Any advice on cutting ties with a family member?

[dawn]

First, take her off your Facebook postings (de friend her) and Twitter. Second, do not respond to her texts. Third, do not answer her phone calls. After a couple of days, see if you want to reopen some contact (leave her off your Facebook/Twitter). I would recommend short texts only, asking how she is. If you decide you want to draw her in and tell her all about your baby, your marriage, etc., then it's your fault if it goes bad again.

You have to start making boundaries with her now. Otherwise, she will hound you all through your pregnancy, and then when the baby comes you will hear nothing except how bad a mother you are.

It's really sad, because when we have a bad parent who doesn't love us well or correctly, we always try to keep pleasing them, hoping they're going to one day love us. And it just doesn't happen. It doesn't. Take it from me, it's not going to change. So you have to start setting boundaries and turn your attention to your own family. In your mind, move her from the "mom" position into the "acquaintance" position. You don't want to have big fights with her, but you don't have to be in constant contact with her, or do things the way she wants.

Let her be full of drama. You be an adult that is getting on with her life. You may also want to open a separate Facebook account; one for people like your Mom and family that will be yapping away with her about things on your account, and one for people that you like and want to discuss things with.

Good luck. Don't be a mother like she is.