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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Friend's one night stands to get pregnant

317 replies

Polkadotbikinininii · 03/03/2025 14:03

I know this is none of my business. I won't say anything to her unless she brings it up again. I will NEVER say anything to anyone else.

My friend is late 30s and long term single. She has always wanted kids and is very aware of her age.

She told me drunkenly the other night that a few years ago she started having one night stands with the hope of getting pregnant.

She says that she is open with the men about what she is doing as she has no interest in tricking or trapping them. She is happy to nevet see them again and be a single mum.

She thinks she's done it about 25 times in the last few years. Apparently only a few have said no. Most of the men just want reassurance that she won't go after them for money/relationship. 🤨She said 2 men have said they would like to stay in touch if she gets pregnant.

She is stunningly beautiful and funny so I can well imagine that most men will be so impressed with themselves for getting her in bed that they aren't thinking straight enough to say no.

She is very capable of looking after hererself/a child. She has a strong family network who will make sure the child is sorted if something happens to my friend.

She said that the men who don't want anything to do with any child are deadbeats and she wouldn't want them in their life anyway. I asked about what happened if the ones who are interested turn out to be deadbeats and she said that could happen with any pregnancy. I asked about the child that won't know who their dad is and again, she said it's better than a deadbeat who won't support the child and let's them down.

She reassured me that she does do STD tests and never puts herself at risk. Apparently she is very strict with herself and if she is "going out to make babies" she doesn't drink at all and apparently if she has never bought anyone back when drunk.

I asked why she doesn't use donated sperm. She said she doesn't like the idea of it being medicalised and all the pressure of it and that she was also having fun.

She pointed out that any one night stand could result in a baby with a stranger and at least this way, the baby will be wanted.

I couldn't explain why I think this is all just so yukky. She accused me of slut shaming and pointed out that the men she takes home will be bragging to their friends every time they get a woman in bed and that lots of women take home more men than she does and plenty of people don't use protection.

Ignoring the risks, I don't think it's the taking people home that made me purse my lips. It's the intention behind it. It's irrational but I feel like maybe an accidental baby from a very short relationship is a better idea than a wanted baby after a one night stand?

ARE unreasonable- your friend will make a great mum and there will be good support for her and any baby. She has told you she isn't taking any risks.

ARE NOT unreasonable - getting pregnant ON PURPOSE from a one night stand is grim. She should be exploring other options.

OP posts:
BeShyPlumLeader · 05/03/2025 08:10

I'm sure some time ago I read about a website (like a dating site) where people could advertise for potential parent 'partners' - i.e. a female could look for a man who was wanting to be a parent but without the romantic relationship. Surely that would be preferable than doing it via ONS. Saying that though, as everyone has said - this is nothing new. Lots of women couldn't afford IVF / artificial insemination. A relative of mine tried it, twice - it didn't work and cost her about £14k.

Solypim · 05/03/2025 08:13

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Solypim · 05/03/2025 08:18

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KimberleyClark · 05/03/2025 08:35

Mumsnet is a cesspit sometimes. Posters lining g up to kick a recently widowed woman.

Solypim · 05/03/2025 08:43

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BlondiePortz · 05/03/2025 08:50

So she could be passing on diseases or other medical history to her unborn child?

Loudandy75 · 05/03/2025 19:58

I understand her situation and once did this. I then adopted children. The medical questions that I'm now asked as a parent about my kids, make me totally aware of why it's not THE best idea.

Polkadotbikinininii · 05/03/2025 21:30

Loudandy75 · 05/03/2025 19:58

I understand her situation and once did this. I then adopted children. The medical questions that I'm now asked as a parent about my kids, make me totally aware of why it's not THE best idea.

I don't think I've ever been asked questions based on parentage.

I don't really know my own family medical history because it's one of many "banned" topics so wouldn't be much use anyway. Eg my nanna died of cancer. No idea what type of cancer or even if it was actually cancer that killed her or one of her numerous other conditions that had been hinted at. I only found out my dad had been in hospital for an inpatient op by accident even though that might be genetic. I know zilch about my mums family. Literally nothing. I couldn't even tell you if her parents are alive, whether she has siblings... my parents don't even remember if I had chicken pox as a child.

I guess I'm trying to say that even with a traditional family, you might not know medical history, genetics etc. Admittedly, my family is possibly extreme but there will be families where health isn't talked about.

OP posts:
Lostcat · 05/03/2025 21:35

HauntedBungalow · 03/03/2025 14:32

Women hold the key to how and where humanity reproduces and perpetuates itself within their bodies.

For some, this is an unacceptable and even terrifying prospect. Hence patriarchy. And within patriarchy, discussions like this.

And this is all there is to it .

OP your friend can do absolutely the f she likes with her body and she can make fertility choices for herself. If you find it icky- find something else to think about.

🙄

Firefly1987 · 05/03/2025 22:45

Selfish and gross but this is mumsnet where most posters think anything a woman does to further her own wants is justified. Especially when it comes to creating life, you know a literal living breathing child not just a plaything for the "mother".

mariaberria · 05/03/2025 23:07

Every decision she makes should be for the good of her unborn child.

A random shag may decide later that he'd like to take up his parental rights if he finds out she's had a baby. How will that pan out?

The child will want to know who his or her father is at some point. How is she going to explain that she had a one night stand just to get pregnant.

She's putting her health at risk, which might impact her ability to parent. A friend of mine caught genital herpes from unprotected sex and gets very ill from it. It never goes.

I went through all this thought process myself 14 years ago. I used a donor and have two children if my own. No hassles. Totally open and honest with them. No legal stress from a man I don't want in my or their lives.

She shouldn't do it.

toffeeappleturnip · 05/03/2025 23:08

I think it would be really sad to be the child. Knowing your mother purposefully avoided you having, or ever knowing, a father. If I was that child I'd forever wonder who my dad was.
For this reason it's unfair. It's selfish of someone to purposefully make a child fatherless, even before they are conceived.

NewMarmiteJar · 05/03/2025 23:35

Even I've heard of this method to get pregnant.

Downwiththecrumpets81 · 06/03/2025 00:00

I’m surprised she bothers telling them her plan. I’ve not been single for many years now but when I was, I was no stranger to casual sex and men would virtually never be the ones to instigate condom usage or any talks of whether contraception was part of the equation. They’d happily just go for it if they could.

Stepthree · 06/03/2025 18:30

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2025willbemytime · 06/03/2025 19:22

Muddlingalongsomehow · 04/03/2025 21:13

She told him she was on the pill

As did my mum...

My dad was stupid enough to believe her.

I paid the price for her selfishness and his idiocy.

Averageper100 · 07/03/2025 14:08

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SALaw · 08/03/2025 06:03

mariaberria · 05/03/2025 23:07

Every decision she makes should be for the good of her unborn child.

A random shag may decide later that he'd like to take up his parental rights if he finds out she's had a baby. How will that pan out?

The child will want to know who his or her father is at some point. How is she going to explain that she had a one night stand just to get pregnant.

She's putting her health at risk, which might impact her ability to parent. A friend of mine caught genital herpes from unprotected sex and gets very ill from it. It never goes.

I went through all this thought process myself 14 years ago. I used a donor and have two children if my own. No hassles. Totally open and honest with them. No legal stress from a man I don't want in my or their lives.

She shouldn't do it.

Surely the child wanting to know his or her father issue arises with a donor too? And maybe the donor would react worse than the one night stand to being found as it was completely transactional?

KimberleyClark · 08/03/2025 06:28

toffeeappleturnip · 05/03/2025 23:08

I think it would be really sad to be the child. Knowing your mother purposefully avoided you having, or ever knowing, a father. If I was that child I'd forever wonder who my dad was.
For this reason it's unfair. It's selfish of someone to purposefully make a child fatherless, even before they are conceived.

I think it is also selfish to deliberately bring a child into the world knowing they will be an orphan if anything happens to you. Sure you can arrange for a relative or friend to take care of the child, but what if you have no suitable relatives or friends or they just don’t want to do it? It’s a pretty huge expectation to put on someone because of a choice you’ve made.

Onelifeonly · 08/03/2025 07:08

Muddlingalongsomehow · 04/03/2025 23:22

Erm. You completely missed what I was saying there. What an extraordinary comment. The issue wasn't my husband's sexual experience at all. It was the business of someone, like the woman in the original comment, potentially using a one night stand to get preg.

Not to worry.

But it was odd you made a point of giving all the details when almost any other married / partnered woman could be in a similar situation. It felt like the focus was on your DH rather than the OP's friend's actions.

But I am sorry for your loss and I get that you were just wanting to tell us about him. 💐

Dmsandfloatydress · 08/03/2025 07:37

My cousin did exactly this and now has a teenage boy who constantly asks about his father, why his father doesn't want him and , when younger used to make up hero stories about this missing man. Its cruel to the child. Children are not objects to acquire.

mariaberria · 08/03/2025 08:44

SALaw · 08/03/2025 06:03

Surely the child wanting to know his or her father issue arises with a donor too? And maybe the donor would react worse than the one night stand to being found as it was completely transactional?

@SALaw the donor rules in the UK allow for ID release when the child reaches 18. If they want to meet him they can for that very reason and the donor can't donate without agreeing to these rules.

Whether my children would want to is a separate question. But the donor has no legal or parental rights over them.

Feelingtrapped100 · 08/03/2025 10:02

If they’re having unprotected sex they know there’s a risk.

Feelingtrapped100 · 08/03/2025 10:11

“This happened to my husband/ good friend/ whoever”
Erm… no, pregnancy does not just happen 😐.
Any man who does not want a child should use and be responsible for contraception. There is always a chance.
The only way to guarantee no babies is to not have sex. Especially with people you don’t know.

JMSA · 08/03/2025 11:51

It will probably happen for her at some point, as the fact is that the vast majority of men will happily fuck a woman without protection.
Anyone who claims otherwise is fooling herself.