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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

OW got pregnant...

273 replies

drmac · 27/07/2010 22:24

my husband had an affair with a good friend of mine. She got pregnant and had a son.

We are trying to work through this and I am having another baby - due in November.

I'd just like to hear from other people who've maybe been through this.

How are things between you now? Do you think you'll ever completely get over it?

thanks

OP posts:
youngblowfish · 29/07/2010 23:08

AF, despite all that happened, I am really happy. I have been through some tough times and nothing will change that, but I have such a great life now. I have a loving, caring husband and I am not scared of the past. Best of all, I do not have to forgive things I do not want to forgive. There is a lot to be said for good, old fashioned, honest counselling and for being an optimist and appreciating all the helpful, supportive people around me. What is sad, is that some women cannot or do not want to smell the coffee. One of my favourite writers once said that most people live their lives in quiet desperation. But, as you quite rightly pointed out earlier, it is a different world altogether.

My story is useful, because I was a child when it happened, so nobody reasonable could blame me for being the evil OW.

AnyFucker · 29/07/2010 23:11

then I am glad for you, ybf

I am sad for the girl you were, not the person you are now

youngblowfish · 29/07/2010 23:17

So am I, she gets a lot of sympathy, but I appreciate every bit. I lurk here often and always admire your posts. Mostly because I tend to agree with them .

AnyFucker · 29/07/2010 23:20

hey, stick around

caramelwaffle · 30/07/2010 00:01

"Add message | Report | Contact poster ReasonableDoubt Thu 29-Jul-10 15:22:10

I don't think drmac is behaving like a strong woman. A strong woman does not cover up a man's weakness for him."

Spot on.

caramelwaffle · 30/07/2010 00:04

"Add message | Report | Contact poster Eurostar Thu 29-Jul-10 22:38:22

I am wondering if this man cannot bear to face what he has done because he is still struggling with monogamy. Sorry to say this now OP with you being pregnant but are you sure your DH is really at peace with the fact that he will not touch another woman in his life? Are you sure he is not struggling with the need he had to be sexual with another woman (and it seems from her offer of emails that he did a lot of chasing) because he is still feeling that need?
I'd suggest he gets to a non Christian therapist so that he can be completely open. Otherwise you might be following a life path of sorting out his messes...and Blowfish's point is very valid on what forgiveness means unless both parties are in on the deal."

Absolutely.

caramelwaffle · 30/07/2010 00:06

Alternatively- Whatever Anyfucker said (as per...)

PosyPetrovaPauline · 30/07/2010 00:43

( sorry for slight hijack but youngblowfish - my experiences are not dissimilar to yours and WOW you speak such sense. am saving this thread to give me strength x)

SassySusan · 30/07/2010 08:05

Message deleted

IWouldNotCouldNotWithAGoat · 30/07/2010 08:11

Tell your husband to grow the fuck up.

All this bother has made him ill? He needs to keep his dick where it belongs then. Stop enabling his pathetic behaviour.

grapeandlemon · 30/07/2010 08:30

If he were that incapacitated mentally he would surely never have agreed to bring another planned child into this sorry mess, and all the stress that a new baby brings. Or perhaps he will leave that all to the OP to deal with like everything else.
As for Christian councelling it is hopelessly biased come on.

SassySusan · 30/07/2010 08:49

Message deleted

grapeandlemon · 30/07/2010 08:56

I agree with you but I mean specifically toward the OP situation and the Christian notions of forgiveness, the sacred institution of the family at all cost etc.

SassySusan · 30/07/2010 09:28

Message deleted

teaandcakeplease · 30/07/2010 09:34

I think we are in danger of generalising a little on this thread. With regards to my experience, my church pastors who also did marriage counseling, told me I couldn't stay with my H as he wouldn't and couldn't end his affair and thoroughly supported me starting the divorce. They said he was a liar and had broken all his wedding vows with the extent he went to (long story, somewhere in relationships topic). So I had a very good, kind and supportive experience

My divorce is going through fairly quickly and I am actually very content and the church continue to support me, provide baby sitting and even bring me food parcels sometimes, as my wretched soon to be ex H is still unemployed (after loosing his job through carrying out his affair and not doing his job properely) and is therefore not supporting me properely right now.

youngblowfish · 30/07/2010 09:38

SassySusan, what is dangerous is giving people permission to get away with whatever they want to do for the sake of family. I don't know why child abuse is so different - yes, there is stigma and the horrible consequences for the victim and the obvious perversion involved. But surely in terms of guilt, forgiveness and retribution, it is a transgression not dissimilar from any others. Of course, it is a crime, but then in many societies so is adultery and neglect towards your parental responsibilities. Why is it dangerous to compare these? All of these things used to happen and still happen in our communities.

I had both counsellors affiliated with a church and those who were not. All are subject to different types of biases, naturally. Personally, I prefer those who give me a chance to think about what is best for me and not for an institution, regardless of their affiliation.

And as for dismissing the fact that the OP's H might be really be sick... Well, there is always room for charity in viewing others. This man, however, has cheated, lied, left his wife to deal with his ex-lover as well as their child and refuses to confront any of the consequences. He has seen the GP and talked of suicide. I am afraid that is classic controlling behaviour and it clearly made the OP even more scared for her marriage. Also, as far as I understood from previous posts, he requested an abortion from the OW, did he not? Oh, I do not doubt all these occurrences make him feel less than special, especially since he did not get to decide on the name of a child he abandoned. These are just some of the reasons why most posters think that he is just cynically milking his wife's sympathy.

( PosyPetrovaPauline I'm thinking of you very warmly)

teaandcakeplease · 30/07/2010 09:47

I wasn't referring to YBF's horrible experience btw more towards grapeandlemon IYSWIM. Just trying to illustrate that my experience was different and I wasn't encouraged to stay with my H.

I'm so sorry YBF to hear about yours

youngblowfish · 30/07/2010 10:07

Teaandcakeplease, it is wonderful to hear that your counsellors were able to support you in the decisions you wanted to make for yourself. I can only imagine how harrowing divorce can be and being supported by the community can truly be a blessing. I wish you the very best of luck and thanks for your sympathy!

SassySusan · 30/07/2010 10:28

Message deleted

youngblowfish · 30/07/2010 10:52

Sassy, I beg to differ. In my view, there is a lot more the OP's H could be doing. My story was just a starting point for reflection upon forgiveness. Glad to have been able to read your views, although I happen to disagree profoundly with most of the things you wrote. Anyway, I think I said enough about my perspective on things.

drmac, best of luck!

WhenwillIfeelnormal · 30/07/2010 10:56

I think posters should feel free to post what ever testimonies they think will help the OP, even if it's perhaps what she doesn't want to hear. I agree that it helps no-one if an OP asks for advice with a situation and everyone replies that the OP is doing just fine and that her methods are clearly working, when it is patently obvious from the majority reaction on this thread that the OP could usefully rethink some of the bargains she has made.

What helps most in situations like these are the testimonies from people who have lived through the same experience, or similar. If thise posters can tell the OP that their decisions helped them move to a happier place, then I think that's pretty much delivering what the OP asked for. It's not for you SassySusan to berate posters who are acting in good faith here - or for that matter the counselling profession, because like every poster, every counsellor and every church minister, there is good and bad advice.

I am pleased Dr.Mac that these posts are making you think and I hope you will keep returning to the thread to read some of them again.

I would also add that my own testimony in terms of recovery after infidelity is validated by the author the wonderfully compassionate poster Teaandcakesplease refers to, Dr. Shirley Glass. I'd recommend Glass's book "Not Just Friends" Dr.Mac because this will really help you and your H, when he is ready. Shirley Glass devoted her entire life as a Christian and a therapist helping couples and individuals to recover from infidelity.

Her goal was to help people to heal, both personally and in their marriages and her suggested route has helped thousands of people to achieve happiness in the wake of disaster. As stated, it's the route we took and we emerged from this experience with an even better marriage and more personal happiness as individuals.

In summary, I will continue to offer posters my own experiences of what tends to work in the wake of an affair and will not be deterred from doing so.

SassySusan · 30/07/2010 11:48

Message deleted

teaandcakeplease · 30/07/2010 22:41

Whenwillifeelnormal could you come on this thread and advise?

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