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

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

ExH is having a baby with OW

291 replies

Ginandunicorns · 28/03/2019 12:17

Long time lurker and currently at a loss. ExH left me for OW last year. I used to hate them both but the anger has gone away partly because I have met a wonderful man who has helped get out of the hole my exH left me in. His relationship with our DC is not the best and now he's announced they're having a baby! I have tried to support him as much as I can for the DC, but they're being incredibly selfish and this is my limit.

OP posts:
Ginandunicorns · 29/03/2019 12:34

I don't think he tried hard enough. We went to Relate and the counselor said there was nothing else to do, he had already checked out of our marriage. I have to admit they have more in common that we did. My youngest will sometimes come back saying how happy her daddy is, it hurts but it also helped eased the anger. I thought all of my anger would be a thing of the past by naming her correspondent of the divorce but this baby has resurfaced some of it.

OP posts:
IvanaPee · 29/03/2019 12:46

You’re placing a hell of a lot of blame on her shoulders, Gin.

He’s the one who broke his vows. And much as his actions were deplorable, leaving you was something he was entitled to do.

Namechangeforthiscancershit · 29/03/2019 12:48

I thought all of my anger would be a thing of the past by naming her correspondent of the divorce

I've never known anyone actually find that helpful. We're (solicitors) all taught to avoid it wherever possible.

Figgygal · 29/03/2019 12:52

You still come across as very angry and bitter here

How old is your dc and how much does he do to facilitate an ongoing relationship? It shouldn't all be at your prompting/arrangement

Ginandunicorns · 29/03/2019 13:00

They're 12 and 5. He hasq them the usual EOW plus one day a week.

OP posts:
SunburstsOrMarbleHalls · 29/03/2019 13:34

He was a shit husband that is undisputed and the pain he put you through will still be a little raw even at this stage. It sounds as if you are gradually healing but this announcement has put you back a little.

You acknowledge that the grief of your relationship ending caused you to be bitter and angry and at this time your judgement was understandably skewed but there is no getting away from the fact that how you behaved was wrong. If your DD has picked up on even a fraction of the venom that you demonstrate having had for your ex's partner it will have lasting damage that needs to be mitigated as much as possible. It will continually effect her ongoing relationship with her father and it will make it very difficult for her to have any connection with his partner and half sibling as she could feel as if she is being disloyal to you.

Maybe now would be a good time to sit with your DD and explain that you should not have behaved this way it was very wrong and are sorry that she had to hear you and your family being horrible about her father (even if you don't regret it I think it is important that your DD hears this). You could suggest that the baby is a positive fresh start and as a big sister she will be an important person in this baby's life. I would also reiterate to her strongly that a baby is not a bad change it is something to be celebrated.

Hopefully her father can begin to repair his relationship and be the excellent dad he once was with her and start to communicate in a similar way so she has no resentment or feels that the baby is a replacement or diversion from her dads love for her. Your ex will at some stage no doubt in the future have to answer your DD's questions on his behaviour at the end of your marriage but that is up to him to repair that side of things.

It is great that you have met a lovely partner and that he enjoys spending time with your DD, being loved by many people is never a bad thing.

DarlingEm · 29/03/2019 13:42

Gin - it does get easier. Trust me. It still seems really raw for you but as tough as it is you need to talk to your daughter and help repair what’s left of her relationship with her daddy.

choli · 29/03/2019 13:44

It is great that you have met a lovely partner and that he enjoys spending time with your DD, being loved by many people is never a bad thing.
I wouldn't be comfortable with a man I've known less than a year, who I took up with when I was vulnerable, being eager to spend one on one time with my 5 yr old daughter.

LaughingCow99 · 29/03/2019 13:53

Well...op dh left her for OW...great fucking parent...

So he was meant to stay and be miserable. Get real. Splitting was the right thing to do. Op is now free to meet someone else who will love her and want to be with her.

Plenty of separated parents are wonderful parents. Not sure why you can't grasp that.

Staying in a bad relationship and allowing your children to witness the friction, resentment and unhappiness is not good parenting

SunburstsOrMarbleHalls · 29/03/2019 13:54

choli I was trying to look at it in a positive light given the situation with the 12 year old DD. I'm sure the OP is aware of safeguarding issues and she never said he was "eager" to spend one on one time with her DC.

Ginandunicorns · 29/03/2019 14:11

The DC lived in a bubble just like me. We had many ups and downs throughout the years, I was not perfect nor was he. Since we got married I thought things had improved, but I was wrong. He said so many hurtful things, like he had always been with me for the sake of the DC but he had finally had enough or until he found her.

OP posts:
springydaff · 29/03/2019 14:14

I feel so sorry for you. You posted here for support and the moral gestapo came marching on in jackboots.

You were out of your mind with shock and betrayal and behaved badly. You've more than made up for it. I take my hat off to you.

You were very badly betrayed and yet you've dragged your life back on track - I'm not sure I'd have been able to be supportive to my ex and the OW regardless how many years had passed. You've done well.

This fresh news is bound to knock on the deep wound they caused, especially as he's been a crap father to his first/your children.

Be kind to yourself. This will pass Flowers

IvanaPee · 29/03/2019 14:16

That must have been horrible to hear, but it might have been the truth!

You say that you didn’t want them meeting the OW so soon but you obviously introduced your dp in a similar timeframe.

You say your dp is brilliant with them and a father figure, she might have the same role in their dad’s house; a mother figure.

All I’m saying is what happened was horrible. They’re a pair of cheating fuckers. But your anger is directed at her which isn’t entirely fair, and you simply must find a way to separate the cheating from the blended family you all are now. NOT for him. For your children.

LaughingCow99 · 29/03/2019 14:29

The truth often hurts. You are free now to live the life you want. I remember when an ex and I split, he said he'd been unhappy a long time. Initially I was very angry he wasted my time, but I grew to be very grateful that he eventually was honest.

I don't want to be with someone CV that doesn't think I'm the bee's knees. Too many people are in unhappy relationships. Be thankful you are out of yours.

azulmariposa · 29/03/2019 14:31

You've moved on. So has he.

Ginandunicorns · 29/03/2019 16:15

I'm doing my best. I have met her and things are very civil. Obviously I wouldn't invite her over for tea. My youngest is fond of her and from what I hear she's a decent human being and smart. As much as it hurts I can admit she is a good role model.

OP posts:
CitrusDreams · 29/03/2019 16:33

@Ginandunicorns
Sorry to hear about this - your feelings are completely understandable. However, if you think he wanted more children only because he wouldn't have a vasectomy, you might be wrong. A lot of men who don't want any more children also don't want to have a vasectomy (due to fear of surgery, even having to expose themselves in front of a surgeon, the fact that it limits his dating pool (less potential women interested) etc.

Even IF he's saying he actually wanted this child with OW, he could simply be saying that to make himself look like a better person and that he can be a family man in the correct circumstances (a lot of players etc always believe it's the women and not them at fault)

Ginandunicorns · 29/03/2019 17:22

He's mentioned in a few arguments. He didn't get the snip because he wanted more children simply not with me. He pictured himself as a martyr who did everything for the children's sake, including getting married. He even dared to say that if we've never had our first we wouldn't have lasted more than 6 months.

OP posts:
IWannaSeeHowItEnds · 29/03/2019 17:32

I think they all rewrite history to portray themselves in a more positive light. Take no notice of what he says now.

Graphista · 29/03/2019 19:05

I'm willing to bet all those giving it "he's allowed to move on too" have NEVER been in op's position, and more they're either still with their first ltr and think this could never happen to them and/or they are the 2nd wives/ltr of their partners

The person that's behaved the worst as a parent here is the father who betrayed his kids security for a leg over!

Op I've been there, it's a kick to the gut indeed but you will gradually find it easier to deal with.

The difficult part is supporting the children in dealing with it because it's entirely normal for it to throw them too! Especially if it does mean your ex becomes even less involved as a father which unfortunately is very common.

My ex now has 5 with 2nd wife who was also OW and also fell pregnant with 1st just before we split, so in the immediate aftermath of us splitting after me discovering the affair I had to deal with all this and more.

With each new baby ex made less and less effort with dd, to the point that upon receiving the news about numbers 4 and 5 her immediate reaction was to throw up and wonder if she'd ever hear from him again! (Which she barely does)

I've also had the additional pain that I wanted to have a big family but medically couldn't after dd, he was never that fussed about being a dad and has been a shit one to dd.

It's shit! And frankly comments like "he's allowed to move on too" are in this situation incredibly arrogant and unhelpful.

"I think it's selfish and irresponsible to have more kids if you are a shit parent to the ones you already have. Kids need a lot of time to adapt to the new 'normal'. That should be sorted before anyone goes on to have more babies." I totally agree!

I don't agree with bad mouthing the other parent excessively which you admit you did, nor do I agree with being falsely positive about them or any developments that can and will affect them, you need to adopt as neutral and supportive (of the children) a stance as possible.

I've never blamed ex's DC for anything, they're innocent children who've done nothing wrong. I've even spent days out with and babysat them on occasion, not for ex's or their mothers benefit but for dd when she wanted to spend time with her siblings.

Unfortunately ex's actions since mean dd now hasn't seen her siblings for years and she misses them greatly.

Fwiw I have it on good authority that ex & 2nd wife are both utterly miserable, he's continued to cheat on her repeatedly, she's reluctant to leave, apparently one of her concerns is how he'd be as a dad given how he's been with dd, but she doesn't trust him, at one point he wasn't even "allowed" a basic text and call only phone, SM accounts or private email address! At this point I understand she's given up trying to stop him cheating and just puts up with it - though occasionally throws him out temporarily.

I had my revenge fantasies as I suspect many cheated on spouses do, I'm now very glad I didn't act on them, because now all the misery they have, they only have themselves to blame for it.

And yes ignore his rewriting of history, my ex tried that and even his own mother called him on that bullshit!

It's shit, it's hard but it will get easier Thanks

AmyFl · 29/03/2019 19:36

I really feel for you OP, my husband left 20 years ago, and I've never got over it. I guess I never will now, I've had relationships since, but have never really trusted anyone. I'm single now, and feel like a loser because of that. I do understand how you feel.

OKBobble · 29/03/2019 19:50

I think for the sake of your children you should get some anger management counselling.

Ginandunicorns · 29/03/2019 20:14

To be fair to him, when I'm having a good day what he says is true. I got pregnant too soon I to our relationship and begged him to get married, he only gave in after almost 10 years of being together.

OP posts:
LaughingCow99 · 29/03/2019 20:32

I think it's encouraging that you can see the role you played in the failure of the relationship. And it is often both people that play a role to varying degrees. I agree counselling would be helpful.

Ginandunicorns · 29/03/2019 21:02

I don't think I need counselling. My friends and family have been here for me.

OP posts: