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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To tell my husband (h) that he is not coming to the birth?

397 replies

Upsetme · 07/03/2012 12:58

I have namechanged for this as if I go through with my threat then this post might out me to family and friends.

For the last 8 years (since we conceived dc1) my husband has been 'trying' to give up smoking. He refuses to seek any professional help or even to speak to his GP about it (the GP does not even know that he smokes as h has always denied it in any medical appointment). The longest time he has ever 'given up' for during this 8 year period is about 10 months. He always relapses though, smokes for a bit then says he will try again. He then manages a few months before smoking again. It is also very relevant to add that he never admits to smoking - I smell it on him, he lies to my face and denies it for about 5 mins before finally cracking and confessing.

I am now full term pregnant with dc4. Over my pregnancy the smoking has been happening more and more frequently. For the last 3 weeks h has smoked about 4 days a week. I can't stress how upset I am with him. I hate the smoking, I hate the fact it will most likely kill him, I hate his lies. There is nothing that I lie to him about whereas he sees nothing wrong in lying to me over and over again. the smell makes me feel sick and I can't stand to be near him.

I told him last week that if he smoked again, I would not let him come to the birth of this baby. I don't want him covered in chemicals around my newborn baby plus I don't want him there full stop. It has got to the stage where it is destroying our relationship. If he is able to lie about this, what else is he lying about? He came in from work yesterday stinking of cigarettes. I intend to tell him this evening that i am going to speak to my midwife and have strict instuctions left for the maternity wing that he is not to be given access to me or the baby at any point that I am in hospital.

I think I am being fair but would welcome the opinions of others. I am so upset and hormonal it would be useful to see what the general consensus is.

OP posts:
Babieseverywhere · 07/03/2012 15:06

What about asking your husband to move onto Electronic Cigs, I don't know if they smell the same but they don't have the same harmful chemicals in them and he will still gets the nicotine hit he needs.

Over time he can lower the level of nicotine in the Electronic Cig until he has kicked his habit.

Maybe worth a try ?

IAmBooyhoo · 07/03/2012 15:06

OP have you considered how you might feel if the birth doesn't go well? i know none of us like to think that way but not everything goes to plan. wouldn't you want your husband there with you if things went badly? what if you aren't able to make an important decision, your dH would be next of kin and would have to be called if the need arose. surely it is better to have him there anyway? you dont know how things will go during the birth or how your feelings might change during it? i know i couldn't have coped without my EXP when my ds2 stopped breathing just after birth.

PosiePumblechook · 07/03/2012 15:14

I think this is about the stinking habit of smoking and how one feels about people who smoke. Her DH clearly doesn't give a shit about his own health...

And it's not that hard to give up, many many people do it who actually want to.

GrahamTribe · 07/03/2012 15:16

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IAmBooyhoo · 07/03/2012 15:18

week 15 MILs
week 16 SILs
week 17 BF v FF

PosiePumblechook · 07/03/2012 15:18

This is not a fault though is it? This is a habit.

GrahamTribe · 07/03/2012 15:19

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PosiePumblechook · 07/03/2012 15:30

I hate my DH being overweight but love him enough to put up with it, not now though he's perfectly buff, but in times of uncertainty his weight has repulsed me.

Elderberries · 07/03/2012 15:32

Could the op be clinically depressed? I think something is seriously up with her. I think some of the feedback here may really harm someone in that state.

HansieMom · 07/03/2012 15:38

I would not allow a smoker around a newborn baby. We had twin GC three years ago. My DH is a smoker. He would change shirt and wash hands before holding babies.

mayorquimby · 07/03/2012 15:51

"People can be really defensive and unkind when others don't like it when people smoke, I've found on MN of late."
Not a smoker. detest smoking and would never be in a relationship with a smoker, so my reason for criticising the op had nothing to do with smokers rights. If she wants to leave him because she can no longer stand to be with a smoker, that's her decision, more power to her.
It was the decision that she'd use her soon to be born child as a means of punishing her husband for not doing what she wanted which drew the criticisms from me.
I don't think he has any right to be in the room when the child is being born either, if the op wants to exclude him for some reason then grand, but the reason she has decided on is because she feels it would be a suitable punishment for him not obeying her. That's vindictive and it's controlling to use someones child against them in that way.

SusanneLinder · 07/03/2012 16:42

I have never wanted a thread to be a windup thread so much in my life! I sady don't think it is.

This has got to be more than about smoking-surely. Unbelievable

LentillyFart · 07/03/2012 16:46

Holy fucking Moly. Another smoker bashing thread. And probably a wind up one at that.

Come on people - isn't it time we had a couple of days of BF/FF angst?

ComposHat · 07/03/2012 16:47

you've had sex with this man, all the while smoking

Now that would be really impressive. It is customary to wait until after a bout of how's your father to light up.

Does it require strategically placed ashtrays.

OrmIrian · 07/03/2012 16:53

Good lord! YABU.

Have you ever smoked? If not you will have no idea how hard it is to give up. The lying is a bit crap but I guess he knew how you'd react to knowing he was smoking again.

OrmIrian · 07/03/2012 16:54

I hope it is a wind-up.

tanfastic · 07/03/2012 16:58

My dh smokes and I don't and I dislike the smell, taste etc. Actually makes me gag sometimes if I accidentally kiss him after he's had a fag. However I would never ban him from the birth of our baby. That is horrid.

OrmIrian · 07/03/2012 17:03

I don't much care for the smell of smoke. I have up 16yrs ago. DH still smokes. When DS2 was born I went into labour in the middle of the night in hospital. Midwife called DH when I was quite a long way along and he turned up, in a panic and desperate to see me. He gave me a kiss and he stank of smoke because he'd been having a panic fag in the car. At that precise moment it was reassuring - because it smelt of him. I think there is much more in question than smoking and lying

ll31 · 07/03/2012 17:14

bizarre thread but yabu and sound quite horrible..however if its genuine thread I'm assuming there is lot more going on in your relationship than your husband smoking and maybe you need to deal with real issues

shagmundfreud · 07/03/2012 17:34

Anyone would think that being present at the birth of his child was essential for father and baby bonding. Is it? Not aware that there is any evidence that this is the case. Generations of fathers and babies managed to bond just fine before dads being present at the birth was the norm.

OP - YANBU

lazylula · 07/03/2012 17:42

Again it isn't just not being present at the birth. Op is banning him from visiting the baby in hospital AFTER the birth too. Dads did visit the mother and baby after the birth when it was common not to be at the birth.

tofuscramble · 07/03/2012 17:44

Ya soooo nbu. Ignore the nasty vile arseholes on here. It is YOUR decision who is at the birth of your baby. I wouldn't want some liar who reeks of revolting fags there either. You poor thing. Xx those of you laying into her should be ashamed. Nasty cunts.

JugglingWithTangentialOranges · 07/03/2012 17:45

It doesn't sound the best way to get this babies life off to a flying start surrounded by the love of her/his family does it ?

Pooka · 07/03/2012 17:46

Classy.

IAmBooyhoo · 07/03/2012 17:48

"Nasty cunts."

irony anyone?