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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Girlfriend has shown her hand!

344 replies

Ccooped1 · 18/11/2019 17:09

Hi, Im extremely sad and angry with myself over the position I have let myself get into. I am a single dad with custody of 3 young children (aged 4, 6, and 8 YO). I work full time and raise my children on my own and have done for the last 3.5 years. They are amazing and we work so well as a family unit - life couldn't be any better under the circumstances. I moved away from family for work several years ago so my nearest family member is 120 miles away... At present my children have not seen their mom for 19 months as she has moved away without any idea. I get zero support, of which I don't moan about as i'm fortunate to have a good job and be motivated to my children. They have everything children need, an extremely special bond with me, they are taught morals / values, have life experiences etc. Again I am lucky to be able to do this. I have got my head down over the initial 3 years on my own ensuring my children are in a good place emotionally after the disappearing act of mother.
I have just done the basics right, worked hard, renovated a house for us to grow old in, and been a dads taxi of course.

Anyway now the scene is set, I have a major issue. Over the last year I have been building a relationship with a girl who I thought was very caring and in a similar position to me would be a safe bet. We have been open about our situation, limited time we spent together and agreed on things like kids, marriage moving in together etc. It was clear that as she had 2 children and I have 3, that I did not want any more children as it just doesn't make sense obviously to me and I dont want to change nappies for ever! Anyway after being on the pill she is pregnant and basically told me to f off she is keeping it. I know we can all say you should have not listened to her and used a condom but it has been a year and i thought trust was there. My point of view is that I have been clear from day one and this is all against my consent. She already has 2 children off different dads and I am not judging by this but surely she wants solid foundations to void being in her current position again. She has told me that she is having it regardless of what I say. I know her kids dads are not the best so she wants a good dad but this is all wrong. She is not listening to me and everytime I try and talk calmly to her she goes off on one and i see a side I never once thought was there. I understand that there is nothing i can do so this message really is me venting off and hoping that someone can tell me they have had something similar or what on earth I am going to do. I would never ever walk away from a child so I will be there for it no matter what, with regards to the mother I cannot be false and this is betrayal and whilst I am not a nasty person I cannot move forward with a women like this. I feel such a fool!!

OP posts:
Pomley · 18/11/2019 17:50

OP most people here will say you shouldn't have had sex or should have worn a condom, but in a commited relationship with someone you think you trust I don't think it's unreasonable to believe that the pill is statistically extremely likely to be effective. She could well be telling the truth, none of us, or sadly you will ever know the truth; but it is a shitty situation.

PerfectPenquins · 18/11/2019 17:51

The amount of 'pill failures' here youd think it only had a 20% rate of effectiveness. Some women do stop taking it if they want to try and secure their partner to them or if they just want another baby, it happens. I'd forget her entirely, plan to be a good dad and be involved from the start. First sign of any struggles with contact go for mediation and then court.

BIWI · 18/11/2019 17:51

Welcome to Mumsnet. A great place to show your disregard for women.

If you don't want children you take responsibility for not creating them. It's entirely her right to keep it if she wants to. You have said nothing at all about how she feels about being pregnant, but talk about this being a betrayal thus implying that she's done it deliberately (along with all the other snide remarks about her looking for a good dad, and how her children aren't the best - oh, and the judgy stuff about them being from two different dads.

Massively MRA-type post I think. And I'm calling you on it.

PlinkPlink · 18/11/2019 17:52

If you get ill (vomiting or diarrhoea) it affects the effectiveness of the pill.

If you didn't want her to get pregnant, you should have continued to use condoms.

Now that it has happened, your reaction should not be to blame her. Or think she trapped you.
(Though if she confirms later she stopped taking the pill on purpose, this is obviously an awful and devious thing to do and I'd imagine would result in you splitting up).

Whatever the circumstances, you do need to step up to the plate though. It's not the baby's fault and that baby deserves to have support from it's father.

pooopypants · 18/11/2019 17:55

It sounds like you've been trapped OP, whether maliciously or by accident is another matter.

If you were so against any more children, you should have doubled up on protection, either by a vasectomy or condoms.

I'd be curious whether she was actually taking the pill or not though. Women who lie about taking the pill make my blood boil - don't bring a defenceless child into the shit storm that's already your life. You've been a twat by lying, don't be a bigger twat by subjecting someone else to it too.

My advice would be a DNA test, keep records of any and all correspondence and seek legal advice re: access, child maintenance etc. She may have gotten one over on you OP but don't be a total mug to her.

Bunnyfuller · 18/11/2019 17:55

Hopefully you can both afford the houses you’ll need to live in with your large families. As we all know how babies get here, so you both must’ve been ok with the chance that it might happen, right?

JasonPollack · 18/11/2019 17:57

I agree @BIWI I wonder if it will occur conveniently in the mail tomorrow to froth their readership.

thatwouldbeanecumenicalmatter · 18/11/2019 18:05

Second what BIWI said. Oh and the first paragraph blowing your own trumpet on a parenting site is unnecessary - it's bare minimum day in, day out parenting, that last time I checked us mothers don't get a medal for either Hmm

Ccooped1 · 18/11/2019 18:08

Hi thanks for the responses, well most...
She was on the pill and we agreed not to have any more children for the foreseeable.
I didn't have a vecetomy as I'm still young, well early 30s and after a 10 year relationship i didn't want to conclude my ability to have more children. If I met the girl of my dreams I would do the honourable thing if it was right.
I'm not judging I'm just really frustrated as I'm a normal decent person and yes it takes two to make a baby but I did not consent to this and trusted her after we spoke about the future. I'm just sad that a child will start life like this

OP posts:
OxfordCat · 18/11/2019 18:13

What was the actual reason you chose not to use condoms OP? Was it because you prefer sex without and she was managing the pill? Mistake number 1 right there. Was has been said, the pill can fail through any number of NORMAL scenarios: she has a tummy bug, forgets to take it, irregular hormones etc. It takes TWO responsible adults to manage contraception, especially if they are simply not prepared to risk pregnancy.

You have leapt to the insinuation she's done it on purpose, even though, presumably before this happened you loved her and respected her and wouldn't have described her as devious / manipulative?

Your post begins by describing what a wonderful wholesome father and all-round good guy you are and then knocks her down bit by bit commenting on her multiple partners etc. I also notice you describe her as a "girl" and a "safe bet" which is actually rather revealing about your view of women.

Oh, and - newsflash - you don't get to offer your "consent" about what a women does with her own body.

FairNotFair · 18/11/2019 18:15

First you say: It was clear that as she had 2 children and I have 3, that I did not want any more children as it just doesn't make sense obviously to me and I dont want to change nappies for ever!

Then you say: we agreed not to have any more children for the foreseeable. I didn't have a vecetomy as I'm still young, well early 30s and after a 10 year relationship i didn't want to conclude my ability to have more children.

That's not particularly consistent - any chance she's been confused by mixed messages?

Keepmewarm · 18/11/2019 18:18

You consented the moment you didn’t wear a condom.

Ccooped1 · 18/11/2019 18:24

Wow this is cut throat here. I'm judged by the masses of know it alls and haters. I'll drop out of this now as it is by no way constructive or what I reached out for. I merely rattled a thread as I left work to this. For the most thanks for your messages. You stand out from the rest! Goodbye and rest assured I'll sleep well tonight as I do every other night as what's my responsibility never has a thing to worry about

OP posts:
Rainbowqueeen · 18/11/2019 18:25

I honestly don’t understand the view that she has trapped you. I see it as being a contraceptive fail and a woman who has made the decision that she is not willing to have an abortion. These are perfectly valid normal things. It’s exactly the same as I would do. I certainly wouldn’t have chosen to have a baby with someone if only been seeing for a year if I already had 2 kids and they had 3 but id suck it up and have the baby rather than an abortion. So I think you’re being really harsh on her

Did you discuss what would happen if there was a contraceptive fail? You’re an adult responsible for 3 kids already. You should be thinking about these things and making decisions with them in mind.

I agree you are contradicting yourself in your posts. Perhaps you have also misled her.

You need to be the best dad you can be to the baby and in future always use condoms or have a vasectomy.

FaFoutis · 18/11/2019 18:28

You don't want any more children yet you might want more children. But you would only have them with a 'dream girl' and not a 'safe bet'.
Is that right?

TheBitchOfTheVicar · 18/11/2019 18:28

if I met the girl of my dreams

Nice

dontalltalkatonce · 18/11/2019 18:29

I didn't have a vecetomy as I'm still young, well early 30s and after a 10 year relationship i didn't want to conclude my ability to have more children. If I met the girl of my dreams I would do the honourable thing if it was right.

So she was fine to shag right now and pass judgement on now that she won't do what you want (gah, she has 2 kids by different dads, says you) no longer 'the girl of your dreams' even though you trusted her with contraception and now that she won't do what you want. Way to go treating a mother of your children.

You don't want more kids, so you use two forms of contraception (including condom), don't have sex or get sterilised.

JasonPollack · 18/11/2019 18:29

So because she was on the pill you are now trying to bully her into an abortion she doesn't want? There is a huge difference between not wanting to get pregnant and being on contraception, to being able to go through with an abortion. It is her body, her choice and you do not get a say. You should reflect on that and apologise to her.

FavouriteSoul · 18/11/2019 18:33

This is a failure of contraception, not a devious woman manipulating you into becoming the father of her child. If you didn't want another child, maybe you should have continued to wear a condom despite her being on the pill. She's pregnant, she doesn't want to abort the child, so you're going to have to deal with it. But ffs have some compassion, she's possibly as upset about the situation as you are.

AuntyElle · 18/11/2019 18:33

“a girl who I thought was very caring and in a similar position to me would be a safe bet

“If I met the girl of my dreams I would do the honourable thing if it was right.”

What a charming attitude you have, OP. Plus your account is inconsistent and you sound ambivalent, despite claiming to be very clear on this.

dontalltalkatonce · 18/11/2019 18:34

Aw, diddums, will now seem less of a catch to that 'girl of your dreams' with 4 little kids in tow.

Groovinpeanut · 18/11/2019 18:35

OP I'm sorry you've had the treatment you've had. You reached out for support and advice, I too think your girlfriend saw you coming. It's clear you're a decent man/Dad who steps up and does right by your kids. I hope you manage to find away forward to maintain a relationship with this future child.

pumpkinpie01 · 18/11/2019 18:35

Did she seem worried telling you she was pregnant and put it to you that the pill had failed ?

ukgift2016 · 18/11/2019 18:42

I didn't have a vecetomy as I'm still young, well early 30s and after a 10 year relationship i didn't want to conclude my ability to have more children.

Well that doesn't make go with what you said earlier about NOT wanting more children. You should had the snip, simple.

I agree she most likely did 'forget' to take a few pills on purpose. But surely you know how often this happens and as a father to already 3 children, you should have gone to greater measures to prevent a further pregnancy.

Get the snip.

Dramaofallama · 18/11/2019 18:48

Your post begins by describing what a wonderful wholesome father and all-round good guy you are and then knocks her down bit by bit commenting on her multiple partners etc. I also notice you describe her as a "girl" and a "safe bet" which is actually rather revealing about your view of women.

I have to agree with Oxfordcat on this. Your posts say more about you than it does her atm.

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