Reddit Stories - I am EXPECTING a BABY and have been ADVISED to stay in bed

Episode Date: November 6, 2025

#redditstories #askreddit #aita #pregnancyproblems #bedrest #parentingadvice #newmom #healthconcernsSummary: Expecting a baby, advised bed rest. Juggling excitement with health concerns, seeking support and advice. Navigating pregnancy challenges, preparing for new chapter in life.Tags: redditstories, askreddit, reddit, aita, tifu, pregnancy, baby, bedrest, parenting, health, advice, support, challenges, excitement, newchapter, motherhood, family, community, sharing, experiencesBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/reddit-stories--6237355/support.

I hope you enjoy this story. I am expecting a baby and have been advised to stay in bed at all times due to severe issues. While I was resting, my partner received a distressing phone call from my mother about discomfort in her chest and a potential heart problem, prompting him to quickly drive for six miles to her aid. Hours to help and it turns out she lied about the medical emergency. I'm 30 weeks pregnant and on strict bed rest because of a serious complication. A month ago, I went into early contractions at 26 weeks.

Thankfully the doctors stopped it, but I was told in no uncertain terms that I have to stay in bed for the rest of my pregnancy. I can only get up for quick bathroom trips or a fast shower. No driving, no cooking, basically no exertion at all. My husband has been doing almost everything. Cooking, cleaning, helping me to the bathroom, you name it. It's been tough and scary, but we've been. we were managing. My husband's mom, my mill, lives in another state, about a six-hour drive away. She's a widow and somewhat needy, to be honest. Even before I got pregnant, she would call my husband

over every little thing. If she had a mild headache or a computer issue, she'd insist he come help her. I've tried to get her to hire help or call friends, but she always says I have no one else. My husband has a bit of a soft spot for her since she's alone, and I get it, until now it's just been an inconvenience at times. I didn't love it, but I also never thought she would interfere with something serious. This morning around 8 a.m., my husband was getting our breakfast ready when his phone rang. It was his mom, and she was crying on the line. I only heard his side, but he went pale and rushed over to me with the phone pressed to his ear. He said chest pain.

Did you call an ambulance? And I immediately knew something was very wrong. From what I could piece together, she was saying she had severe chest pains and was scared it might be a heart attack. She was apparently alone and didn't think she could drive herself. Instead of calling 911 first, she called her son crying that she was having a medical emergency. I was startled and terrified for her. A heart attack is serious and she lives far. How could my husband even help immediately? I whispered to him to tell her to call 911 now.

He tried, but he told me she refused and kept begging him to come because there's no one else. He looked completely torn. I was lying in bed literally unable to get up fully, and he's pacing the bedroom. After a quick frantic exchange, he hung up and told me, I have to go, it's my mom, he said she might be having a heart attack and he can't ignore that. I immediately started crying. I'm afraid for his mom's life if she's truly having chest pains, and I'm also afraid of being alone in my condition. I can barely walk to the bathroom without getting lightheaded.

One of my issues is some pregnancy-related high blood pressure that we're monitoring. I begged him to make sure she calls an ambulance and to maybe wait until we know more. But he was already throwing clothes, saying she explicitly told him not to bother with 911. one. She claimed she'd just sit tight and take some aspirin until he could get there. I was baffled she wouldn't seek immediate medical help, but he said she sounded panicked and maybe not thinking straight. My husband promised he'd try to call emergency services for her once he was on the road, but he was in such a frenzy to leave. He did at least do a couple things before walking out, he set up a cooler next to our bed with water, snacks, and sandwiches he quickly threw together.

and he phoned our next-door neighbor, an older lady were friendly with, to ask if she could check on me this evening if he wasn't back. He kissed my forehead and said, I'm so sorry, I'll be back as soon as I can. Then he was gone. So now I'm lying here in bed, alone, basically helpless, with my mind racing. I feel completely abandoned and torn. I get that he felt he had no choice. If his mom really is having a heart attack or something serious, of course he'd want to be there. But I needed him here too. I'm on doctor's orders not to be alone for long in case my symptoms worsen. We were literally told that I shouldn't be by myself overnight. If something happens, I can't rush to the hospital easily. I don't have family nearby.

We had arranged his work from home and neighbor check-ins to keep me safe. All that went out the window in an instant. I'm also a bit confused and suspicious, to be honest. If my mill truly thought she was having a heart attack, why wouldn't she call an ambulance first? Waiting six plus hours for her son to arrive makes no sense in a real emergency. I know some older people can be stubborn about doctors, but this feels extreme. There's also the history. She's had a pattern of exaggerating health problems to get attention. Something like this before, but for example, she once claimed she was bedridden with back pain

and needed him, and when he arrived, she was out backwatering her garden. Another time she said she felt dizzy and about to faint so he rushed over, and it turned out she had a mild cold. These incidents were months ago and each time she had some excuse like, oh, I felt better by the time you got here. I didn't love it, but I kept my mouth shut out of respect. Now with this timing, I'm in a high-risk pregnancy and she suddenly has chest pains. I can't help but wonder if it's really a coincidence. I feel guilty for even thinking she could be making this up. Chest pain is not something you fake, right?

And what kind of mother would do that to her son, especially knowing I'm in a delicate state here? I don't want to assume the worst. Maybe it is real and I'll never forgive myself for doubting her. I'm just so upset and scared. As I type this, he's on the road to her. He left about an hour ago. I told him to keep me updated, but I haven't heard anything yet.

I'm essentially just lying here alone, checking my phone every few minutes. I have our hospital bag by the bed in case I have to call 911 for myself. I'm posting this here while I lie in bed because I honestly don't know what else to do. Has anyone else's spouse ever had to choose between two emergencies? I guess I just needed to get this off my chest. No pun intended. I'll update when I know more, but for now I'm just here waiting and hoping I'm wrong about my suspicions. I really hope she's okay and this is all just a terrible situation with no bad

intentions. Because if I find out she lied, I don't even know how I'd handle that. Update 1. I'm overwhelmed by the support and by how many of you found this situation fishy too. It's been about 15 hours since my original post. I wish I had clear news, but things are still confusing. After reading suggestions and also frankly just to calm my own mind, I decided to call every hospital in my Mill City. There are only three major hospitals near her, so it wasn't too hard. I'm on bed rest, but I have a phone and a list of places from Google. I figured if she was admitted for a cardiac issue, she'd likely be at one of them well.

I just got off the phone with all three. None of them have any record of a patient matching my Mill's name or description coming in today. Not even as an ER walk-in. I even checked the smaller clinic and urgent care in her town. Nothing. One hospital receptionist told me that if someone had chest pains and called 911, that it would almost certainly bring them to the big regional hospital, and she double-checked for me, no one by her name or age came through their ER today. So at this point, it appears that my mill did not go to any hospital at all. I had a feeling this might be the case, but seeing

it confirmed in black and white has me fuming and also deeply worried. If she truly had a medical emergency, why on earth hasn't she sought treatment? And if she's not having one, then what the hell is going on? I also tried calling my Mills phone several times. No answer. It just rings and goes to voicemail. I haven't left a voicemail because I'm honestly not sure what to even say to her right now. Hope you're not dying, also where the heck are you? I'm too angry to be tactful, so it's probably best I don't get her on the line at this moment. As for my husband, we've texted a little, but it's been spotty. He updated me that he arrived at his mom's house. So he did the drive in about six hours, I did all of the above on the slight chance that my mill went to the hospital and got

admitted. Now he said, she's looking okay so far. I think it might have been a false alarm. I'll fill you in soon. That's literally all I got from him in text. I tried to call him right after that text, but it rang a few times then went to voicemail. I'm guessing his phone died or he silenced it. It's frustrating not to have more info. I am, still stuck in bed, feeling pretty helpless. Physically I'm all right at the moment. Baby is still kicking, no contractions or anything.

My neighbor brought me some dinner and sat with me for an hour, which was a godsend. I didn't tell her the whole drama, just that my husband had to go take care of his for a bit. She was confused he'd leave me, but I played it off like it was unavoidable. I hate looking like a damsel and distress to people around me, even though, well, I kind of am one right now. Some of you asked if this kind of thing has happened before. As I mentioned in my original post, she has a track record of crying wolf for smaller things. But faking chest pains would be a new low. I keep thinking, maybe she did feel something and it resolved. Maybe it was anxiety or a panic attack. Those can feel like chest pain. If that's the case, fine,

but then why not answer my calls now and at least let me know she's okay? Why is my husband being so vague in his text? Something is off. He sounded annoyed about it. I asked him what exactly he was doing all evening, and why he hadn't called. He said they just had dinner and watched some TV, and then she talked his ear off about some home project she's planning. Home projects? Yes, apparently while I was here freaking out, they were discussing paint colors for her living room and new furniture she wants to buy. He kind of glossed over that part, but I made him repeat it. At that point on the phone, I didn't even know what to say. It was pretty clear to me what had happened. There was no medical emergency. Or if there was any pain, it was minor and she used it

as a pretext. She essentially got him to drop everything to come visit and help with her interior decorating or whatever. I was so angry I actually went quiet for a bit, trying to not unleash it on him right then. My husband started apologizing again, saying he felt terrible about leaving me and that this turned out to be nothing. He said he was going to sleep on her couch for a few hours and then drive back first thing in the morning. He sounded regretful, but also oddly defeated, if that makes sense. Like he didn't have the energy to even express how upset he was, but I could tell he was. I asked him, as calmly as I could, do you think your mom lied to you to get you there? There was a silence. Then he said, I don't know. I really hope not. But I can't talk about this

right now without losing my temper. He said we'd discuss everything when he got home, and that he just needed to get some sleep so he could drive safely. I could tell he was holding back a lot, maybe because he was still in her house and didn't want to erupt while there. So that was the call. I barely slept afterwards anyway, I was too riled up. This morning, around 7 a.m., he texted me that he was on his way home. True to his word, he must have left super early. It's about a six-hour drive, so he should be back around lunchtime today if all goes well. He was initially, just relieved she seemed all right. He did ask if she needed to go to the hospital. She said no, she was feeling much better, likely it was just a scare. She then launched into a whole spiel

about how lucky it was that he came when he did, because she's been oh so lonely and scared being by herself. She apparently even said something like, I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't come. I might not have made it. My husband was upset that she hadn't called 911, but he said he didn't immediately jump to her lying. He thought maybe she truly felt chest pain and it subsided. He spent the afternoon with her, making sure she was okay. That's when she started talking about her house projects. She showed him a bunch of paint swatches and fabric samples she'd been looking at for her living room redo. She'd already booked painters and was trying to decide on a color. She even asked his opinion on two shades of blue for the walls. At some point while she was chattering

about this, it clicked for him that she didn't seem like someone who had narrowly avoided a heart attack. She was bubbly, excited, and not at all shaken or tired like you'd expect after a real health scare. He realized she hadn't mentioned her chest pain again at all since he arrived. Not once. No mention of follow-up, or maybe I should get that check tomorrow, nothing. It was as if the entire reason for his trip there was an afterthought now. He finally asked her directly, Mom, why did you call me about chest pains instead of calling an ambulance? She got defensive and said she just needed him there and was scared and thought she was dying. He pressed on, asking why she refused to see a doctor after he came all that way.

She apparently got angry at that and accused him of interrogating her when she was vulnerable. She said, I'm fine now, isn't that what matters? Why are you giving me the third degree? That led to an argument. He told her he was worried and needed to understand. what actually happened. He told her how dangerous it was for her to ignore a real medical emergency, if it was one. And that's when the truth, or at least most of it, finally came out. In the heat of the argument, she admitted that she hadn't felt well earlier but maybe exaggerated

how bad it was. When pressed, she admitted that she wanted him to come out to help her because she's been stressed about the house renovations she's planning. And she was upset that he hadn't visited in a while. So in her mind, she felt ignored and the paint colors were overwhelming her, and she thought if she said it was an emergency, he would drop everything to be with her. Yes, you read that right. She basically conjured a medical emergency, or took a minor anxiety episode and inflated it, just to get her son to come spend time with her and advise on her living room remodel. My husband said that when she said that, something in him just snapped. He yelled at her. He told her exactly what her stunt put at risk, me and our baby.

He said, you knew, my name, is on bed rest and you still pulled this? She lied about chest pain so I'd come running, and I was stupid enough to do it. According to him, he really let loose there, I could tell he was still angry recounting it, she started crying and saying she didn't know what else to do and that she's all alone and always needs to beg for help. She actually tried to make herself the victim in this scenario, which just blows my mind. She also threw in something about I was really scared, I thought I was having a panic attack, I never meant to cause trouble.

But there's no getting around the fact that she lied about the severity of her condition. We could have simply said she was anxious and asked him to come if it was that important to her. Maybe we'd still be upset, but it wouldn't be this level of betrayal. My husband at that point was done. He told her she completely broke his trust and that he can't even look at her right now. He took his bag and left first thing in the morning without saying goodbye. She was crying as he left, apparently, and he just walked out while she was mid-sob. He's never done that to her before, so I think she really shocked herself into realizing

he was serious. During all this, I asked him how he feels now. He said he's mostly just angry at her for pulling this, and at himself for falling for it and leaving me. He keeps saying I was so stupid, I should have known. I did my best to reassure him that, of course, he'd respond to what sounded like a life or death situation. I mean, I can't blame him for that, even if I wish he'd handled it differently, like at least ensuring someone else was with me.

He did what most people would do if they thought their only parent might be dying. That said, I didn't mince words about how it felt for me. I told him how scared and abandoned I felt. How I was up all night, how I had to call hospitals because I was sick with worry. I told him I understood why he went, but it absolutely cannot ever happen again like that. If there's a next time and his mom calls with some emergency, he needs to consider other options first, like sending emergency services, or asking a neighbor of hers to check, etc., instead of just rushing off.

He agreed completely. He actually said, I don't think I'll ever believe her on face value again, honestly. We also talked about what this means for our relationship with her going forward. Right now, he's so angry he doesn't even want to speak to her. He said he plans to go low contact with her for the foreseeable future. Possibly no contact for a while, at least until after our baby is safely here. He doesn't want her involved in the pregnancy or birth at this point, given what she just did. I was surprised to hear that level of resolve from him, because in the past he's always sort of

defended or downplayed her behavior, but this was apparently his breaking point. Honestly, I'm trying very hard not to say I told you so anywhere in this, and I won't, because piling on isn't helpful. He actually brought up maybe looking into a therapist to help him set boundaries with her, which I think is a great idea. It's his mom and he loves her, but she really crossed a line and he recognizes that. He apologized to me about a thousand times, both for leaving and for putting me through the stress. I can tell he's racked with guilt. I've tried to be understanding, I do forgive him because I know his heart was in the right place initially. The true villain of this story is clearly the manipulation by his mother. So, that's where things

stand. My husband is currently napping, the poor man is wiped out from all the driving and drama, and I'm here typing this update. I'm emotionally exhausted too, but also incredibly relieved that he's home and that we're on the same page now. The baby is still doing fine through all this. Thank goodness, I had a check on the phone with my OB, and since I haven't had new symptoms, they think stress was the main issue, and I just need to calm down. I'm working on that now. We have not answered any calls or texts from my mill since he left her house. She sent him a few messages, and I haven't gotten any direct messages from her, which is fine by me.

I have nothing to say to her at this moment that wouldn't be extremely unfiltered. We're going to consider carefully how or if we let her back into our lives, especially with the baby coming. If she's this willing to create chaos now, I worry what she might do when the attention is off of her and on our child. It's a bridge we'll cross later. For now, we're just focusing on keeping me calm and healthy, and getting through these next couple of weeks until baby arrives.