When Leandro’s mom flew in from San Antonio, I was actually relieved. I mean, I’d just had our daughter, Junie, two weeks early, and I was barely sleeping, bleeding through everything, and crying over dumb commercials.
So yeah—I welcomed the help.
For the first day, she made one casserole, folded a towel, and told me I should “nap when the baby naps.” After that? She parked herself on our couch like it was a throne. Scrolling Facebook. Watching her soap operas. Telling me I was holding Junie wrong, dressing her too warm, feeding her too much.
And the worst part? Leandro just kept saying, “She’s just trying to help, babe.”
Except she’s not.
She hasn’t changed one diaper. Not one. I even caught her pretending to be asleep when Junie was wailing at 3 a.m.—like full-on fake snoring.
Then last night, I broke. I asked gently (okay, maybe not that gently), “Hey, do you have an idea when you’ll be heading back?” And she looked me dead in the eye and said, “Oh, I figured I’d stay a while longer. You clearly need me.”
I. Froze.
Because the thing is… Leandro had already gone back to work. I’m home alone with a newborn and his mom, who’s treating this like her retirement spa. And now she’s started hinting at “redecorating a few things to make the space more functional.”
I think she actually packed away one of my baby books this morning?? Or maybe I’m losing it.
But this morning, Leandro told me he had “something to tell me” tonight when he gets home. He looked nervous. Like, really nervous.
So now I’m sitting here, bouncing Junie on my lap, dreading what he’s about to say.
He walks in just after 6, still in his scrubs, sets his keys down gently like he’s afraid even those will set me off. And I’m already suspicious, because he’s never this careful unless something’s up.
He sits next to me on the arm of the couch and says, “So… my mom got offered a job. Here.”
My stomach drops.
I blink. “What kind of job?”
“She used to do admin work, remember? Well, there’s a front desk position at Dr. Muñoz’s office—she interviewed yesterday. She wants to stay. For a while.”
That did it. I just stood up and walked straight into the kitchen without saying a word. I wasn’t trying to be dramatic. I just needed space to think, to breathe. Junie started fussing in my arms, probably feeding off my energy.
Leandro followed. “I didn’t agree to anything, okay? I just thought—maybe if she’s working, it won’t feel so… overbearing.”
I turned around, tears building, and finally said what I’d been bottling for days.
“She doesn’t help, Leandro. She judges. I feel like I’m tiptoeing in my own house. I don’t even feel like Junie’s mom when she’s around—I feel like a guest who’s doing everything wrong.”
He looked stunned. I don’t think he’d realized. I really don’t.
After a long pause, he finally nodded. “Okay. That’s not okay. I’ll talk to her.”
And to his credit, he did. That night. I heard murmurs from the guest room—some tension, some sighing—but nothing slammed or broke, so I took that as a win.
The next morning, Leandro’s mom came out with a suitcase. No drama, no guilt trip. Just said, “I think I’ll come back later this summer, when you’ve had a little more time to settle. And maybe next time, we can make a plan together.”
It wasn’t exactly an apology, but honestly, it felt bigger than that. It felt like respect.
After she left, I sat down with Leandro and told him something I hadn’t said out loud yet.
“I’m not just tired. I feel invisible. Like everyone’s staring at the baby and I’m just… background.”
He squeezed my hand. “I see you. You’re doing amazing.”
And yeah, that made me cry again—but the good kind this time.
Over the next few weeks, something shifted. Junie and I found a rhythm. I stopped worrying if I was doing everything “right” and just focused on what felt real. Skin-to-skin naps. Long stroller walks, even if my hair was a mess. Texting my cousin jokes at midnight when Junie wouldn’t sleep.
I even got brave enough to tell Leandro’s mom what really helped: “Next time, if you want to be here, I’d love for you to be here. Not just sit here.”
She actually smiled at that. Progress.
Life lesson?
Help isn’t just being present. It’s being useful without being controlling. It’s stepping in without stepping over. And most importantly, it’s asking how someone needs support—not assuming you already know.
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed with visitors who “mean well” but miss the mark, know this: It’s okay to speak up. Boundaries are a form of love, too.
💬 Have you dealt with something like this? Drop your story below—I’d love to hear how you handled it. And if this resonated, give it a like or share with someone who needs to hear they’re not alone. ❤️
