Just relaxing, calm breathing, yoga, or trying to get your feet up as much as possible might help.

I know it's hard but try to relax. Do you belong to a church group where some ladies or maybe some of the teenage girls could come help you get some things ready? If not just remember, right now the important thing is you and baby, and you can do those things after the baby is born. It's tough, but sometimes you just gotta do (or in this case NOT do) what you gotta do. Thinking of you & keeping you in my prayers.

My friend told me today that if I go and pick her up that she will come over and help me out, but I don't know how much work will acctually be done. Everytime she says she will help she comes over with the baby and then nothing gets done and the house acctually looks worse when she leaves. She has a 3 month old and she is always holding him even when he is sleeping. When she does put him down she helps a little but then he makes any kind of noise and she is holding him again.

My mom, sister, brother, and sisters friend are coming down on Friday night for my baby shower on Saturday, but they can't really help. My mom and sister have bad backs and can't stand up for long and my brother is just lazy. I told them tonight that if the house is a mess when they get here that I am sorry but I just don't have the energy to do anything. Hopefully they will understand.

I am sorry you're going through this. Relaxing will surely help, even if it's a little. As for housework, do tell your family that you need help. I bet they will figure a way to help, just repeat very clearly and frequently what you need done. And don't pressure yourself. I remember you had a hard time with this pregnancy. No one should expect you to keep the house clean or do any other work besides growing that baby. Oh and welcome to mommy world. What your friend is doing is what you'll soon do :) When the baby makes a peep you go and hold them. You learn pretty quickly that if you don't you'll get a serious bout of crying that's hard to stop, plus you love them so much you want to help. It is very hard to get things done with a baby around. But people make it through, and you will too. I hope your bp stabilizes.

Can you hire a cleaner for a one time shot at the house? If my mother wasn't coming this weekend to clean, that's what I would do. normally you can get them for $50-100 for one day of cleaning - then you don't have to worry about the big stuff.

And it is ok to sit on your butt on the couch while other people do work at your house!

Sorry you are dealing with this - but remember you get a baby at the end, it is all worth it.

I was feeling a little better until my future mother-in-law sent my friend, who was in charge of the invitations to the baby shower, an email and then my friend forwarded it to me. As I read this email I could feel my blood pressure going higher and higher. She told my friend that she wasn't comming to the shower cause she had given me a few things earlier and that was "enough of a controbution to a child she would never see". It went on to say that her mother's day present to me was that she would have nothing to do with either of us.

After reading this I was really light headed and dizzy so when that subsided I drove to the doctor to have them check my bp. It was pretty high so I am sure that tomorrow at my appointment we are going to discuss having a c-section.

Not only is she doing this stuff to me but to my fiance too. She is making him feel like he isn't able to do anything right. He has litterally worried himself sick over it. Maybe it would be better for everyone involved if we just planed the c-section so that he knows he can be here when our baby is born. I am trying everything to relax but I just don't know what else to do.

Charity, you haven't been on for a few days so maybe you've already delivered. But just in case - I can so understand where you're coming from. I was stressed out at the end of my pregnancy because I had to be on bed rest and I had a TON of things to do, and my hubby and older kids weren't helping.

But you know what? The housework doesn't matter. The dishes don't matter. Nothing matters but keeping you and your baby safe. Everything else can wait - and MUST wait - or somebody else has to do it. Your health and baby's are the most important. Not easy, but the truth.

Also, please learn from me and don't make the mistake of thinking that you can come right home from the hospital and start doing all that stuff. Especially if you have a c-section. You might as well learn now to cut yourself some slack, because once baby is here you are going to be tired and busy. Nobody ever died because their house wasn't spotlessly clean.

Hang in there, babe! Sounds like your future MIL is a toxic person who is better avoided anyway. Sorry you have to deal with her, though. She sounds like a real jerk.

Are you kidding? I know you're not but this situation is ridiculous. One woman's words can make you two physically sick? Wow! You both need to learn how to plug your ears. Next time when you get an email from her, delete it without reading. If she calls, hang up. If anyone asks you why say that your doc said you have to remain calm for baby's sake. I know pregnancy is time when emotions run high - I cried yesterday because of some stupid thing at work that really I should've just ignored. But you have to make sure you and the baby are OK, that's #1 priority. I hope you're doing better now. xoxo