M’sian Says MIL Charged RM3K for Confinement Care, Now the DIL Demands the Same to Care for Her After a Stroke

There’s a saying that goes, “You get what you give.” It’s an expression tied to the concepts of karma and reciprocity, meaning that the treatment and effort you put into someone or something is generally what you receive in return.

This saying perfectly describes one Malaysian woman’s experience with her mother-in-law.

In an anonymous social media post, the woman recalled an incident when she gave birth to her first child during the Covid-19 pandemic.

MIL called her ‘troublesome’ for being an orphan

The woman shared that after her surgery, she had no choice but to spend her 30-day confinement at her mother-in-law’s house, as she had no parents and her husband had to work far away.

However, she alleged that her mother-in-law was unhappy with the arrangement and even called her ‘troublesome’ for being an orphan and burdening her.

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Image Credit: Image by senivpetro on Magnific

On top of that, the woman claimed that throughout the 30-day confinement period, her mother-in-law asked for RM3,000 as payment to care for her.

“At the time, she said it was only fair since I was staying at her house and being cared for.”

However, the woman said that despite the payment, her mother-in-law didn’t do much and never even bathed the baby once. She only cooked, and the woman ended up having to do everything herself.

MIL suffers a stroke

Fast forward to 2026, the woman shared that her mother-in-law has since suffered a stroke and can no longer take care of herself.

Despite her condition, she said none of her children were willing to care for her, using work as an excuse to avoid the responsibility.

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Image Credit: Stephen Andrews l Unsplash

The woman claimed that the family then suggested passing the caregiving responsibility to her husband, adding that since she is a housewife, she could help take care of her mother-in-law, but she refused.

“The eldest sister even said I should treat my mother-in-law like my own mother. But to me, she’s far from one.”

She's demanding the same RM3,000 payment

In the end, the woman said she would only care for her mother-in-law if the family paid her RM3,000 a month, the same amount she was charged during her confinement.

“They were shocked when I asked for payment. Some of them called me petty, but isn’t that exactly what happened to me back then? Plus, she’s not my real mother, so why do I, the daughter-in-law, end up having to care for her?"

“Before she got sick, she told me I was only spending her son’s money since I’m a housewife. Now that she’s sick, none of the children she always spoke highly of want to take care of her.”

The woman added that her husband had suggested his siblings chip in together, but all of them claimed they didn’t have the money. There were also suggestions to take turns every two weeks to care for their mother, but she said no one agreed to it.

In another post, the woman defended her decision, saying it wasn’t easy to care for a stroke patient. She added that if her mother-in-law had treated her well, she would have had no problem caring for her.

Netizens agreed with her

The woman’s post has since gained attention online, with many users voicing their support for her decision. Others pointed out that the payment was justified, as caring for a stroke patient requires significant physical and emotional effort.

“Sis, the payment for a nurse is RM3,000 a month, and they only come on weekdays. You should’ve asked for RM5,000. 

The user added, "This is exactly what I experienced back then. When I suggested hiring a nurse, no one wanted to pay and called me petty. What behaviour!"

Image Credit: Threads

Featured Image Credit: Stephen Andrews l Unsplash, Freepik