Being a surrogate for a family member is arguably the most selfless gift a human being can give. You are literally offering up your body, your sleep, and your sanity for nine straight months so someone else can achieve their dream of becoming a parent. You would think the people receiving this miraculous gift would spend every single day treating their surrogate like an absolute queen. But one mom on Reddit just revealed how her brother in law and his wife are treating her like a rented incubator, and the sheer audacity will make your blood boil.
The Original Poster is a thirty four year old mother of four who is currently pregnant with a baby for her brother in law Simon and his wife Michelle. Simon and Michelle have tragically struggled with infertility for years. They even tried surrogacy once before, but the previous surrogate changed her mind at the very last second. Honestly, after hearing how these people behave, that first surrogate probably had a very good reason for running away.
There has always been a toxic undercurrent of jealousy coming from Simon and Michelle. The Original Poster and her husband James had their first child when they were only sixteen years old, and only one of their four kids was actually planned. Seeing someone else easily build a family while you struggle is undeniably heartbreaking. But instead of working through those feelings in therapy, Simon and Michelle let their bitterness completely poison the dynamic.
Despite her own heavy doubts, the Original Poster felt terrible for the struggling couple and generously agreed to carry their child. Her husband James was totally supportive and treated her with the exact same sweetness he showed during her previous four pregnancies. But Simon and Michelle instantly morphed into the most controlling, overbearing nightmare clients on the planet.
They immediately put the mother of four on strict meal plans. They forced her to take specific supplements and demanded she attend multiple pregnancy classes. When the Original Poster politely reminded them that she has literally done this four times and knows how to be pregnant, they completely dismissed her. They actually told her that being pregnant four times does not make her an expert. The disrespect is truly off the charts.
But the absolute breaking point happened when it was time to discuss the actual birth plan. Simon and Michelle handed down their ultimate ruling. They expected the Original Poster to deliver the baby via an unmedicated water birth. The Original Poster immediately and rightfully said absolutely not. During her second pregnancy, she experienced an unmedicated birth because there was no time for pain relief, and she described the pain as horrific. She knows her own limits and firmly refuses to endure that specific agony ever again.
Furthermore, she has absolutely zero desire to be submerged in a tub of water mixed with blood, bodily fluids, and potential poop. That is a completely valid boundary. But Simon and Michelle lost their minds. They argued that because it is their baby, they should get to decide exactly how the baby is born. The Original Poster fired back with the only argument that matters. It is her body, and she alone gets to decide how she pushes a human being out of it.
The disagreement quickly devolved into a massive shouting match. The Original Poster got incredibly overwhelmed by the hostility and started to cry. Instead of apologizing for stressing out the pregnant woman carrying her child, Michelle actually rolled her eyes and told her to grow up. James immediately jumped in, told Michelle to shut up, and defended his crying wife. The couple left the house in tears, deeply regretting the entire surrogacy arrangement.
In a classic manipulative move, Simon and Michelle tried to tattle to James’ parents. They called the grandparents to complain about the birth plan refusal, completely expecting them to take their side. But the plan backfired spectacularly. The in laws called James and the Original Poster, heard the actual truth, and were completely horrified. They sided entirely with the surrogate and promised to have a serious talk with the entitled couple.
Now, the Original Poster is just two weeks away from her due date and is an absolute nervous wreck. She feels like an a**hole for not wanting them in the delivery room, but James is already prepared to play the role of the ultimate bouncer. He promised to kick his own brother out of the hospital if they do a single thing to stress his wife out. The internet universally agrees that she is absolutely not the villain here. You do not get to micromanage another woman’s medical procedure, and Simon and Michelle need to be incredibly grateful they are getting a baby at all.