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Am I being unreasonable to give birth away from the child’s father because he doesn’t want to get married?

557 replies

Donesomethingsilly · 28/02/2025 02:30

My partner has two children to a previous relationship, we have been together for a while. We have discussed getting married but he was reluctant as he wants to protect himself financially. I understood that, and took a risk and decided to have a child with him as we had a great relationship. Since getting pregnant it’s been rocky. I’m not a uk citizen, my family is on the other side of the world. I’m with family at the moment as I needed to get away. Am I being unreasonable to stay here and have the child with my support system around me? He can’t move here, or even visit because he has his children. I feel stuck between doing the right thing for all the children involved, or the right thing for myself.

OP posts:
ApricotLime · 28/02/2025 08:17

CrispieCake · 28/02/2025 08:13

It's in the child's interests to have a stable, comfortable home.

It's all very well to say to the OP, don't worry, you'll be housed if you have a child in the UK and he throws you out, as you/they will be vulnerable. But that's not necessarily the case and it may only be emergency accommodation. Hundreds of children in this country are growing up in unsafe single room accommodation in B&Bs with no space to play and limited access to cooking and washing facilities and that's considered ok because they're 'housed'.

This is not a country you want to be destitute in. OK, it's better than some, but if the OP can build a comfortable life where she's not dependent on an unstable relationship with family around to help, that's going to be much better for her child.

I agree.

crockofshite · 28/02/2025 08:17

Definitely stay where you are with your support system, particularly if you're going ahead with the pregnancy (termination is always an option). If your recent relationship has been rocky you would be doing the wrong thing to put yourself and child in such a vulnerable position by returning to him and uncertainty.
Also, there's no reason why he should marry you - it's never been on the cards as far as he's concerned and you allowed this current situation to happen when you could have walked away before getting pregnant.

MissScarletInTheBallroom · 28/02/2025 08:16

CrispieCake · 28/02/2025 08:13

It's in the child's interests to have a stable, comfortable home.

It's all very well to say to the OP, don't worry, you'll be housed if you have a child in the UK and he throws you out, as you/they will be vulnerable. But that's not necessarily the case and it may only be emergency accommodation. Hundreds of children in this country are growing up in unsafe single room accommodation in B&Bs with no space to play and limited access to cooking and washing facilities and that's considered ok because they're 'housed'.

This is not a country you want to be destitute in. OK, it's better than some, but if the OP can build a comfortable life where she's not dependent on an unstable relationship with family around to help, that's going to be much better for her child.

The phrase "you'll be housed" is an odd one, isn't it? It certainly seems to be what the OP expects.

In real life I don't know anyone who doesn't expect to have to get a job and pay for the roof over their head from their own income.

BeansOnRoast · 28/02/2025 08:16

Children aren't playthings or commodities. FGS.

butterdish93 · 28/02/2025 08:16

Yes stay where you are with your family.

This man is not your family. He is not willing to commit to you and you are not a UK citizen, therefore your residence in the UK is precarious.

TheGrimSmile · 28/02/2025 08:15

If he doesn't want to marry you, you will be vulnerable here. Stay where you are with support around you.

SwingTheMonkey · 28/02/2025 08:14

MellowCritic · 28/02/2025 08:09

🤣🤣 i have zero idea what you're banging on about but the irnony isn't in what i said. Another poster also quoted the post i did and they understood similar to me. The op did not say she's now mad at the partner for not wanting to get married. I don't care what the 'opening post' said about him being reluctant, so what. Op never said she was mad. She said their relationship is now rocky. The post I quoted clearly said op is now mad. Op never said she was mad. Post i quoted said op is now mad.

The irony is you telling another poster you’ve ’zero idea what you’re banging on about’, then posting something completely unintelligible.

The op has said in subsequent posts that her partner has the power to make it right, but won’t and has told him he either marries her or puts her on the deeds of the house or she’ll stay in her home country. Which very much indicates she’s still mad he won’t marry her.

MissScarletInTheBallroom · 28/02/2025 08:14

Applesonthelawn · 28/02/2025 08:06

I would strongly support any woman to give birth with whatever company she chooses. I chose to give birth alone except for the midwife and have always felt that was the right choice under the circumstances for me. It's a deeply personal experience - potentially wonderful - don't let mere people ruin it for you.

But you need to be far clearer in your mind about how to proceed after the birth, the role the father will play, what you want from him versus what he is prepared to give. It sounds like you and he were not clear before because you are having a baby with a man who does not want to marry you. You have to be honest with yourself first about the future you can realistically work towards and how you will raise your child in a peaceful and secure coparenting (or single parenting) environment.

She isn't talking about who is present when she gives birth, she's talking about whether to live in the same country as her child's father or on the other side of the world with her parents.

BeansOnRoast · 28/02/2025 08:14

Why oh why do women continually get themselves fucked, especially financially. Story after story, thread after thread. Lessons are never learned.

CrispieCake · 28/02/2025 08:13

MissScarletInTheBallroom · 28/02/2025 07:52

What about the child's interests?

It's in the child's interests to have a stable, comfortable home.

It's all very well to say to the OP, don't worry, you'll be housed if you have a child in the UK and he throws you out, as you/they will be vulnerable. But that's not necessarily the case and it may only be emergency accommodation. Hundreds of children in this country are growing up in unsafe single room accommodation in B&Bs with no space to play and limited access to cooking and washing facilities and that's considered ok because they're 'housed'.

This is not a country you want to be destitute in. OK, it's better than some, but if the OP can build a comfortable life where she's not dependent on an unstable relationship with family around to help, that's going to be much better for her child.

Waterlilysunset · 28/02/2025 08:12

tbh I think this is exactly the right thing to do. If you have a child born in the uk you can never move back home to your support system. It’s wise what you are doing

Wolfpa · 28/02/2025 08:12

Poor child, being used as a pawn in these games that you are playing

MissScarletInTheBallroom · 28/02/2025 08:12

ApricotLime · 28/02/2025 08:03

It's not in the child's interests to have a homeless, isolated mum with no support network which would damage her mental health.

But she wouldn't be homeless. It's not a binary choice between owning 50% of her partner's house and being on the streets, is it? She is still able to live there, he just doesn't want to have to give her half of it if their relationship goes tits up. Because he has two existing children to look after.

It's up to her to build a support network. She's been in the UK for at least three years. Has she not had a job or made any friends in that time?

It's certainly not in her child's interests to be deprived of a relationship with their father and siblings and almost certainly denied their right to British citizenship.

Coldfingery · 28/02/2025 08:11

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Bumblebeestiltskin · 28/02/2025 08:10

If not were you, I'd focus on what's best for you and your child, which sounds like staying where you are, with family?

Everyone saying you're BU because you decided to get pregnant, I don't think that's really relevant - he's shown you he doesn't care about your child's security!

MellowCritic · 28/02/2025 08:09

HundredPercentUnsure · 28/02/2025 07:30

We have discussed getting married but he was reluctant in the opening post on this thread.

I don't think you read this posters comment, ironically, which references 'he said' not 'she said'.

🤣🤣 i have zero idea what you're banging on about but the irnony isn't in what i said. Another poster also quoted the post i did and they understood similar to me. The op did not say she's now mad at the partner for not wanting to get married. I don't care what the 'opening post' said about him being reluctant, so what. Op never said she was mad. She said their relationship is now rocky. The post I quoted clearly said op is now mad. Op never said she was mad. Post i quoted said op is now mad.

WhatNoRaisins · 28/02/2025 08:08

I suppose in an ideal world you would have used a donor but what's done is done. I'd give birth where your support network live as that's going to be better for you and the baby.

brunettemic · 28/02/2025 08:08

Do what you want but he was upfront and communicated where he was at and somehow that’s his fault?
If there’s a drip feed I’ve not read it.

ApricotLime · 28/02/2025 08:07

It would have been interesting if you'd done a poll OP. Often the large majority in the poll is different from the very vocal posters on a thread who are sticking the boot in.

Applesonthelawn · 28/02/2025 08:06

I would strongly support any woman to give birth with whatever company she chooses. I chose to give birth alone except for the midwife and have always felt that was the right choice under the circumstances for me. It's a deeply personal experience - potentially wonderful - don't let mere people ruin it for you.

But you need to be far clearer in your mind about how to proceed after the birth, the role the father will play, what you want from him versus what he is prepared to give. It sounds like you and he were not clear before because you are having a baby with a man who does not want to marry you. You have to be honest with yourself first about the future you can realistically work towards and how you will raise your child in a peaceful and secure coparenting (or single parenting) environment.

ApricotLime · 28/02/2025 08:03

MissScarletInTheBallroom · 28/02/2025 07:52

What about the child's interests?

It's not in the child's interests to have a homeless, isolated mum with no support network which would damage her mental health.

LAMPS1 · 28/02/2025 08:01

You had a great relationship with him but he made clear there would be no marriage which you presumably wanted. That was the time to walk away.

He already had two children, but you went ahead to use him to enable your pregnancy, at which point your relationship suddenly went from great to rocky.

The writing is on the wall OP. He didn’t want marriage and another child.
You took an enormous risk, got cold feet and ran home for safety.

So now you have a moral dilemma. Is it fair to deprive your child of a father and if not, how to ensure and preserve that precious relationship.

Only if he shows absolutely no interest in supporting you and his baby, now you are away from him, would I be happy not to return to him. I would be thinking the relationship isn't salvageable. And I would resolve to make the best of things where I felt safe and supported.

Heronwatcher · 28/02/2025 07:59

I don’t think you’re being unreasonable. If you stayed with him the power balance is all in his favour. He could throw you out of his house, not pay maintenance and also potentially stop you taking your child back to your home country. I wouldn’t go back unless I was sure I had secure housing and an income to support myself.

I do think you should have thought about this more before becoming pregnant- there is an element of me that thinks this was bound to happen. Also you could have put yourself on a firmer financial footing by getting your own place and making sure you had savings well before now. I suspect now your child is going to see very little of its father or half-siblings which is a shame for the child.

Outchy · 28/02/2025 07:54

Having brought up children away from my support network and with a H who isn't awfully supportive, I would say stay with your family. Best move you can make.

nodramaplz · 28/02/2025 07:54

GaspingGekko · 28/02/2025 02:39

So you knew he didn't want to get married, decided to have a baby with him and now you're angry at him for not wanting to get married?

And you want to keep your child in a place he can't come to because he was vlear in marriage and hasn't changed his mind?

Yes, you're being unreasonable.

This is not how I read it.
I suggest you put glasses on, your empathetic side and read it again!!

Op, do what is right for you pleasing other people never end well.
If it's been rocky I'd say something has changed - stay with your family x

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