A new mum has said she won't allow her brother to meet her three-week-old baby because of nasty comments he made while attending the funeral of her husband just months before the tot was born.
The woman said her husband passed away when she was four months pregnant with her son, and while things have been difficult for her in the months since, she does have the support of most of her family to help her get through it.
However, at her husband's funeral, the mum claimed her brother approached her to ask if she "really wanted" to go through with her pregnancy now that she was single.
The woman's brother also allegedly told her that single mums are "considered too much baggage" for men so she would struggle to find a date if she kept her child.
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In a post on Reddit, the woman claimed: "My late husband passed away from a car accident when I was four months pregnant. It's been difficult without him but my family did so much to support me. I moved in with them a month after.
"At the funeral, my older brother asked for a minute to talk then asked me if I really wanted to go through with my pregnancy. I was shocked when I heard this, but even more shocked when he suggested that I 'make the right decision, not an emotional decision and reconsider having my son'.
"He gave many reasons why, including the fact that 'single/widowed mums' are considered too much 'baggage' for so many men to date. I lost it on him and kicked him out. That was the last time we saw each other."
The mum's son is now three weeks old, and her family members have been asking her if it would be okay for them to invite her brother over to see the little one - but she has flatly refused to have him anywhere near her baby.
Her family say she is "making a mistake" and even her brother has claimed her actions would be "upsetting" to her late husband, but she won't budge as she doesn't believe he deserves to meet his nephew after the cruel things he said at the funeral.
She added: "My son is now three weeks old. The whole family met him and were happy to welcome him. My parents asked if I could let my brother come meet my son even for a few hours.
"I refused but they said I was making a mistake by robbing my son of a future loving relationship with his uncle. They asked that I don't let my emotions dictate a decision that might have a lasting impact but I said no.
"My extended family got involved and started pushing, especially after my brother started insisting saying my husband was a dear friend of his and what I'm doing right now would make my husband upset if he saw it.
"Am I being bitter and selfish?"
Commenters on the post were firmly on the woman's side, with many stating that she can ban whomever she wants from seeing her son - even family members if she felt it was necessary.
One person said: "You don't have to allow anyone in your child's life that you don't want to. That includes family. Your brother said some pretty awful and tactless things.
"I'm assuming he also hasn't bothered to apologise but still feels he is entitled to have a relationship with your son and has no problem emotionally manipulating you in order to get what he wants? Yeah, no."
While another added: "He told you to get rid of your baby because he would be a burden and not a joy. He is not someone to let be around a new life. What a callus and awful thing to say, you are well within your rights to deny him."
And a third posted: "Your baby, your choice. If he wanted to be a part of your kid’s life he could have acted right and offered you support - not told you to terminate because he personally finds single mums tiresome. F**k him."
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