Help end medical misogyny. Sign our petition.

Help end medical misogyny.
Sign our petition.

Sign the petition

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to avoid my partner's friend's girlfriend who keeps pushing friendship?

31 replies

Bonfireinsummer · 01/06/2026 11:43

I moved in with my partner a few years ago and relocated to his city. I don’t have any friends here, but I regularly keep in touch with my friends from where I used to live - probably see them 3 times a month. I’m quite happy with this, and don’t feel necessarily lonely or anything. I don’t regret moving here.

We’re mid 30s.

My partner has a group of friends who all have partners. We usually meet about once a month for a meal or something. One of his friends partners, I’ll call her Natalie, has really started to initiate a friendship but I’m a bit overwhelmed with her.

Natalie has a tendency to drink quite a bit, which is fine, but I don’t drink. When she gets drunk on these group meals, she will dominate my time (I don’t know how to write that nicely). We will all be talking as a group and she just zones in on me, sometimes physically placing herself in between me and my partner. She talks repetitively about herself - how she is judged for her good looks (?) or how she’s succeeding a lot at work.

She will be nasty about her partner (when he’s there) and his mother, and try and get me involved. For example, she said a few months ago “me and you are educated and we worked hard, so we deserve successful partners… and yet we’re lumped with THESE”. It was so awkward, my partner is successful in different ways to me, and we’re a great match. I said I loved my partner and he’s better at XYZ than me, trying to diffuse the situation, but she persisted. This was in our house and her partner had to get her to leave. She kept saying “why didn’t you both try harder at school?” Absolutely cringe.

Another time, again when she’d been drinking, she said that her partners mother is a “bitch” and expects them to spend too much time with her. She lives 5 mins away and expects to see her son (Natalie’s partner) a few days a week for about 15 mins. She’s a widow. Natalie has said that they want to move away but his mother would be “lonely”. This is said in front of partner again and it’s just awkward.

Another time, Natalie announced to her partner and mine that we had planned to “get pregnant together so we can spend maternity together”. I flat out said I didn’t know anything about this, but she persisted saying it would be good to have kids together as they could be friends, we could spend lots of time together… just bizarre. My partner said we’d have kids when we wanted them, and we won’t let them know… we have actually been ttc so this was quite painful.

She says things like we can get Botox together, lip fillers etc… says I need an eyelid lift??

She also says things like “your partner is SO lucky to have you, you can do better”

(No I can’t “do better” - I’m in a relationship that’s happy and with someone I deeply love)

She constantly asks me if I’m lonely, that we could do XYZ together, but I just honestly don’t want to. I don’t want to be her friend. She texts me constantly asking if I/we want to do something, or she’ll send me a class and ask me to sign up. At first I politely declined but now I just ignore them. When I do ignore them, she sends me messages like “don’t ignore me!!! 😂”

I feel suffocated. I can’t not see her because of the group set up, but I really don’t want to spend any time with her. Aibu to keep ignoring or do I need to say anything? Aibu to think this is weird behaviour???

OP posts:
Hangingcrystal · 01/06/2026 11:50

Stop seeing this couple.
Tell your partner to see his friend alone.
Why are you tolerating this.

I would refuse to see them socially or have them near my home.

If your partner pushes back, rethink the relationship.

You are mad to be tolerating this.

coolcahuna · 01/06/2026 11:51

Wow this is so unbearable and overbearing. What does your partner think? I think just keep doing what you're doing, minimise, don't engage , be low level polite but nothing more. If she corners you at social events, literally move - nip to the loo and sit somewhere else when you get back - don't let it happen.

Brenzaida · 01/06/2026 11:53

Just keep ignoring her. She sounds ghastly.

And pray she acts on her notion that she ‘can do better’ than her partner and moves on to someone who did better at school and out of your partner’s friendship group.

Thepeopleversuswork · 01/06/2026 11:55

Have you talked to your partner about it?

I think it’s easy enough to put boundaries up for you but it might help to have your partner on side so he’s sensitive to the fact you are uncomfortable being around her.

She sounds unhinged and I can’t believe people haven’t realised this but try to get your DP to understand that you find it stressful being around her.

Ace56 · 01/06/2026 11:55

Does your partner know about this? I think he needs to see his friend on his own for a while, not at your house and definitely not with Natalie. The 2 men can just meet at the pub or something, no need to involve the women!
I’d also potentially skip some of the group meet ups - do you need to go every time?

Thepeopleversuswork · 01/06/2026 11:55

Ace56 · 01/06/2026 11:55

Does your partner know about this? I think he needs to see his friend on his own for a while, not at your house and definitely not with Natalie. The 2 men can just meet at the pub or something, no need to involve the women!
I’d also potentially skip some of the group meet ups - do you need to go every time?

Exactly

Bonfireinsummer · 01/06/2026 12:03

I love the other people in the group. There’s 8 of us. There’s 2 wives of my partners friends who are lovely and who I like spending time with. I’d hate to remove myself from the group because of Natalie.

my partner is aware of her, and does stick up for me/diffuse situations. He’s said that they’re an unhappy couple and she’s just projecting that onto me. He doesn’t force or guilt me into going to these meet ups, I choose to go because it’s usually nice! I’m just not one for drinking or taking drugs

OP posts:
CopeNorth · 01/06/2026 12:03

Tell your partner to see his friend alone

Hangingcrystal · 01/06/2026 12:31

See the women you like on your own and ask them not to let on as Natalie is a pain in the arse.

ProfessorRedshoeblueshoe · 01/06/2026 12:38

I voted YABU -why on earth did you give your phone number to someone you don't like ? Also don't invite them to your home, he can just visit his mate at the pub.

Krevlornswath · 01/06/2026 12:55

Given her behaviour YANBU though it's a bit difficult to believe that people put up with this type of thing socially from their own partners and mates. How does everyone else respond to her? What are their thoughts on her comments?

I wouldn't allow someone to speak to me or about my relationship this way on a continuous basis tbh, I wouldn't want to be rude either but certainly would ask her directly where all of this is coming from because we're very happy/I'm not at all lonely/have no interest in conversations about getting work done. Awkward though it is I don't think trying to diffuse this will work anywhere near as well as being direct "I'm not sure why you think that Natalie, I don't agree at all" "Each to their own Natalie but cosmetic work doesn't interest me at all - don't you think it's a bit rude to suggest someone needs work done" "Have you had a bit too much to drink Natalie, you seem drunk!. You need to lay the groundwork that actually you don't share these opinions or have anything in common. I'd expect that as soon as you start doing that she'll go right off you anyway.

Regarding constant messages I'd just give her nothing "Thanks for thinking of me, Natalie, but that isn't my bag" "Sorry but I have plans with friends/partner hope you and 'x' are well - maybe take him" - she will get it eventually if you are committing to saying no.

Bonfireinsummer · 01/06/2026 12:57

ProfessorRedshoeblueshoe · 01/06/2026 12:38

I voted YABU -why on earth did you give your phone number to someone you don't like ? Also don't invite them to your home, he can just visit his mate at the pub.

I didn’t. We’re all in a group chat to arrange these meet ups. One of women I like added me as we were arranging a meet up over the Christmas period just gone. She got my number from there

OP posts:
Monty36 · 01/06/2026 12:58

Make sure she cannot place herself next to you at the next meet up. Hard as she would probably follow you. But think of ways to do so. And not sit next to her.

Ignore any text messages and conversations that provoke.

A simple ‘ I don’t think so Natalie ‘ and things like that.

ProfessorRedshoeblueshoe · 01/06/2026 12:58

Ah sorry. How do the rest of the group deal with her ? Also I have changed my vote, she sounds awful

ohyesido · 01/06/2026 13:40

Why don’t you like Natalie?

Legomania · 01/06/2026 13:42

ohyesido · 01/06/2026 13:40

Why don’t you like Natalie?

Did you read the op?

DisappearingGirl · 01/06/2026 13:44

I would just keep doing what you're doing, be polite but a bit distant, take a while to reply and just keep giving the message that you are busy.

ohyesido · 01/06/2026 13:48

Legomania · 01/06/2026 13:42

Did you read the op?

I did, and it seems the OP is negatively disposed towards her

Cosyblankets · 01/06/2026 13:50

I suspect she muscles in on you because the others don't tolerate her

Brenzaida · 01/06/2026 13:59

ohyesido · 01/06/2026 13:48

I did, and it seems the OP is negatively disposed towards her

Well, would you be ‘well disposed’ towards someone who kept lumping your partner together with hers as useless underachievers who were punching up to have bagged you, saying ‘We can do better!’ and asking him why he hadn’t tried harder at school? It’s hardly the way to ingratiating yourself with someone. And that’s before we even get into her announcing they can get Botox and lip fillers together and announcing out of the blue that she and the OP plan to get pregnant at the same time so they can spend maternity leave together’!

She sounds nuts as well as unhappy and unstable.

Larrythecatforpm · 01/06/2026 14:06

Good grief, I would just ignore her and make chat with the other people there.
If she continues to”ah yes you already said that/told me before Natalie, so susan hows work going?” If she carries on your partner needs to have a word with Natalies partner and say she’s making you uncomfortable.

TimetoPour · 01/06/2026 14:13

Ignore messages.
Face to face, I would be inclined to say, “no Natalie you are wrong. Please don’t keep putting people down, it reflects much worse on you than it does on them”

Studyunder · 01/06/2026 14:18

I’d start to just not be there if she’s coming round

ImImmortalNowBabyDoll · 01/06/2026 15:03

Wow. What does your partner say about her? I'd be launching a rescue mission for his poor friend!

Lurkingandlearning · 01/06/2026 15:41

I wouldn’t stop going to these nights out with that group. Why should you and your partner change the way you enjoy spending time with friends because of Natalie?

Your partner is happy to step in when she goes too far, her boyfriend takes her home when she goes beyond that. I imagine everyone finds her hard work and embarrassing. Just keep saying no thank you to everything and ignoring her texts. She knows exactly what she is doing and how you feel - the text she sent telling you not to ignore kind of confirms that. She’s playing some weird game probably to see if she can dominate you (she clearly enjoys dominating her BF). She may well have tried that game with the others in the group before you came along and now it’s just your turn because you are fairly new.

Develop the perfect bemused smile and short responses like “I don’t think so / see it that way etc.” and change the subject

Swipe left for the next trending thread