Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

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:
sue51 · 19/11/2019 08:00

When I was on the pill I had ferocious mood swings and acne. Is that a benefit?

DriftingLeaves · 19/11/2019 08:02

The vipers are out in force, i see.

Good luck, OP.

CareOfPunts · 19/11/2019 08:02

And that’s with the odd missed day too when I was taking it.

All I’m saying that IRL unless there are specific reasons to use 2 methods of contraception (ie medical/std prevention) most people don’t. No contraception is 100% but the 97 - 99 % success rate is enough for most people IRL, but on MN that’s not good enough 😏

CareOfPunts · 19/11/2019 08:02

When I was on the pill I had ferocious mood swings and acne. Is that a benefit?

Why take it then?

Bellatrix14 · 19/11/2019 08:05

I imagine the other side of this story would be “I’m in a relationship with a man who is a father of 3, we’ve been together a year and I have two children of my own. I’m on the pill and take it regularly, yet my boyfriend is insistent on still using condoms as well. He won’t tell me why but I get the impression it’s because he doesn’t trust me to take my pill. This makes me really uncomfortable, what should I do?” would then be full of people telling the woman that she was being gaslighted and how unreasonable her partner was being Hmm

You should have worn a condom, yes. But I can see why you didn’t in an established relationship, for reasons listed above. Please support her though, she is now the mother of one of your children.

Hearhoovesthinkzebras · 19/11/2019 08:05

When I was on the pill I had ferocious mood swings and acne. Is that a benefit?

You aren't everyone though are you?

Benefits include lighter or no.periods, reduction in acne, lower risk of developing ovarian cancer, regular cycles, improvement in pms.

Many many people enjoy those benefits. It didn't suit you. That's not to say it won't suit anyone.

sue51 · 19/11/2019 08:05

I stopped and had the coil. I became pregnant 6 months with it.

Moomin8 · 19/11/2019 08:08

Why isn't the mother of his 3 children having to contribute, even financially towards their upbringing? It shouldn't be on just him should it?

Both parents are responsible. And both parents should contribute in all ways.

Something tells me the OP isn't telling the whole story though... possibly. He's very keen to paint a picture of himself as the perfect father. But certain things he says out him as the person he really is

if she was the girl of my dreams (maybe don't sleep with someone if you're just using them)
I've tried talking calmly to her (ie forcing her to do what he wants)

Not to mention his nasty comment about the other fathers of her children.

Then when he doesn't hear from us how wonderful he is, he flounces off. He sounds a real catch Hmm

TheColonelAdoresPuffins · 19/11/2019 08:17

When we explained that we wouldn't be buying DS a house or financing childcare and he wouldn't be paying any CMS once baby was older enough for shared care - and until that point he would be on a minimum loan at Uni.... miraculously the pregnancy ended
Phew, that's lucky you managed to scare her into bumping your grandchild off. What a relief for you!

Moomin8 · 19/11/2019 08:19

I don't disagree @Hearhoovesthinkzebras

But none of us really knows what's going on in the lives of other people. I certainly don't tell anyone I know all the personal details of my sex life with my partner.

The fact of the matter is that most men don't like using condoms because it decreases the sensation for them. When I think back to my past relationships where I was on the pill I remember most of the time the other person and I had a brief discussion, I told them what I was taking and then they never bothered to mention it to me again.

DocusDiplo · 19/11/2019 08:22

This is awful for you.

Arella · 19/11/2019 09:06

Lovemenorca I thought the same - as a single, working parent of two DC, there is no time!

And completely off topic, why are all the abbreviations explained on this thread?

99GreenBalloons · 19/11/2019 09:17

You sound just like my ex - an entitled narcissistic prick. Nothing EVER his fault....

SomeoneInTheLaaaaaounge · 19/11/2019 09:22

Man trying to force woman to have an abortion - nice!

TiddlerontheRoof · 19/11/2019 09:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TiddlerontheRoof · 19/11/2019 09:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

NemophilistRebel · 19/11/2019 09:39

He didn’t refuse to wear a confirm though

NemophilistRebel · 19/11/2019 09:39

He’s also not forcing her to have an abortion.

WendyMoiraAngelaDarling · 19/11/2019 09:40

"Girlfriend has shown her hand"

Your phrasing is interesting. Makes me think you see women as The Enemy who are hiding ulterior motives and looking to get one over on you. As though relationships with them are a series of power plays and skirmishes with pregnancy being the ultimate "win" for them.

sue51 · 19/11/2019 09:44

He might not have refused to wear a condom but did not use one as he saw contraception as solely her problem and responsibility.

HaRmFuLHelen21 · 19/11/2019 09:45

This reply has been deleted

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

NemophilistRebel · 19/11/2019 09:46

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ for quoting a deleted post.

NemophilistRebel · 19/11/2019 09:47

He didn’t use one, she didn’t ask him to use one. It’s not one persons sole responsibility

Moomin8 · 19/11/2019 10:01

He’s also not forcing her to have an abortion.

Wow, that's big of him(!)

Sounds to me like he has been coercive though. Otherwise why was she telling him to F off after he supposedly talked 'calmly' to her?

CareOfPunts · 19/11/2019 10:05

Agreed, @Bellatrix14. Or if a woman had posted saying her partner used condoms but she has ended up pregnant because he pricked holes in them. I wonder how many people would have been telling her then she should have used another method of contraception too.

Typical MN all men are nasty pieces of work and all women are sainted beings who must not be criticised in any way as they can do no wrong