Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to want to keep the baby

428 replies

raffathegaffa · 16/04/2024 23:15

Hi

My partner and I have a 7 year old and a 1 year old.
About 6 weeks ago I found out I was pregnant, I’ll be 14 weeks now
from the moment I found out it’s been absolute hell, my partner works in London during the week and our home is 4 hours away in a different city. I’m solo parenting and working P/T during the week, he’s back on weekends. When I first found out I was pregnant again I was in shock and I couldn’t imagine having 3 children mostly on my own, however I’ve been to the abortion clinic twice and I couldn’t go through with it. My partner is being an absolute monster about it, he doesn’t want another baby, says financially we can’t afford it, he’s on 100k a year and obviously I work part time so we do ok, small mortgage etc. I just feel like I can’t live with aborting this baby, we both spoke about having a third although not this soon, I think everything happens for a reason and I have lots of family support so I feel we could manage. He has constantly been harassing me to “deal with it this week or xyz” “get rid of it” “it’s not a baby yet” “you’ll ruin all of our lives”. He’s already said he’ll leave me, I’ll be giving birth on my own, he’ll support financially and “let me” stay in the house (I don’t own it, it’s all in his name) but he won’t have anything to do with this baby. Our eldest child has some private medical treatment going on which will improve her quality of life massively and he’s already pulled the plug on that and asked for a refund from the clinic where she receives it, all because I want to keep this baby and he’s using it as a way to blackmail me into having an abortion as he knows how badly I want her to have this treatment.
I’ve begged him, told him I’ll go through it all alone and he’s entitled to his opinion if he doesn’t want this baby - but now he’s pulled the plug on eldests treatment I feel like I have no choice but to have the abortion - it’s given me a taste of the absolute living hell he will make me endure if I keep this baby. Im honestly devastated, I feel like Im drowning. Obviously I knew his stance on the baby but I hoped he would come around eventually, after all he did nothing to protect himself to stop me from becoming pregnant in the first place. I told him I wasn’t taking contraception at the time. I just feel like it’s all my fault and I don’t know where to go from here, time is running out and I love my two children with every fibre in my being I don’t want to ruin their lives. I was 19 when we got together and he was 33, I had barely left school and I moved to London to be with him, I just feel like I never stood a chance as he has always had the high flying job, control of the money (I didn’t work for the first 5 years of our relationship as he said I didn’t need to and we had our first child) we’re not married, I rely completely on him for money etc (he always gives me money when I need it and he pays me every month, I have my own wage too but it’s basically just pocket money, but I still hate having to ask him for money like I’m a child). No matter what he’s just been such a bully about this whole thing, I feel like I’ve completely lost myself and I need to leave him, I just don’t know whether to leave him with the two I have or to leave him and still keep this baby I feel like I am already connected to. This just isn’t something I ever thought I’d have to go through and I’m completely devastated and lost and just broken. This is rambly I’m sorry, I just don’t know what to do please help.

OP posts:
Motherland2624 · 18/04/2024 20:13

U need to marry him quick then take him for everything

Userxxxxx · 18/04/2024 21:32

This reply has been deleted

We are taking this down as this is not in the spirit of the site and not helpful for the OP.

raffathegaffa · 18/04/2024 21:42

This reply has been deleted

We are taking this down as this is not in the spirit of the site and not helpful for the OP.

Are you a troll?

OP posts:
Andthereyougo · 18/04/2024 22:07

Just want to say I’m sorry for the position you find yourself in.Thinking of you and hope you’ll be ok. 💐

slore · 18/04/2024 22:46

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

WithACatLikeTread · 18/04/2024 23:00

Mayana1 · 18/04/2024 19:47

Apply for Universal credit, find a way to apply for a council flat and state you will be homeless with 2 children and one on the way. Talk to your family. Is there a chance you could move back home temporarily? He's been a total ass*. The heartbeat is there from about 6-7 weeks. The baby will feel. Sorry to say that. It's your right to fight for your baby, the baby has nobody else to fight for him, but you. Hope it works well for you. He doesn't deserve to be a father.

Give over with the guilt tripping.

WithACatLikeTread · 18/04/2024 23:03

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

OP isn't in Europe. She is presumably in the UK and can have her abortion up to 24 weeks. It isn't too late. Kindly take your pro choice propanda and shove it up somewhere.

KomodoOhno · 18/04/2024 23:12

WithACatLikeTread · 18/04/2024 23:03

OP isn't in Europe. She is presumably in the UK and can have her abortion up to 24 weeks. It isn't too late. Kindly take your pro choice propanda and shove it up somewhere.

Edited

Exactly. How many people with this agenda are ready willing and able to take in alllll these babies ? No matter the issues or expenses....

And I say this as a mother of a desperately wanted dc with many years of infertility. There are times when not having a baby is 1000% the right choice. I think it's disgusting to come on this thread with this pro birth agenda.

slore · 18/04/2024 23:17

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

raffathegaffa · 18/04/2024 23:41

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

I think I’m very well aware of this. But I don’t need this right now, I really don’t. Bringing a baby into the world where it won’t ever feel wanted by it’s father is crueller.

OP posts:
Caerulea · 18/04/2024 23:52

This reply has been withdrawn

Message removed as it quotes/references a deleted post.

Caerulea · 18/04/2024 23:58

OP - this was all such a crushing read. This man is a monster - withdrawing treatment for his own daughter? I'm speechless.

Stick to your guns on getting out of this completely. Whatever you choose to do with the current pregnancy is up to you, but you need to be far far away from that cretin & his revolting family. You can't have been you for so long, if ever at all - look forward to finding yourself when all this has passed, which it will!

Big girl pants on, you've got this! Two kids or 3, just focus on being the best mum you can, acknowledge it will be hard but you can absolutely do it. And if your eldest lives with allergies, she'll be joining many many who do in a world that's getting better & better at dealing with them.

YouDeserveMore · 19/04/2024 00:32

I'm really sorry to see a shouty 'debate' happening on a thread about real people. Please let's not forget the OP who has enough disordered arguing directed at her in real life! @raffathegaffa what you want matters, not what the father wants. It's not right, how he's treated your child with allergies, who was a wanted child but ill used by him now. It's not right how he treats you as a mother and partner. Whether or not such a bad father 'wanted' the child before its birth isn't anything to consider regarding whether or not you choose to have that child! I am pro choice and earnestly desire that whatever you decide, you value yourself and your wants, not his. I hope you get free of his coercive control, which is an offence in UK law. Has anyone recommended the Freedom Programme? https://www.freedomprogramme.co.uk/ Take care and please step away from this thread as and when needed. I hope it doesn't trigger you into feeling 'accountable' to people like us who are just well wishers on a faceless forum. It's your life x

The Freedom Programme. Learn about domestic violence and abuse

The Freedom Programme. For women who want to learn more about the reality of domestic violence and abuse

https://www.freedomprogramme.co.uk

R41nb0wR0se · 19/04/2024 01:09

OP, I'm so sorry that some people on here are being so awful to you.

You've got a few days away from him ahead of your appointment. You may change your mind, you may not: whichever option you go for has to be your choice and no one should be trying to pressure you either way.

Also, I endorse a previous suggestion re the Freedom Programme.

Mayana1 · 19/04/2024 05:39

WithACatLikeTread · 18/04/2024 23:00

Give over with the guilt tripping.

The poster mentioned it herself. She is devastated to do it

Mayana1 · 19/04/2024 06:16

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

martinisforeveryone · 19/04/2024 09:30

@Mayana1 you know none of this for this particular woman and more importantly these few words on a screen are the most effort you’ll be making in @raffathegaffa life.

My advice @raffathegaffa is to stop any notifications and hide this thread, at least for now. You’ve had advice, other people’s experiences and pointers enough to mull over and I think any more is probably counter productive at this stage.

Remember that no one here will be walking in your shoes, or there to pick you up when you need it. Only you can make the right decisions for your life and do the best for your children, who are clearly at the very forefront of your life.

MisAvi · 19/04/2024 11:29

We have 2 kids, older now, and I found out I was pregnant (unplanned) at the start of last year, partner said he was fully supportive of my decision either way, we chatted lots and although we would have both loved another child, we agreed it would have been too hard in every way. Those few weeks were awful, I was on one hand more happy and excited than I’d been in years, couldn’t see myself being able to get a termination, and also knew in reality the right choice was to terminate. I did in the end, and to be honest I’ve felt a bit broken ever since, I can barely look at babies. I still in many ways regret it. So with someone forcing my decision I’d hate to think how bad my mental state would be now and how I’d feel about them, don’t think I’d be able to look at him again!

Your husband sounds like a real a-hole, I can’t imagine going through that with him behaving in that way! I needed so much support and felt so vulnerable. I’m so sorry for you. Cutting finance to your child’s medical treatment is so low and disgusting! I couldn’t stay with him after that, he should have sat down and had an adult conversation and shared his worries and you decide together not demand you do as he wants or he’ll punish your other children! I agree you need to get away from him whatever you decide

raffathegaffa · 19/04/2024 12:41

MisAvi · 19/04/2024 11:29

We have 2 kids, older now, and I found out I was pregnant (unplanned) at the start of last year, partner said he was fully supportive of my decision either way, we chatted lots and although we would have both loved another child, we agreed it would have been too hard in every way. Those few weeks were awful, I was on one hand more happy and excited than I’d been in years, couldn’t see myself being able to get a termination, and also knew in reality the right choice was to terminate. I did in the end, and to be honest I’ve felt a bit broken ever since, I can barely look at babies. I still in many ways regret it. So with someone forcing my decision I’d hate to think how bad my mental state would be now and how I’d feel about them, don’t think I’d be able to look at him again!

Your husband sounds like a real a-hole, I can’t imagine going through that with him behaving in that way! I needed so much support and felt so vulnerable. I’m so sorry for you. Cutting finance to your child’s medical treatment is so low and disgusting! I couldn’t stay with him after that, he should have sat down and had an adult conversation and shared his worries and you decide together not demand you do as he wants or he’ll punish your other children! I agree you need to get away from him whatever you decide

Firstly, I’m so sorry to hear you’re struggling and having feelings of regret. I know that this will be me too, however the only source of “comfort” I have is that I know I’d have been doing it all on my own, with a very difficult ex partner. Even now every time I open social media (which I’m going to have to come off for the time being I think to protect my MH) it’s a pregnancy announcement, I really truly understand how triggering those are for some people now and I could never relate to that before as I’ve never been through a loss. Every time I see a pregnant woman in the street it’s like a stab in the heart.

Gosh I couldn’t imagine being with someone as supportive and caring as your husband sounds, you’re so lucky! Life is all about ups and downs, and when things don’t go according to his plan, my partners behaviour couldn’t be more unsupportive.

OP posts:
raffathegaffa · 22/04/2024 14:49

Just to update everyone
Ive just taken the first abortion pill
Im broken and I don’t know how I will ever be ok again

OP posts:
Swanbeauty · 22/04/2024 14:51

This reply has been withdrawn

Withdrawn at OP's request.

MissScarletInTheBallroom · 22/04/2024 14:55

Oh @raffathegaffa.

You will get through this. Be very very gentle with yourself.

Is the plan to have a medical termination or will you be having a D&C?

raffathegaffa · 22/04/2024 15:04

@Swanbeauty thank you. He’s full of apologies now. I am leaving him.

@MissScarletInTheBallroom its medical, so they didn’t sugarcoat what I will have to go through on Wednesday. I wish I’d have done this sooner so it would feel less cruel and traumatic, but I was hoping we could get through it together.

OP posts:
Nicole1111 · 22/04/2024 15:06

Sending you love and strength. Your children are lucky to have a strong mother like you who makes difficult decisions based on their best interests.

OhmygodDont · 22/04/2024 15:09

His full of apologies because he got his way in one sense. If you had left but kept the baby he would be calling you all bitches under the sun.

Stay strong op.

Swipe left for the next trending thread