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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to hesitate about telling this friend I'm pg?

43 replies

emeraldgirl1 · 24/07/2012 08:04

I've posted about this friend before; my oldest friend but it's a v one-sided relationship. Sometimes I feel more like her counsellor than her friend, our entire rel/ship is built around her problems and she has never showed any interest in mine or my life (FWIW I do have good other friends; I made this friend at a v bad stage in my life and now it's difficult/impossible to disentangle myself...)

In the past the only real interest she has shown in my life is demanding to know when I'm going to get pg (so I can move nearer her; she seems to think a logical result of getting pg is that I will suddenly have wads of dosh to buy a house next door to her?!!; also so that I can 'give up work' (I have no intention of doing this; I like my job and we need the £) so I can 'hang out' with her and her kids more... She also has in the past demanded 'jokingly' if she is going to be the very first person I tell when I get pg, before my parents and everything... She is honestly that insecure that this kind of thing really matters to her, though I literally know nobody else would would even jokingly demand to be the first person to know!!! (well, maybe my mother...)

Anyway, I'm seeing her tomorrow and am torn about whether to tell her the news or not. I'm only 6 weeks so we're obviously limiting the news just yet. And (gasp!) I have actually already told a few people now, DH's family, we're telling mine this week, and I've told another v close friend. This particular old friend I'm talking about probably does regard herself as my best friend and so she'd obviously under normal circumstances be one of the few I tell at this stage.

BUT what would you do? Basically I have a sinking depressed feeling at the thought of telling her only to have her come back at me instantly with a load of questions about HERSELF (am I the first to know? When are you moving closer to me? Can I be godmother?). OTOH she is going to do this whenever I tell her, PLUS if I tell her at a later stage (a few more weeks or after a 12w scan) she is obviously going to be able to do the maths and will know that she hasn't been told right away. I KNOW this shouldn't matter (it's my baby!!!) but she is the kind of person who will sulk/be upset and it will just mean that for the rest of the pregnancy she is arsey and touchy and defensive when I speak to her. I realise I am portraying her as a nightmare but she is my oldest friend and in some ways we are more like sisters (our families are close).

I don't even know why I am asking the question really as obviously (assuming all goes ok) she is going to know at some stage!! And as I say she will be just as demanding whenever she knows, plus potentially upset if she feels excluded...

What would MN do? Tell her tomorrow or delay the inevitable?

I suppose part of me feels that she has been such a bad friend that I am not sure I can face pretending that she is in some way one of the few close people we are telling as it will only increase her sense that she is a great friend when in fact she has been the opposite for many years now :(

OP posts:
GemmaPomPom · 24/07/2012 08:06

No, I wouldn't tell her. From the sound of it, she'd make it all about her, anyway.

Oh, and congrats Grin

rubyslippers · 24/07/2012 08:07

No I wouldn't tell her and if she sulks, when you do tell her, and is difficult it will be a good way for you to distance yourself from her

She sounds like very hard work

JumpingThroughHoops · 24/07/2012 08:08

I wouldn't tell her. But then I wouldnt tell anyone until I was at least 3 months.

however if you are getting nothing from this relationship, why are you still friends with her? why don't you let the friendship slide?

financialwizard · 24/07/2012 08:09

Congratulations, great news

I personally would not tell her, and when you do and she asks just say that you and your DH had agreed to keep it quiet until you knew everything was progressing well.

Leanderbaer · 24/07/2012 08:09

I think you are probably over thinking this one and it doesn't really matter one way or another. Saying that, I would probably not tell for another month or so.

Congratulations on the pregnancy Smile

Tangointhenight · 24/07/2012 08:11

Why are you friends with this life sucker????? Don't tell her til you're ready, and if she sulks then that's her problem.

OP you sound like a really lovely thoughtful person :)

Thumbwitch · 24/07/2012 08:11

Gawd I wouldn't tell her!
She'll be on at you every day.

Seriously, don't tell her until you do a general announcement to all your friends - sounds as though she has done nothing to warrant special consideration and yes, 6w is still very early days.

Congratulations and I hope it all goes well - but don't bother telling her yet.

emeraldgirl1 · 24/07/2012 08:12

Thanks everyone!
Excellent question - why don't I let the friendship slide...? I have actually been doing this as much as possible for the last couple of months or so (not being so quick to return calls, avoiding making plans etc) but it's a tough one. I feel bad as she is very very needy (she has a lot of personal problems). PLus I am a pathetic wimp and bad at confrontation. FWIW I actually think this pregnancy will help me disengage as I simply WON"T be able to be anywhere near as 'on call' with her as I have been...

OP posts:
Shakirasma · 24/07/2012 08:13

Congratulations!

You are going to have to tell her sooner or later, but I think you should wait until you have told your family first.

lollopybear · 24/07/2012 08:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

emeraldgirl1 · 24/07/2012 08:13

This is such good advice thank you!!! I think I stupidly thought I 'had' to tell her IYSWIM...
I am more comfortable just telling our immediate families and the friend I have already told is ttc too so we were on the same path together; when she asked me the other day I just couldn't lie...

OP posts:
Lovelynewboots · 24/07/2012 08:13

Congratulations, try not to worry about your friend. I had a friend like this and tbh she was a massive pain in the arse and now I never see her because she made my life so difficult when I was pregnant with my first and after. Put yourself first and tell her and anyone else when you are good and ready.

Thumbwitch · 24/07/2012 08:15

I think that sounds like a very good plan - plus if you leave telling her til later and she does sulk you'll have given yourself quite a useful get-out clause.

You need to be strong about the other stuff as well (godmother etc.) - have someone else lined up for the job before you tell her, or decide ahead that you're not having any so that you aren't flustered whenever she mentions it.
In fact, have ALL your answers sorted out for before you tell her, so that you can remain calm and unconfrontational and don't accidentally commit to anything you don't want to. Either that, or answer everything with "we'll have to wait and see".

emeraldgirl1 · 24/07/2012 08:16

Tangointhenight - life sucker is a good description unfortunately... :(

I sometimes say to my DH that she is like a giant squid suffocating the life out of everything... It makes me sad because I don't want to dread seeing/speaking to a friend but I do. I have had a couple of other friends a bit like this (I clearly attracted them in the past!) but successfully moved on from the friendships when I got a bit happier in my own life.

This one, though, has stuck... Our families being close is a real issue as I can't just 'cut her out'.

OP posts:
emeraldgirl1 · 24/07/2012 08:28

Oh and I should add for context that when another friend of hers (not a partic close one, more just a friend she made when they were both pg together) told her last year that she'd picked a godmother who wasn't my friend (but, duh, the other girl's oldest friend) my friend walked out of the cafe they were in and cried outside in the street... In the end the other girl made her a second godmother... Hmm

This is the reason I don't want to tell her ANYTHING...

Also (I do get this) a good reason to disentangle myself as much as possible!!!

OP posts:
Hopeforever · 24/07/2012 08:33

I wouldn't say anything until you are ready for everyone to know. I have a similar 'friend' who likes to be the first to know so she can put cryptic messages on Facebook!

You sound lovely, congratulations on your pregnancy, enjoy and put yourself first

diddl · 24/07/2012 08:35

I wouldn´t tell her.

Mind you, we didn´t tell anyone at all until 16wks!

Congratulations!

MinnieBar · 24/07/2012 08:39

Don't tell her yet, and absolutely do NOT make her a godmother. Say you're not doing that, or you won't decide until afterwards, or you/your DH doesn't believe - anything really to stop her foisting her way in.

And congratulations!

emeraldgirl1 · 24/07/2012 08:40

Thanks diddi and hopeforever

These answers have really been a revelation to me I have to say! I (foolishly) was expecting people to come on and go, "God, she sounds awful but I think you have to tell her'... I'm very very interested to hear that NOBODY thinks I should do this! It is a good wake-up call for me not to be so concerned about what she thinks all the time...

OP posts:
MagicHouse · 24/07/2012 08:44

Don't tell her - because then she might sulk and you'll have more reason to disentangle yourself!
It's your baby/ pregnancy - tell who YOU want!
If you can't get rid of her - at least try to turn it into the sort of friendship YOU want. Stand up to her a bit. If she quizzes you about why you never told her - say you only told a few people. If she cries - tell her this isn't about HER, it's about you and your baby and your feelings. Don't let her get away with it. Tell her you find her exhausting if she cries and you need to put yourself (especially being pregnant) first. Ask her to see you when she's feeling more able to support you.

emeraldgirl1 · 24/07/2012 08:51

MagicHouse your advice is excellent and exactly what DH tells me...

I am determined to make this kind of an effort - is so tough though as I really am bad at this kind of thing and she honestly is a nightmare.

OP posts:
emeraldgirl1 · 24/07/2012 08:53

Oh, and the advice from various people about maybe it being GOOD if she sulks because it's a good reason to disentangle myself... genius! What a clever (machiavellian) bunch you are :)

OP posts:
Hopeforever · 24/07/2012 08:53

The word passive aggressive springs to mind

Magic house has some good ideas. Practice her reply so you are ready to deliver it!

JammySplodger · 24/07/2012 08:54

Only tell her when you're ready do the whole world to know. I had a friend just like that who blabbed another friend's pg, effectively to get the breaking-the-news attention. And congratulations!

PurplePidjin · 24/07/2012 08:55

I would wait till after the 12 week scan.

Then, you can let her strop off on one. Wait for her to contact you - the phrase "Well, if you can't be supportive of me..." may come in handy here.

If anyone asks, roll your eyes and tell them she's chucked her toys out of her pram because you're pregnant. Then change the subject.

You get to stop talking to her, and you look like the mature, sensible one in front of family/friends :o

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