A first-time mom-to-be shared on Reddit that her mother-in-law (MIL) made a deeply uncomfortable request during a seemingly innocent conversation. The MIL nostalgically mentioned wanting to read the same books she once read to her son—now the expectant mom’s husband—but then revealed she wanted to read them to the baby in the womb.
The mom-to-be instantly felt uneasy, describing it as intrusive and too intimate, especially since she wasn’t close to her MIL. She politely declined, saying she and her husband wanted those moments to be private between them. Her MIL didn’t take it well and went silent, but her husband fully supported the decision.
Despite the tension, they discussed respectful ways to include the MIL after the baby is born—like reading stories post-birth or recording them. But reading to the belly? That was a firm no.
Commenters overwhelmingly backed the mom, calling the request invasive and reinforcing her right to set boundaries—especially during pregnancy.
