Mother-In-Law Insulted Daughter-In-Law And Suggested Her Son Have Babies With Her Friend

Some comments from family members are so shocking, they leave you questioning if you’re in some strange nightmare. That’s exactly what happened when a Reddit user’s mother-in-law (MIL) decided to casually suggest that her husband help a close friend of theirs conceive a child.

This wasn’t a fleeting thought; it came after the MIL praised the friend’s beauty and suggested that her son’s “swimmers” might be the problem with the friend’s infertility. To top it off, she even offered to be an “extra grandma” to the potential babies. Want to hear the jaw-dropping details? Let’s dive in.

A mother-in-law suggested her son should help a friend conceive, claiming the friend’s husband was infertile

From the outset, OP faced a disorienting and hurtful situation: their mother‑in‑law (MIL) made a deeply inappropriate suggestion, sharing her grandchild’s presence with them while simultaneously proposing the husband conceive with OP’s friend.

The emotional weight of that moment is clear: a loved one’s casual disrespect, paired with boundary‑crossing and betrayal.

At its core, the MIL’s behaviour reflects a breakdown in relational boundaries and role clarity. Research on Psychology Today shows that when a daughter‑in‑law feels her mother‑in‑law is interfering in the marital relationship, favours one child‑in‑law over another, or prevents direct communication, lower relational satisfaction follows.

According to Greif & Woolley (2019), boundary ambiguity, not knowing what role one is expected to play, significantly predicts poorer quality in the mother‑in‑law/daughter‑in‑law relationship.

From a psychological angle, the MIL’s behaviour may stem from a desire to assert control or reclaim relevance. Situations where a family member interrupts the autonomy of a couple or a mother figure for a child can create power‑struggles and emotional distress.

In this narrative, OP was not only displaced emotionally, but saw the very essence of their family being undermined.

On OP’s side, the experience of having one’s role as mother, and the role of the husband in that relationship, redefined by someone else is deeply destabilising.

The research points out that when lifelines of family support become sources of tension due to unclear roles and interference, the impact is far‑reaching: heightened anxiety, reduced trust, and erosion of sense of security.

The MIL’s suggestion that her son father children with OP’s friend while disregarding the existing family dynamic isn’t simply a tasteless remark, it represents a fundamental disregard for the couple’s boundaries and identity. It deep‑ens the boundary ambiguity.

According to the literature, “triangles” (when the spouse/son becomes the intermediary between mother‑in‑law and daughter‑in‑law) can further degrade the relationship.

The takeaway here connects both empirical insight and lived experience: Strong, healthy in‑law relationships require clarity of role, respect for the couple’s autonomy, and open communication lines that don’t leave the daughter‑in‑law feeling excluded or undermined.

In its absence, when the spouse or mother‑in‑law positions themselves into the couple’s private sphere in predatory or insensitive ways—the psychological toll is real.

In light of this, OP’s reaction = understandable. Feeling invisible and invalidated, they were pushed into a position of reevaluating how their relationships functioned and what boundaries needed to be enforced. It wasn’t revenge as much as survival of self, family unit, and emotional integrity.

Here’s the input from the Reddit crowd:

This group expressed outrage and disbelief at the MIL’s inappropriate comment

These commenters echoed strong feelings of anger, calling out the MIL’s behavior as vile

This group added to the disgust, with some humorously referencing extreme cultural references

These Redditors shared their own personal stories of standing up to overbearing relatives

What would you have done if you were in OP’s shoes? Do you think OP’s husband should have handled this differently? Share your thoughts and reactions below!