Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Did having a baby make your relationship work?

223 replies

Lampshaets · 29/10/2020 20:44

Just that really. Recently pregnant after an on/off relationship and havent told him yet despite being month 5! But I am hoping this will make the relationship work and solidify it. Does this ever work? Am I completely deluded with hormones...I told my best fiends my plan tonight and she was pretty cutting and said it would last a short time and then fall apart and not to move in with him. She always has my back so I’m listening to what she’s saying but I’m also hoping there’s people out there that have made something work because of a baby. Anyone give me any positive stories?

OP posts:
lazyfecker · 30/10/2020 06:53

@Lampshaets

may I mean it’s just not the done thing in his family. He will want to try and make it work I am sure of it.
Even if he does this out of duty won't there be a lot of underlying resentment on his part?
Persipan · 30/10/2020 06:59

@Lampshaets

When people say it is hard and pushes a relationship to breaking point, in what way? Sorry if I sound naive I just can’t picture it, not got experience of this and while I know there will be lack of sleep I can’t see why arguments would arise!
It's not just being tired. It's really hard to explain the extent to which your life just... ceases to exist. You sort of anticipate that you'll be living your life + a baby, but the reality is that everything gets scrambled. Literally everything you used to be able to do - even apparently inconsequential things like 'go to the toilet' - becomes unimaginably complicated and difficult. That's something anyone would resent on some level - even while adoring the baby and being a great parent towards them - and that resentment tends to radiate outwards towards anything and anyone in your life.

I think on some subconscious level your brain just goes 'this is unimaginably gruelling but I can't blame the baby, they're just a baby...' and then the next thing that happens that would in normal circumstances be mildly irritating instead takes the full force of ALL YOUR FEELINGS about everything. And that's where the exhaustion kicks in, because normally you'd have a filter that would kick in and say 'no, maybe the toilet seat being up is not that big a deal after all' but because you're sleep deprived, you don't.

savethewales · 30/10/2020 07:01

@Lampshaets

Just to be clear I only knew him 3 months before this happened. It’s not like we have a history of relationship problems to fix or anything like that. We are almost starting fresh if that makes sense
I think if you’re struggling and on/off so much in the first eight months of the relationship it isn’t really viable. The first bit is usually a honeymoon period!

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

BabyLlamaZen · 30/10/2020 07:01

It puts immense strain on even the best relationships. If it's not working before op it is very unlikely to work. Please do what is best for you and your baby.

lazyfecker · 30/10/2020 07:02

@Lampshaets

When people say it is hard and pushes a relationship to breaking point, in what way? Sorry if I sound naive I just can’t picture it, not got experience of this and while I know there will be lack of sleep I can’t see why arguments would arise!
Lack of sleep Money Baby care responsibilities Possibly having to cope with a special needs child Different ideas on child-raising Sex-life affected If you get PND and are not near your family will he be supportive Possible resentment from him at being told so late in the day Will you be on same page - what are your expectations re work do you want to stay at home with the baby and for him to pay for that?

The fact that the relationship fizzled out implies feelings between you were not that strong. Not sure a baby will change that.

However, I wish you well and hope things work out in the end. 🌺

BabyLlamaZen · 30/10/2020 07:03

op you are so exhausted and you have NO time for your partner. None at all. You barely speak as you're up throughout the night and then often up for the day at 5am (if you make it through the newborn weeks). You've never been so stressed or tired in your life and there is no downtime.
So even when he's your friend and you've known him 10 years it's hard. 🤣

BabyLlamaZen · 30/10/2020 07:05

You can't be worrying how you look or feel or trying to have any form of sex life when your life is dedicated to a baby.

dalrympy · 30/10/2020 07:15

Sorry, no. I've been in a similar position.

You need to tell him but please don't have any expectations about the relationship.

The best case is that he provides for his child and is able to have a relationship with them. Living so far away is going to make this tricky.

mrsmummy1111 · 30/10/2020 07:20

The naivety in your posts OP is really quite shocking. Can I ask how old you are @Lampshaets ?

AlwaysCheddar · 30/10/2020 07:24

You’re not even in a relationship!
How can you move when you’re pregnant and no income?
Do you seriously think he’ll welcome you with open arms and you’ll live happily ever after?

Oh dear..... very naive and silly.

WildNorthEast · 30/10/2020 07:39

I hope he reacts well today OP, but I fear keeping him in the dark for this long is not going to have helped the situation. Be prepared for a lot of questioning. He may feel lied to. He may not believe it's even his, hiding it for so long will bring up trust issues.

MegaClutterSlut · 30/10/2020 08:00

Sorry haven't RTFT but for me if someone lied about being 5 months pregnant to me, all hopes of any relationship would be out the window. How can you trust someone who's lied to you for 5 months?

Ilovecheese53 · 30/10/2020 08:02

The poster that mentioned not moving to Leeds or to the city where the guy lives is right.
Even if him and his family are nice to you do not do it because if things don’t work about you will have no home for you and your baby. Also if you rent OP you will find this will be a major problem.

kk66 · 30/10/2020 08:20

Agree with everything everyone else has said re how hard children are on relationships BUT I know 2 couples who have had unexpected pregnancies within weeks of starting a relationship who have made a success of them. One is only a year or so down the road but they are doing really well (bumps along the way but they are both very 'therapy' in the way they deal with stuff so that approach seems to be getting them through). The other couple is 20 years down the line, have had 4 more kids and have consistently had a strong relationship. It does happen!

boomboom1234 · 30/10/2020 08:27

Every situation in unique so I really don't think anyone can give you the answer. You really just need to tell him and take it one step at a time together.

gurglebelly · 30/10/2020 08:35

Well I think the fact that you have hidden the pregnancy for 5 months without telling him will pretty much guarantee that it doesn't 🤦‍♀️

gurglebelly · 30/10/2020 08:37

Sorry I didn't think that through, guessing you haven't known the entire time. Seriously though, a baby can test even the most solid relationships

shipperssss · 30/10/2020 08:40

I have been with DH 13 years, married for 7. I would say we have a very strong relationship, I am currently pregnant with DC3 (there is only 18 months between DC1&2) having DC is the biggest challenge we have faced, and there is no way we would be at the point of having DC3 if we didn't know each other very well and have a very strong relationship before hand.

Obviously it may work for a select few people but I honestly think having DC are a big factor in many relationships failing, especially if there was issues previously.

EmbarrassedUser · 30/10/2020 08:42

Oh dear @Lampshaets Sorry but I can’t see this working out well. He also has a right to know, whether you stay together or not. From his POV, I wouldn’t even want to be with someone that deceitful that they’d hide a pregnancy.

ShalomToYouJackie · 30/10/2020 08:45

But I am hoping this will make the relationship work and solidify it. you've hidden the fact that you're pregnant with his child for 5 months so I don't think that's a great start...

Do NOT leave your city and move away from your family, friends, job (do you have a job and support network atm?) to move to be with him. You barely know him and are in an extremely vulnerable position if you do that, it's a really bad idea.

CausingChaos2 · 30/10/2020 08:46

Op, I mean this kindly but your hopes for this relationship working aren’t very realistic. It’s a major issue that you’re hiding the pregnancy from him, and I very much doubt the morals he’s claimed to have will apply in this situation when the pregnancy is sprung on him at a late stage. It seems deceitful even if you didn’t intend it that way.

You aren’t even in a relationship, and after three months you were just scratching the surface of getting to know him. In any case, it fizzled out, which doesn’t happen when two people really want to be together.

Plan to be a single parent.

Fressia123 · 30/10/2020 08:53

I got pregnant (after 10-11 months of dating but I already wanted out) and ended up marrying my exH. That went on for 7 years but was never happy. My DP has a similar story (I think she fell pregnant within 2 months) but his went on for 10 years (and he had second baby because he thought at some point things were OK although never great).

Short story, no it never works.

LadyFlumpalot · 30/10/2020 09:14

Sorry OP, but no.

DH and I had a rock solid relationship pre baby. We were financially sound, been together for five years, comfortable.

Having a baby very nearly broke us. It didn't, but it was a very close run thing sometimes.

Babies are stressful, expensive and exhausting. Both parents, especially the dads, have to get used to a very sudden shift in dynamics where they are suddenly not the centre of their partners world anymore. Couple time ceases to exist, you both have to get used to managing on 3 hours sleep, the nice things you want become either pipe dreams or get covered in vomit/food.

Our DC are 7 and 9 now and we are just starting to come out of the fog. We are just starting to get lie ins back and be able to be "us" again.

Honestly OP, your best bet is to tell him, finish with him and try to co-parent as respectful friends.

Thespottytortoise · 30/10/2020 09:14

You sort of anticipate that you'll be living your life + a baby, but the reality is that everything gets scrambled. Literally everything you used to be able to do - even apparently inconsequential things like 'go to the toilet' - becomes unimaginably complicated and difficult.

That's a bit overkill surely.

When you need to pee, you go and pee, and depending on whether they are awake and their age you either take them or leave them. If they are sleeping in you (and not in a sling) the choice is to wait, or try to put them down. It's not particularly complicated it difficult Grin.

That being said, I don't think the OP appreciates the reality, so for her, here was last night for me and my husband:

I work till 2.30am as need to get extra hours in, so that if childcare goes tits up with Covid we have sufficient £.
Before I get to sleep, my 18m wakes. I haul myself out of bed but she resettles herself. I finally get to sleep at 3.

4.30 -18mo properly wakes this time. I try for about 30 mins to get her back, then hand her over to my husband, as it's his turn to deal with a prolonged wake up (my one the previous day was 2-5am). He takes her downstairs and I fall back asleep at 5:30. He manages to get her down and sleeps with her downstairs as that's where she's conked out.

7am, my 3 year old wakes me.

So that's 2 x1.5hr sleep. I'm working today. The tiredness isn't a newborn thing, it can last a lot longer. Me and my husband act like a team with it (he's fine to do childcare drop offs, I'm going back to bed for a bit and will have to work this evening to make up the hours) but you don't even get to share a bed half of the time. It's easy to bicker, especially if he turns into one of those men that thinks child rearing is a woman's job.

Bouledeneige · 30/10/2020 09:20

Please be careful with your heart OP. A three month on/off casual relationship is not long enough to know this man and whether he is right for you. Let alone bringing a baby into it.

I would agree that generally it doesn't work. Relationships need to be strong and well founded before children come into the mix. Many fail because having children is such a huge challenge and change. It means giving up your freedom, putting them first, it's demanding and tiring and trying to share care, household duties, manage money etc all are very demanding. So you need to be careful about ensuring you have lots of support around you and giving your child a loving and safe home.

I'm not sure why you've not told him yet. You really need to. It's important. But the fact that things petered out and you weren't confident enough of his reaction to tell him gives an indication of how little you know him. You can't base your picture of a future life on him,

Good luck OP. Make sure you have as much support as you can from family and friends close at hand. Start preparing and planning. Don't move. Be kind to yourself.

Swipe left for the next trending thread