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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

DH lied for years about wanting a baby

17 replies

User048261940582 · 01/03/2025 21:16

DH and I have two DCs aged 3 and 7. We’ve always both said we wanted 3 kids. We decided last year we would start trying after Christmas 2024. It’s been a bit of a busy start to 2025 with me getting a promotion at work and DH’s mum being unwell. However things have calmed down a bit now so I broached the subject of #3 again. DH has flatly said he doesn’t want any more children and in fact he never did; he just said he did because he thought it was what I wanted to hear and he assumed I’d change my mind.

I feel totally betrayed by this. I’m 36 so feel like time isn’t really on my side. He keeps trying to bring it up and talk about it but I don’t want to talk about it; I’m not going to try and change his mind and I feel too hurt by his lies to have a rational conversation right now.

I genuinely don’t know if I’m unreasonable to be feeling like this. He is being all nicey nice and it’s pissing me off so I feel like my judgement is seriously clouded.

OP posts:
DrummingMousWife · 01/03/2025 21:18

He wasn’t open and honest with you and effectively led you up the garden path with promises. I would be upset too.

HeyDoodie · 01/03/2025 21:20

I think it’s fine for someone to change their mind while having small children. Totally rubbish however if he has lied to you for all these years and had children when he didn’t want any.

User048261940582 · 01/03/2025 21:21

I don’t mind him only wanting 2. If he’d said that after DC2 was born I could have come to terms with it. But it’s been 3 YEARS of regular chats about when is the right time for #3. He seemed totally up for it and I feel like a damn fool. I’m seriously considering asking for a break from the relationship because of the lies.

OP posts:
Pessismistic · 01/03/2025 21:22

Hi op definitely not bu what a coward he is he never had the courage to tell you after dc 1 or 2 I don’t understand why people do this having an agreement in place then move the goalposts I don’t blame you for not wanting to speak about it he’s intentionally lied to you now your in a position where you have to choose leaving to have your 3rd dc or keeping your family together. Look at what you have now and see if it is enough but definitely don’t let him off lightly.

DorothyStorm · 01/03/2025 21:22

It is acceptable for him to change his mind. 2 to 3 is a huge leap cost wise. Car, holidays for two.

but it is absolutely unacceptable to lie and try to run out your time until it is no longer an issue.

MyUmberSeal · 01/03/2025 21:23

I’m probably going against the grain here, but I don’t actually think your husband has been a total asshole. Certainly a bit of an asshole. I think if you didn’t have children with him already and he had lied to you about wanting any kids at all, I’d be more cross with him. Understandable you are feeling upset, but would it have been a marriage deal breaker for you if he had told you he didn’t want a 3rd after you had your second? I think sometimes we have to count our blessings. I’m not condoning, but I’m not condemning your husband either.

Icanttakethisanymore · 01/03/2025 21:24

I appreciate this isn't the point but I am slightly intrigued about why he didn't just tell you he changed his mind... given he is obviously ok lying to you, why not lie and say that he changed his mind? Feels oddly flippant and almost cruel. Is he trying to hurt you? How is the relationship generally?

User048261940582 · 01/03/2025 21:25

Exactly, I feel like he was waiting for me to get too old/too tired/advanced in my career etc and change my mind. It just feels like such a betrayal. I feel like I don’t even know this man any more. On top of that I have to mourn the future I thought I’d have.

OP posts:
Emonade · 01/03/2025 21:26

Is it really that bad?

Bigcat25 · 01/03/2025 21:27

Emonade · 01/03/2025 21:26

Is it really that bad?

Yes. He lied to her, over a long period of time.

User048261940582 · 01/03/2025 21:28

It’s not the hypothetical child, it’s the lying

OP posts:
jacks11 · 01/03/2025 21:30

I think you are entitled to feel aggrieved because he lied to you. I think it would have been different if he had simply changed his mind after the reality of having 2 children- I think you can think you want x number of children but find that you don’t feel able to cope with that many for any number reasons. That isn’t unforgivable, imho. Deliberately lying to you is a whole different ball game.

only you can decide what this means for your relationship. I think you have to decide if this situation is a dealbreaker for you- both the lying and not having a 3rd child. I think I would find the lying the hardest thing to overcome.

Squarestones · 01/03/2025 21:33

I'm so sorry, this must be really hard. I think you are totally reasonable to feel betrayed.

DH and I wanted a different number of children at the start of our relationship, he was always open about his preference but when I would say I wanted more he'd say, let's take it one at a time, either of us might change our mind. Which was true of course and I told myself that if it came to it I'd be happy with the lower number.

When we reached his number and I eventually began to talk about another he said he still felt like he didn't want more, he was sorry, he had genuinely thought he might change his mind but now didn't know if we could cope with another.

Even that felt like a betrayal - I had always hoped ofc that he would change his mind, and I remember the crushing feeling when I realised he hadn't. And for you to know your DH has been lying must feel even worse.

It is really hard when you have always imagined yourself with a particular size of family, I felt like I was having to adjust my identity as well as my hopes. The discussions with DH were really hard because, like you, I didn't want to persuade him as such, but also needed to share my pain with him as trying to process it alone was making it worse, like a separation between us.

I'm not sure what advice I can offer, I just wanted to say it's reasonable to feel whatever you feel.

Oh one thing I did find helpful was communicating with DH about this topic via email at first. I knew I'd cry if we discussed on person, and that made me feel like I was manipulating him. We did talk in person as well, but starting on email helped.

rwalker · 01/03/2025 21:34

He took the path of least resistance for a quiet life

Squarestones · 01/03/2025 21:36

Emonade · 01/03/2025 21:26

Is it really that bad?

Yes, he lied to her for years about something fundamental to their family and her desires. Fine if he changed his mind and was honest about it. Not fine to lie

1990thatsme · 01/03/2025 21:37

I would be heartbroken too. I have four and DH always knew I wanted a big family.

The fact he has admitted he didn’t change his mind recently but has repeatedly lied to you for three years whenever it was discussed is really concerning.

Only you can decide whether you can recover from that. 💐

LionME · 01/03/2025 22:05

I’d struggle to trust him again and I’d wonder what else he has said before just to keep me quiet whilst hoping ‘I’d change my mind’.

I agree with you @User048261940582 . It’s tye deception that is an issue.

Im not quite sure why he just didn’t say ‘look I’m really not sure anymore’. But at least, now, you know who he is.

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