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Pregnancy choices

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DH not checked on me once TW abortion

71 replies

Guiltymumofthree · 24/02/2023 00:49

Apologies that this isn’t in the correct topic however I’m extremely upset and just need a handhold.

Currently going through the process of a termination. I waited for DH to be on the way back from work until I took the pills so I could have some support.

Ive been teary all day as I knew today was the day.since he’s been back from work he’s sat downstairs all night and not checked on me once.

This is the man I’m marrried to and have 3 children with. I’m at the lowest point in my life and he’s sat downstairs watching tv.

I feel like I’ve just lost a family member my heart is broken and I have no one.

Im not going to beg him to console me but how can the man that is supposed to love me not even give me a hug or see if I’m ok.

OP posts:
RosetteNebula · 24/02/2023 06:56

HoppingPavlova · 24/02/2023 06:48

What I say will not be popular, yet at least not in the same ballpark as Bloopsie’s vile piddle. I honestly believe most men are just born defective. If this was me, I have no doubt my DH would be exactly the same as OP’s. He’d be sitting there thinking it would be just like taking Panadol for a headache and would think he was just grand for not interrupting me watching Netflix. If I spelled out exactly what would be occurring physically and how I felt mentally/emotionally, he would be there in a shot, trying to help, checking, seeing what I need, making sure I was okay. But I would need to spell it out for him initially, without that, nope. He is supposedly bright and well educated and mature. Again, I believe they are just born somewhat defective in this regard.

I'm inclined to agree with this. Most men are totally thoughtless.

Deathraystare · 24/02/2023 07:21

Yep. Deffo spell it out to the dozy prick and if he still lets you down, tell him how disappointed you are in him and tell him you wish he could go through it instead, then when he is "ill" with manflu, no dashing about with cups of tea, cough medicine etc, be "not bothered" in the slightest.

KoalatyStreet · 24/02/2023 07:42

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TheLadyofShalott1 · 24/02/2023 07:50

I'm so sorry that you are going through this awful time @Guiltymumofthree,and I am not trying to stick up for your husband - or men in general - I am just letting you know from my own experiences (most not personal to me ones), that far too many men seem to believe that periods, a lack of periods, problems with periods, pregnancy, abortions, miscarriages, and childbirth, are all 'womanly things', and that they should stay out of it.

Those same men will (sometimes unconsciously) think it is best to leave anything, and everything, to do with a womans reproductive system to 'the women' - except of course while they are in the process of getting their own sexual enjoyment and satisfaction from that same reproductive system - Unless we tell them, they apparently know nothing about how painful periods can be, how rotten our menstrual cycles can be, or even how boring over 30 years of having monthly blood loss, pain etc can be.

Then when we are pregnant they might hear us being sick, but instead of coming and holding our hair out of our faces, giving us drinks of flat lemonade, and ginger biscuits, and then doing a lot more - if not all of - the household chores, they still expect us to carry on as normal. These types of men, seem to go around wearing blinkers and ear plugs, and even if they seem intelligent in some ways, they are, or appear to be, completely without any sort of imagination. So when it comes to their partner needing an abortion for whatever reason - even if they are the main driving force behind it - they do not even realise that extra support is needed, that we need to know that we are very much loved by them, and that they are needed to show us both physical support, and emotional support, in fact often the need for emotional support is our greatest need at that time.

Very sadly, men like that will tell themselves that we are much better left alone in any of the above circumstances, when in reality, for most of us, that is the worst thing they can do. So Dads and Mums of sons need to talk to their sons about womens periods, and womens reproductive years, and even the possible lack of reproductive years for some women. If your sons are lucky enough to have grandparents, or great Aunts and Uncles still alive, please ask them to explain to your sons about the peri-menopause and the actual menopause itself. But men often seem to come into a relationship with a women without any previous knowledge, or even thoughts, about these things. In those cases, with those men, we their partners, have to be the ones to explain all about the difficulties - and joys - that being a woman really means.

If you have managed to struggle through all of my thoughts here OP, do you think that your husband could be like the ones I have tried to describe here? If you do think that it may be ignorance, rather than not caring, that has made your husband so useless on this occasion, then I am afraid that you will need to sit him down, and explain to him in simple words, how and why he needs to massively step-up his thoughts and actions in these matters.

Please don't feel guilty OP, I am sure that you have thought very thoroughly about having an abortion, and that it will be best for all of you, including your children, to not have another child. I truly think that with all the decisions and choices we need to make, being a Mum is the most difficult job in the world. Maybe if your husband really wants to support you OP, and if you are both sure that you don't want anymore children, for whatever reason, he will agree to have the snip - if he does, it would be interesting to see if he expects any extra support during that time...

I'm sending you lots of love, and I wish that I could send you a cuddly warm hot-water-bottle, some paracetamol and or Ibuprofen, a lovely hot drink of your choice, flowers, and a husband who has had an enormous kick up the backside to cuddle and reasure you
💐💐💐

HistoryFanatic · 24/02/2023 08:08

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No reason to support her? Thought marriage was "sickness and health"? Of course they should be supporting each other.

Marzipangirl3 · 24/02/2023 08:50

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What a narrow minded view, you sound delightful. You have no idea of the reasons for OP having this abortion but it sounds like she needs some support.

JimnJoyce · 24/02/2023 08:59

im not sure its a defect but men being thoughtless, in my experience is def a thing. I had a termination many years ago and then DP acted similarly. Then I found out he'd told his whole family...

Crutcher · 24/02/2023 09:41

In marriage never assume that your partner knows you need something. They might not realise at all or they might see it differently. If you want their help, physical or emotional, ask.

Guiltymumofthree · 24/02/2023 09:46

Morning everyone, thanks so much for the responses I really appreciate how kind you all are. I had the toughest night I didn’t expect to be in so much pain. He finally came upstairs about 3 after I had to ring him him for some paracetamol. He then moaned I was making too much noise and I would wake the kids.

He said he didn’t expect it be like that, but I don’t know he just seems very cold no empathy in him whatsoever for what I had to go through.

he’s huffing and puffing about having to get up with the kids. But I’m putting my foot down and staying in bed.

I will never forgive him for making me feel like this.

OP posts:
Sparklfairy · 24/02/2023 09:51

Guiltymumofthree · 24/02/2023 09:46

Morning everyone, thanks so much for the responses I really appreciate how kind you all are. I had the toughest night I didn’t expect to be in so much pain. He finally came upstairs about 3 after I had to ring him him for some paracetamol. He then moaned I was making too much noise and I would wake the kids.

He said he didn’t expect it be like that, but I don’t know he just seems very cold no empathy in him whatsoever for what I had to go through.

he’s huffing and puffing about having to get up with the kids. But I’m putting my foot down and staying in bed.

I will never forgive him for making me feel like this.

That is just awful. I'm so sorry OP Sad

Guiltymumofthree · 24/02/2023 09:51

TheLadyofShalott1 · 24/02/2023 07:50

I'm so sorry that you are going through this awful time @Guiltymumofthree,and I am not trying to stick up for your husband - or men in general - I am just letting you know from my own experiences (most not personal to me ones), that far too many men seem to believe that periods, a lack of periods, problems with periods, pregnancy, abortions, miscarriages, and childbirth, are all 'womanly things', and that they should stay out of it.

Those same men will (sometimes unconsciously) think it is best to leave anything, and everything, to do with a womans reproductive system to 'the women' - except of course while they are in the process of getting their own sexual enjoyment and satisfaction from that same reproductive system - Unless we tell them, they apparently know nothing about how painful periods can be, how rotten our menstrual cycles can be, or even how boring over 30 years of having monthly blood loss, pain etc can be.

Then when we are pregnant they might hear us being sick, but instead of coming and holding our hair out of our faces, giving us drinks of flat lemonade, and ginger biscuits, and then doing a lot more - if not all of - the household chores, they still expect us to carry on as normal. These types of men, seem to go around wearing blinkers and ear plugs, and even if they seem intelligent in some ways, they are, or appear to be, completely without any sort of imagination. So when it comes to their partner needing an abortion for whatever reason - even if they are the main driving force behind it - they do not even realise that extra support is needed, that we need to know that we are very much loved by them, and that they are needed to show us both physical support, and emotional support, in fact often the need for emotional support is our greatest need at that time.

Very sadly, men like that will tell themselves that we are much better left alone in any of the above circumstances, when in reality, for most of us, that is the worst thing they can do. So Dads and Mums of sons need to talk to their sons about womens periods, and womens reproductive years, and even the possible lack of reproductive years for some women. If your sons are lucky enough to have grandparents, or great Aunts and Uncles still alive, please ask them to explain to your sons about the peri-menopause and the actual menopause itself. But men often seem to come into a relationship with a women without any previous knowledge, or even thoughts, about these things. In those cases, with those men, we their partners, have to be the ones to explain all about the difficulties - and joys - that being a woman really means.

If you have managed to struggle through all of my thoughts here OP, do you think that your husband could be like the ones I have tried to describe here? If you do think that it may be ignorance, rather than not caring, that has made your husband so useless on this occasion, then I am afraid that you will need to sit him down, and explain to him in simple words, how and why he needs to massively step-up his thoughts and actions in these matters.

Please don't feel guilty OP, I am sure that you have thought very thoroughly about having an abortion, and that it will be best for all of you, including your children, to not have another child. I truly think that with all the decisions and choices we need to make, being a Mum is the most difficult job in the world. Maybe if your husband really wants to support you OP, and if you are both sure that you don't want anymore children, for whatever reason, he will agree to have the snip - if he does, it would be interesting to see if he expects any extra support during that time...

I'm sending you lots of love, and I wish that I could send you a cuddly warm hot-water-bottle, some paracetamol and or Ibuprofen, a lovely hot drink of your choice, flowers, and a husband who has had an enormous kick up the backside to cuddle and reasure you
💐💐💐

This sounds exactly like my DH “if you don’t tell me how am I supposed to know” are men really that clueless?

I feel like I’ve just gone through so much and now I have to carry on.

OP posts:
WombatsAndGumTrees · 24/02/2023 09:51

That's really horrible behaviour from him, OP. What an ...

Sparklfairy · 24/02/2023 09:55

are men really that clueless?

I hate to generalise but yes, because they don't care. Maybe it's entitlement that they think themselves too important to give headspace to how other people might feel, but I genuinely believe that women are socially conditioned to care about others and men to care about themselves.

Exceptions to the rule of course with both sexes but this is depressingly common and only comes to light at times like this.

picklemewalnuts · 24/02/2023 10:03

I think they want to minimise it, because it's so much easier for them. We are all inclined to do that, to be fair, but this is a particularly appalling example of someone prioritising their peace of mind at your expense.

WombatsAndGumTrees · 24/02/2023 10:15

I don't think it's true that most men are this clueless. If I was lying there in pain from a pregnancy loss (however it came about), my husband would be looking after me. If I'm sick my grown sons show more compassion than OP's husband. The bar for men needs to be raised.

Nimbostratus100 · 24/02/2023 10:34

I am so sorry you are being treated like this, its horrible💐

FlowerArranger · 24/02/2023 11:46

I am so sorry you are having to go through this, and doing it without his support.💐

This may be a watershed as he has really shown his true colors. I hope he realizes this and steps up.

MrsTerryPratchett · 24/02/2023 15:07

What an arse.

So sorry OP.

RobertsRadio · 24/02/2023 15:24

It's really hard to forgive such utter callousness and disregard for you at a time like this, and then to moan about having to take care of his own DC, jeez. It will be hard to come back from this.

I'm so sorry you had to go through this alone and unloved by the very person who should have been with you.

Swiftswatch · 24/02/2023 15:55

@HoppingPavlova I honestly believe most men are just born defective. If this was me, I have no doubt my DH would be exactly the same as OP’s. ….He is supposedly bright and well educated and mature. Again, I believe they are just born somewhat defective in this regard.

Nope you just have an unsupportive partner and very low standards.
Men are perfectly capable of emotional maturity and supporting their partner through a difficult time. Plenty of them do it every single day.

Crutcher · 25/02/2023 20:02

WombatsAndGumTrees · 24/02/2023 10:15

I don't think it's true that most men are this clueless. If I was lying there in pain from a pregnancy loss (however it came about), my husband would be looking after me. If I'm sick my grown sons show more compassion than OP's husband. The bar for men needs to be raised.

She's not complaining about lying in pain and needing help, but about not being supported in her grief. However she hasn't actually told her husband that she's grieving and needs a hug.

In her own words, she's not going to 'beg' for a hug. But how should he know how she's taking it without communication? Perhaps for him there's no major emotion attached and he's not at all grieving, so why would he even think of consoling her for a non-event?

Assuming your partner knows how you feel without communicating is the mother of all misunderstandings and fallouts. If you need a hug or words of emotional support, let your partner know. It's not begging to tell your partner you need help.

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