Hi there, haven't posted much under this username, but have been on here before with another account (had to change because I didn't want my posts coming up under my email address). Anyway, I have a partner who has 4 kids from a previous marriage, 11, 14, 15 and 17. I get on amicably with them, don't really see myself as a stepmother to them as partners very hands on and BM lives about half hour away so their real mum is easily accessible. We have a son, 2 1/2 and one due in July together. My BM is nowhere near as bad as some of your BM's and partner gets on pretty well with her as they were together for a long time. She's gone on and had 3 kids with different fathers, the fathers not really being a big part of their lives which might explain why she has this hatred for us two being together and being a family unit. It's all hidden well, and tbh, as of late she's been pretty calm even when finding out I was pregnant again. Of course when I had my son a few years back she started playing up but realised that partner was having none of it and as she still "valued" their friendship she put up an overly nice front, whilst still slagging us off on her forums and Facebook. Was probably too much at once as in the space of a few months I went from "just the girlfriend" with her and the kids being priority to me moving in, having his baby and being technically a step mum to the kids. Now she's seen that even though partner has other kid(s) he still is a pretty fantastic dad to the others and doesn't have restrictions as to when he can and can't go round to hers whenever regarding kids. Everything's been quiet on the western front as they say and their divorce was very amicable (was separated beforehand) to the extent she didn't even do a court order for child maintenence, obviously trusting partner to pay up willingly, which he does. She's even stopped moaning about us on her forums and Facebook. When I've seen her we've said hi and that's that, we haven't hung around to have a conversation though.

What's the problem in hear you say. Well, it's a fake front, she still has the odd moan to her friends but then that's just her, she'll never be happy, her dad has even said this. And everything she does benefits her in one way or the other. She sees me as the woman that "stole her husband" even though it's quite evident I didn't but of course friends she has made since her split from him have only heard her side as they weren't around during when it happened. I've signed my son up for playgroup and it's the same playgroup as her 3 youngest and the days I've chosen, unbeknownst to me, are the same days as them. Son likes them, he sees them every now and again at parties etc... This means I'm going to be bumping into her on a Tuesday and Friday morning with all her mummy friends who probably see me as a home wrecker. I know she is going to be nice as pie to my face so that's not a problem. But is going to be very awkward, especially with no doubt being pointed out as the girl she's always spoken about to everyone else. How we should I deal with this? I'm not going to change my days as I want to combat the awkwardness and they're days that will benefit my son BUT I am dreading it a bit :/ anyone else been in the same situation? How'd you deal with it?

I realise this problem is very trivial compared to some of your problems but would be nice to hear opinions from other people.