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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

Where do I start?

999 replies

skyyequake · 15/09/2016 16:34

I have no idea what I'm expecting to get from posting here, so I guess that I'll just tell the story and you can just shake me/comment whatever you think

When I met DP he was wonderful, we clicked straight away, had lots of laughs and he seemed really down to earth and wonderful. We quickly started spending most of out time together (I worked PT but with lots of overtime, he was unemployed) All my friends had gone off on their second year of uni around this time and so I wasn't spending time with anyone other than him. I was 20, he was 22.

Anyway, I guess I kind of got lost in that world without many outside influences and before I knew it (far too soon and before I really had time for my thoughts to catch up with me) we were engaged and I was pregnant. (I was happy about being pregnant and I wasn't forced into it)

The first time we had a disagreement was about me texting my friend (who was male) he said I was texting and felt like I was more engrossed in my phone than on our time together. I disagreed but compromised and agreed to text less. This quickly dwindled into not texting at all due to DPs sulking every time I sent a single text.

The next time I heard from my friend was when he sent out a mass Christmas text, I replied and we got talking. I mention I was pregnant and he congratulated me. It was at this point that DP went mental because I was smiling at my phone (because I was excited about pregnancy) and I apparently gave him a "look" which meant I must be flirting/cheating or something. I told him I could talk to whoever I liked and this just seemed to confirm to him that I was doing something dodgy. We had a massive argument. He told me I had no self-respect (I had been completely honest about my sexual history). This was the first time he pushed me to break down in tears.

Over my pregnancy, we had a ton of arguments where he would blow up and tell me I was lazy, stupid, naive, etc telling me that he was just trying to make me a "better person". I can't count the amount of times he left me in the bedroom balling my eyes out, cradling my bump and apologising for bringing her into such crap.

During my first trimester I had really bad morning sickness which left me feeling nauseous all of the time, I could barely sleep, and I was still working PT on a shop floor so on my feet all shift. It left me feeling depressed and exhausted. He would complain to me that we weren't having sex, because it made him feel like I didn't care about/love him anymore. One time we were in the middle of doing some sexual stuff and I suddenly had to dart out of the room to literally go and throw up in the toilet. When I got back he was sulking because "it didn't make him feel very wanted"

After DD was born, DP had to go away for a couple of days to paint up and move us into our new flat (we were in a shared house before). It was supposed to be a couple of days and I was in hospital for 3, when he still wasn't done I went to stay with my DGM. It took him (and family members) 3 weeks to complete it. When I would get frustrated that he would give me a "done by" date and then on that day say that they were nowhere near finished, he would yell down the phone at me that he was stressed and exhausted (I was looking after a newborn essentially on my own, whilst DGM did what she could she was nearly 80 at the time).

DGM overheard some of this, and when I told him that he was just stressed etc, she told me to never let him get up with the baby at night, as it only takes one time of anger for him to do something. He's never laid a hand on DD (now 14 months) but I always keep that in the back of my head.

Since we subsequently moved into our flat, DP has left basically everything up to me. He never did night feeds, rarely did nappies, hardly ever did any cleaning/housework. I was left with PND and when we argued he would corner me (although he denies this) and yell in my face whilst I was holding DD. Sometimes he would force me to give her to him, I would resist at first but then give in for fear he would try and snatch her off me and hurt her. Then he would continue screaming at me whilst he held her. He would continue to call me a lazy, naive little girl and would tell me that he had to break me down from what I was in order to build me back up again, and that at least now I had some self-respect.

In between all this he would be lovely. He would apologise for things he had said, citing anger problems as the reason. He said that he didn't mean anything he said during anger, even when I pointed out that that surely is what he's really thinking and he'd just done away with his filter. He denies this.

We broke up earlier this year for three months. It was always temporary, until he proved that he could step up and do his share of housework and childcare. After that amount of time he really seemed to have changed and so I (stupidly) let him back.

Almost immediately he began to fall backwards and has become more and more difficult to try and talk to about it. Telling me I'm nagging/moaning/"the only one who hasn't changed is you". This culminated last night when he accused me of not cleaning to "the same standard he can" and that when I was on my own with DD my "standard of hygiene was unlivable" (I spoke to my NDN today, who was around a lot during that time, she said there was nothing wrong with the cleanliness of my home)

He has also told me on occasion that I'm not really Bi, because you can only be gay and straight, and that it doesn't matter anyway because I'm with him so sexuality is irrelevant. He's also suggested that I'm more likely to cheat on him because I'm Bi.

I have no friends left, I don't know if my dad will understand how bad it is (he usually has excuses for him), and my DGM died in June. I'm NC with my mum, and I have no one left except my NDN who is lovely and probably the only reason I haven't gone insane.

I don't know if I can get him to leave again. The only reason he left before was because I got him to think it was his idea, he won't make that mistake again.

I keep telling him that I want the person I met back, but I don't think that person exists anymore, if they ever did.

Sorry for any typos and that this is so long.

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SixtiesChildOfWildBlueSkies · 05/10/2016 09:41

Skye I have been reading yours, Ikea's and Nocapes* threads this past week or so, and recognised myself of 30 years ago within your situations.

But I will move past it, and I will be stronger, much stronger than you. You're a coward and I won't let you bully me anymore

Vebrithien · 05/10/2016 09:53

Lurker de-lurking here too.
You are amazing! I am in awe of how far you've come.
And I loved you letter.
Hope your day gets better (trying to avoid the housework myself...)

ayeokthen · 05/10/2016 10:13

Wifi fixed!!! How are you doing Skyye? Your letter is awesome, did it help? Xx

skyyequake · 05/10/2016 11:06

Hi SixtiesChild (love your name btw) I'm sorry you went through that but glad to hear you're doing so well! Success is the best revenge Grin thanks for your support every single person on this thread has made a tangible difference to my life you are all wonderful Flowers

Could someone link me to Ikeas thread? I've obviously read NoCapes but I must have missed that one?

Hey Vebrithian thanks for de-lurking! Thank you I'm really not that amazing... If I can do this anyone can if they put their mind to it!

I have really abandoned the housework over the last couple of days... I really need to get on it before it becomes insurmountable and yet I'm still on MN

Welcome back aye glad you got your WiFi back! The letter did help but I feel thoroughly exhausted atm... Cold is nearly gone, just a bit of a cough and a headache. I just feel completely burnt out. I've got the doctors tomorrow and I'm second guessing myself again... I don't know what I'm going to say to her! I feel like I should be a gibbering wreck to be going to the doctors.

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ayeokthen · 05/10/2016 11:08

Skyye I'm sorry you're feeling so shit, have you tried Sudafed capsules? Last time I was floored with a cold they were a godsend! They also help with a headache. Don't second guess yourself, you need to tell the doc exactly how you've been feeling, and what you've been through (and how amazing you are!) but that you're feeling low and burnt out. Completely normal! Xxx

skyyequake · 05/10/2016 11:18

I'm not planning on going out today unless DD starts driving me up the wall so no Sudafed but I will remember that for next time!

I do still struggle saying the word abusive though. I know it strikes the image of violence into most peoples heads and I feel that I immediately need to make it clear that he's never hit me or anything and then I feel like I'm making a fuss about nothing again. [sigh] I feel like I'm going around in circles tbh

OP posts:
tiredvommachine · 05/10/2016 11:54

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/relationships/2738934-the-police-are-going-to-arrest-my-partner-it-won-t-help-but-they-won-t-listen-i-asked-them-not-to-what-the-hell-am-i-going-to-do

I'm no good at clever links but hopefully this works ok.
Another brave lady like yourself and Capes

skyyequake · 05/10/2016 12:19

Oh! I did see that one but didn't get very far as it got very very busy and I didn't have anything better to add Confused has she left the wanker now?

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tiredvommachine · 05/10/2016 12:23

She has and is going great guns Smile
Are you feeling any better?

skyyequake · 05/10/2016 12:36

Oh I'm so glad! He sounded horrendous

I've tidied the living room and now have a coffee and pack of chocolate digestives so I'm feeling a tad better thank you Smile

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ayeokthen · 05/10/2016 12:50

Chocolate digestives are awesome!

tiredvommachine · 05/10/2016 12:54

I've got chocolate brownies cooking in the oven whilst my toddler sleeps.
I don't even like them but DH and DD do Grin

ayeokthen · 05/10/2016 12:59

I forgot to post my cakes! I was so happy, I won star baker at the nursery Macmillan bake sale (even tho the big cake got squashed in transit Sad ) purple cupcake/green icing, green cupcake/purple icing with salted caramel in the middle, and a purple/green layer cake with striped buttercream (it got mashed in the box Angry )

Where do I start?
Where do I start?
Where do I start?
myfriendnigel · 05/10/2016 13:02

Just popping in Skye to see how you are?
I'm also eating some chocolate digestives-it's the lunch of kings.

skyyequake · 05/10/2016 15:40

Ooh send me a brownie tired?

Wow aye those look great! Congrats on the win you deserve it!

I'm good nigel still got a mountain of washing up to do but I just finished reading The Martian (figured if I enjoyed the film so much I should read the book) and it was amazing! So much more detail than the film obviously and I now understand some stuff that I missed during the film. I have poor comprehension with my hearing so sometimes I struggle to make out words which is extremely difficult when there's tricky science stuff to follow, or if its one of those gritty films where everyone mumbles all the damn time! And most of the time I forget to put subtitles on and then wonder why I missed half the dialogue Grin

Anyway its a good book I highly recommend it!

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ayeokthen · 05/10/2016 15:48

Thanks Skyye I was so disappointed when the big one got squashed, I'd worked so hard on it! The total raised was £205 which was great, we're a relatively small nursery in a "deprived area" so we were really pleased with the total!!

skyyequake · 05/10/2016 16:03

It looks lovely anyway aye Smile and that is a great total well done!

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ayeokthen · 05/10/2016 16:19

Thanks Skyye, how are you feeling now? xx

skyyequake · 05/10/2016 16:22

Much better, not looking forward to the washing up, but I'm making pasta bake for mine and DDs tea Grin

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ayeokthen · 05/10/2016 16:47

Ooh pasta bake sounds good! What do you put in it? Xx

skyyequake · 05/10/2016 16:50

Pasta, pasta bake sauce from Sainsbury's and cheese... I don't think a Michelin star is in my future Grin

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ayeokthen · 05/10/2016 16:54

It sounds good to me! 😄 I made mac and cheese this week, I shoved some wholegrain mustard in it as I was low on cheese and couldn't be arsed going to the shops. It was well tasty!

skyyequake · 05/10/2016 17:06

My mum used to put mustard seeds in her mac and cheese it put me off for life!! Although having some mustard throughout is different to randomly biting into seeds and having pure mustard explode over your tongue [yuk]

DD doesn't seem to agree that its tasty she's just chucked it all off her highchair tray.... I don't think she's put it anywhere near her mouth [sigh]

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myfriendnigel · 05/10/2016 17:07

Love a bit of pasta bake. I don't have my girls tonight as they are with their dad so will probably have cereal or some other such gourmet delight Smile
I liked the Martian too-film and book.
Glad you are feeling a bit better.

ayeokthen · 05/10/2016 17:11

Don't fancy mustard seeds, no offence to your Mum, but a wee drop mustard makes it cheesier somehow. Haha my kids are the same, they'll eat dippers and chips til they're coming out of their ears, but if I home cook they tell me it's disgusting Grin

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