe and we had breakfast together while the babies were with everyone else.”
Read more: 'I took DNA test for a laugh - and accidentally uncovered my mum's devious past'
After deciding to give one of the twins her father’s name as his middle name as a result, she admitted this was where the problems began with her father-in-law, who had made it clear he had always wanted a grandson named after him: “He has two sons, my husband and his younger brother and my brother-in-law is gay and says he doesn’t want to adopt kids in the future. My father-in-law is also one of those people who cares about ‘bloodlines’ so I don’t think he’d want an adopted grandson named after him.”
After admitting that her husband had a ‘complicated’ relationship with his father and wasn’t comfortable naming their son after him, she said that the couple had opted to give the twins the same initials instead: “He accepted this, but when he found out we were switching the middle name for my father’s, he lost his mind,” she said.
After her father-in-law told the couple it was something he had always wanted, believing they were ‘throwing it in his face’ by giving the baby her father’s name as his middle name instead, she said her explanations fell on deaf ears: “I tried to explain why but he cut me off and said it was absurd to expect someone to check on me when there were babies that had just been born and my father shouldn’t be rewarded for ‘ignoring his grandchildren’. I tried to explain that it was more than just the moment because my dad has been my best friend for my whole life but he didn’t want to hear it.”
For all the latest on news, politics, sports, and showbiz from the USA, go to The Mirror US.
She said that her mother-in-law also believed the couple were in the wrong: “According to her, we are taking something away from him just because my dad chose to do something ‘unusual’ which to them was ignoring the babies until he was satisfied with me being okay.”
After taking her naming nightmare to Reddit to ask for readers’ opinion, she was soothed by most being firmly on her father’s side: “What a touching moment for you to have shared and I’m sorry it’s being tainted by your father-in-law,” said one, while another commented: “Your father-in-law can throw all the tantrums he wants, those are YOUR babies and you'll call them what you damn well please. His "bloodline"? Please, neither of you are racehorses.”
One reader advised: “Namesakes should be given based on the good and positive merits of the person in question. Your dad sounds like a sweetie pie and I love what he did for you, while another said they were: “Glad your husband is supporting you. Getting a child named after you should be an honour not a demand!” fumed one. “Your father-in-law sounds like a narcissistic jerk.”