The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationship has often been described as one full of tension and strain.

We spoke to four women who revealed the conflicting issues they have with their own respective mother-in-laws.

Shereen, 32, said competition between a woman and her mother-in-law is inextricably linked to the kitchen.

“It really is a battlefield in there. 

“My mother-in-law needs to hear her son say that her food is better than mine.

“She blatantly asks him. It is so petty.

“And God forbid I make frozen samosas or buy the rotis.

“She will come in and start making fresh ones, just to prove her point.

“I have told him myself to not comment on my food until we are in our bedroom with the door closed just in case she hears!”

New mum Sukh, 26 says her mother-in-law’s competitive streak only emerged after she had her baby six months ago.

“Ever since my baby was born, all she talks about is how her kids never cried and that they would sleep through the night, implying I must be doing something wrong with my baby as he wakes up a couple of times at night.

“She obviously has selective memory.

“In the beginning I was struggling with breast feeding. 

“My mother-in-law didn’t hesitate to remind she had a very full flow of breast milk.

“And she even tells me how her children were fairer than mine when they were babies.

“I used to get really upset, but now I just switch off.”

Huma got married last year and says she has noticed her mother-in-law manifests feelings of jealousy if she thinks her son spends more money on his wife than on her.

“For my mother-in-law, it definitely is a competition as to who her son loves the most.

“She sees love in monetary terms. 

“She hates it when he buys me something but not for her. If he gets me earrings, he has to get his mum a bigger pair otherwise she feels neglected.

“It was all getting too expensive for us, so now we hide the shopping in the car until she is preoccupied elsewhere. 

“Then one of us rushes to take out the bags while the other one keeps a look out. It’s actually quite funny. Once she caught us and we had to pretend we were hiding her surprise and ended up giving her my new watch.”

Maiya, 36, said she felt there was an immediate sense of competition with her mother-in-law from the moment she got engaged.

“She competes over really silly things. 

“She tells me she was slimmer than me at my age. 

“She always has to prove that her opinion is more valid than mine. 

“When we went to pick new wallpaper for example, she got quite forceful in making sure my husband picked her choice over mine.

“It’s a control thing and in her eyes she thinks she is putting me in my place to let me know who the number one woman in my husband’s life is.

“I actually feel sorry for my husband sometimes as he is stuck in the middle.”