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Pregnancy

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

About to give birth & arguing with partner

19 replies

Tsunami1984 · 27/03/2025 23:36

I’m wondering if you can help me. My partner has just called me a bitch and every 4 weeks we have these ginormous arguments that end with me in tears and him angry at me for “putting my priorities first.”

some context, I’m due on Wednesday. My first child and I’m equally excited and nervous. Am 41 and have always wanted to be a mum. We’ve been together 5 years. He has two children aged 8&11 and I moved in about 2 years ago after living on my own most my life. I’ve moved into his house which is 3 doors down from his ex. We see the girls every Monday and every other weekend and I have a good relationship with them and make every effort to be a support as much as I can.

I’ve had a good career and relatively successful, independent and been used to being on my own before we met. I’ve sacrificed a lot to be with him but I made those choices. Since I moved in he’s grown to resent the fact that I’ve had this previous life and not given all of it up (I have an active hobby). Long story short, I’m now on mat leave and have been preparing the baby’s room which will be shared with the 8 yo (who always sleeps in a bunk with her sister in her room. but the room is still hers). We had new fitted wardrobes and I wanted to “nest” to make the room as perfect for both the 8 yo and the baby.

my partner cannot finish a job - the house has been his pet project and everything is half completed. It’s driven me nuts. He’s untidy, disorganised and I’ve tried to talk to him. He doesn’t open post, and it’s the opposite of how I am - or used to be, but have been sapped into his world of chaos. I’ve put some of the 8 yo’s clothes on Vinted (I told him as they’re too small for her now) and some of the others I threw out today with old colouring books, a 2024 calendar and a broken picture frame and a lampshade which has been unused sitting in a cupboard for 2 years. Our bins get collected daily and someone was rummaging around the bags when he got back from work and was livid I’d thrown away these things. He’s just come into the house calling me a bitch and gone to sleep in the 11 yo’s room.

i Have locked the door to the bedroom. He’s never been violent to me but his words are often horrendous. I make a note every time he makes me cry which is more days than not each month and I am so scared with having this baby. He never listens to my side of the story - in this case it’s simply the clothes I threw away I couldn’t put on Vinted as they’re cheap or ruined or just crappy and with the light shade fine maybe I shouldn’t have done that but it’s been in a cupboard for two years unused!!!

i moved out of my beautiful home of 15 years and wanted to try and put my mark on this one room but I worry about next week so much and the birth and how to resolve this. He never listens to my side and just shouts at me.

please help! Xxx

OP posts:
Stripeyanddotty · 27/03/2025 23:38

He’s a bastard.
Don’t put his name on the birth certificate.

Stripeyanddotty · 27/03/2025 23:38

And leave.

Trovindia · 27/03/2025 23:39

Talk to your midwife and she can help you leave.

Thepossibility · 28/03/2025 01:22

You need to get out ASAP

YourOnMute · 28/03/2025 01:50

Do you still have your house? Go there. You will manage ok. New babies need very little.
I'm sorry this is happening to you, but you will never cry most days if you leave. You can do it.

Topseyt123 · 28/03/2025 02:12

I hope you didn't sell or get rid of your own home to move in with this horrendous man.

You need to leave him now as things will almost certainly get much worse once the baby is here.

You are currently in a very vulnerable position, but if you can move back into your own place and keep options of going back to work fully open then this will help greatly with that. Talk to your midwife for help too. They should be used to supporting vulnerable women (you are) and giving help.

You'd be far better off having the baby and being a single parent than staying in this terrible relationship.

Do you have family nearby who can help you out?

I would go alone to register the birth and wouldn't put him on the birth certificate. Nor would I give them his surname. Give them your own. If you hand him parental responsibility on a plate then he'll always have a hold over you.

PixelatedLunchbox · 28/03/2025 04:08

I’m still stuck on the fact that his children live three doors down and he only sees them on Mondays and every second weekend. Confused

Verbal abuse and making you cry almost every day? Please leave. Don’t raise a child in that environment.

FortyElephants · 28/03/2025 05:11

Do you still have your house? You need to move out of this shit show and raise your child away from him, he sounds horrendous.

TertiaryAdjunctofUnimatrix01 · 28/03/2025 05:17

He doesn’t love and respect you, and this is verbal abuse and it may escalate. Please leave as soon as possible. And don’t put his name on the birth certificate. You and your baby will be much safer and happier for it.

Bananalanacake · 28/03/2025 05:33

Abusive men get worse when you get pregnant as they think they have you trapped. Can you go back to your house.

Tsunami1984 · 28/03/2025 05:51

Thanks everyone for this. My brother and his wife have been living in my flat whilst they’ve had works being done on their home and have just moved out, so I’ve rented it out starting mid April (contract is signed). I was going to go take myself there today to just have some downtime. There’s a string of things like this that have happened over time and I’ve told friends who have been worried, v worried, but then we go through a “good” patch and I think it’ll be ok. I can go be with my parents who are 100 miles away and I’m close to. Although they don’t know what’s going on of course as I’m trying to solider through and don’t want them to assume the worst him.

living 3 doors down from his ex has it’s advantages in terms of access to the kids but I hate the street we live on because of the fact there’s nothing “neutral” about where we live. I said I’d live here for a year given how much he has financially invested in the property but the truth is, is that I don’t feel like this is “home”. Doing up this bedroom was the one mark I’ve had on the place.

I am constantly tidying up after him given the mess he leaves in the house. He never puts anything away and then gets pissy with me if I do. But stuff will not be put back for weeks and weeks and I can’t live like that. He does however do a lot in the house - he is a great cook (I’m not bad but wherever I do cook he’ll interfere and I’ve lost my confidence here) and he “runs” it in terms of bills (which I contribute to and his mortgage) but again I’ve moved into his place so I think there’s an inevitability about this rather than us renting/buying something neutral.

I don’t think calling me a bitch or “stupid woman” (that was Wednesday’s insult) is at all fair or nice. Yes I could have checked before I chucked those things but honestly he wouldn’t have noticed if the bag hadn’t split open and he saw people looking in it. Some old clothes and colouring in books to me have no sentimental value and given how little space we have and that in 5 days I’m having a baby just doesn’t seem to be a big deal in comparison. He has to go to his daughter’s school early this morning. I’m going to head to my flat when he’s out as it’s so early atm and I’m so tired after last night.

OP posts:
FortyElephants · 28/03/2025 07:08

Oh my word why are you contributing to his mortgage??

Tsunami1984 · 28/03/2025 07:17

FortyElephants · 28/03/2025 07:08

Oh my word why are you contributing to his mortgage??

Because I’m living in his house and it’s part of monthly bills/contribution. I didn’t think that as a problem. Although I’m about to stop earning money as my work only pays statutory mat leave. If I didn’t have the incoming rent on my flat I’d be in a v different financial situation.

OP posts:
SilentAllThisTime · 28/03/2025 07:47

Please make plans to go to your parents’ home. Don’t put his name on the birth certificate. Abusive men show their true colours when their partner is pregnant, and it escalates postpartum. You will have the income from your flat and you can get a new job. Just get as far away from him as you can.

Notgoodatpoetrybutgreatatlit · 28/03/2025 08:00

Hi OP, it's so hard when you're tired to stay level headed. It's seems like a great plan to go to your place today. Why not just spend the day doing nice stuff for yourself.
It's clear to us 3rd party observors based on what you have said that your 'partner' is not the person you thought he was. You have a way out of this relationship which is relatively easy. Listen to the advice of the women here. Don't put him on the birth certificate and move out right away, get your tenants out of your property as fast as you can. Start your life with your baby on your own.
It's upsetting and emotionally draining now but it will be worth it.
You can't change this man, to me it seems that he is a selfish individual whose misogynist beliefs are plainly on the surface. His core beliefs will never make him a good choice of partner for you, or any woman I know.
Good luck and don't go back.

Topseyt123 · 28/03/2025 08:00

Well, at least you haven't sold your flat so there is a possibility of moving back in there.

Try and get out of the signed contract. Tell the agent that your current living arrangements have turned out to be abusive so have fallen through and you need to move back in there. All monies exchanged so far can be returned.

Or, if that option really won't work, rent it out short term for a few months with a six month break clause, trigger the break clause when the time comes, and in the meantime move in with your family while you have the baby.

You need to tell your parents/family of your problems because believe me, you really are going to need their support when the baby comes. You aren't going to be able to keep this from them long term.

Stop contributing to his mortgage and other bills. You need to be moving out of that hellhole that is his house and your earnings are about to plummet. Check whether or not you will be entitled to any benefits. You might, for a time at least, class as on a low income until you can get back to work.

SquishyGloopyBum · 28/03/2025 08:03

See if you can pull out of renting your flat. Seriously. This won’t get better.

DahliaBlooming · 28/03/2025 08:04

My love... This is not right and it's not ok. Now is the time to leave. Today. Before the birth of your beautiful and beloved baby. Phone one of your best friends. A friend who knows you from before you met this man, someone who knows 'the old you'. A friend who can come to be with you right now. Tell them you need help... you are NOT overreacting.

Phone your Mum or Dad and tell them everything. Phone your midwife. Reach out to people who's first priority is to you and your baby. Say you're scared, you don't feel safe and you don't know what to do. I promise that if you reach out for help now, today, before the baby is born, you will have a team of people around you for the birth and beyond that will be so loving and supportive you can't even imagine.

Whereas if you stay dependent on this man for support, you will feel so isolated and lonely it will break your heart.

Now, today, is the time to get off Mumsnet and ring your family, your friends, your midwife. Your baby needs love, tenderness, calm and care. Not fear and anger. Sending you love from a stranger on the Internet...

DahliaBlooming · 28/03/2025 08:09

All the practical stuff around your flat can and will be sorted out. First get your people around you and together you'll figure out the details.

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