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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

6 weeks pregnant and partner wants me to terminate, not sure what to do

499 replies

theprocrastin8er · 28/03/2019 17:15

I would really appreciate advice on my complicated and stressful situation. Please bear with me on the back history because I think it is relevant for understanding why i'm in the situation I am now in.

I am 34 and a half and I have been with my partner for 9 years (first 5 were long-distance but lived together for 4). We have a happy, relaxed drama-free relationship in most respects. In the early years I would occasionally ask about children and he would say 'yes probably in the future, not now'. Four years ago after some blood tests for something else I was told I had low ovarian reserve for my age (30 at the time) and advised to do prviate IVF if I could afford it (I couldn't). I was in shock but after lots of discussion my partner agreed I could come off the pill to see if it happened naturally. Three years later, lots of sex and no pregnancies, I went back to the GP and they sent me to the hospital for tests etc, and was referred for NHS IVF.

At this point my partner freaked out and said he wasn't sure he wanted children yet. We then spent several months agonising over it. With a lot of persuasion (with hindsight, I can see this is where I went wrong) and him changing his mind several times he agreed to start IVF in November 2018, and by the end of the process he seemed quite 'in it' and wanting it to be successful, mainly to make me happy I think. However, it failed. This then brought up more difficult conversations about whether to have another go (we had 2 frozen embryos). He asked for time to think about, which I gave him, thinking that probably he would come round to it post-Brexit (he works in that area and has a lot of work stress). This brings us up to March 2019.

Then, three weeks ago - in the course of an argument about something else - he said he had decided he probably didn't want children. I was devastated and suggested we have some time apart to think about what to do. He agreed time apart would be good and said he wasn't sure how much it was the stress of the IVF but he wasn't feeling as happy in our relationship and felt I was angry with him a lot (I suppose I was a bit as I was so worried about missing my chance to be a mother), although this was the first time he'd mentioned it. We spent a few days talking and crying a lot and he started looking for a shared flat to move to.

Then... I discovered I was pregnant (conceived before his 'decision'). So after several years of believing it would only happen through IVF, we're suddenly pregnant naturally, which was a huge shock to us both. Neither of us believed that could happen.

He did not take it well at all. He wants me to terminate and feels that he had decided not to have children, so we can't proceed. He says if I proceed we will have to separate and there is no chance of us parenting together as a happy family. He thinks a child will ruin his life and that he won't love it as he ought to. He thinks it's completely wrong for a child to be brought into this messy situation.

So here I am, 6 weeks pregnant and scared. I never imagined myself as a single parent and don't have much family support nearby. I do however have a flat that I own and a part-time job so will get some maternity pay. I'm 35 this year and worried that if I terminate this pregnancy I might not get pregnant again, even if I were lucky enough to meet someone else who wanted children.

My initial reaction to the pregnancy was shock but also happiness. But now he has said this I am terrified of doing it alone, and am not sure I'll manage it. Also, I wonder whether he's right, and its unfair on the child to proceed. I don't want to be selfish. It worries me the child would have separated parents and no siblings. None of this is what I imagined.

He has agreed to talk to a counsellor but tells me not to hold out any hope of him changing his mind.

Any advice would be really appreciated. Thank you for reading such a long post.

OP posts:
mushlett · 28/03/2019 23:07

I think people get over losing a partner relatively quickly but the regret of not having children lasts a lifetime. You’ve gone through IVF you clearly want a baby, you will surprise yourself when you become an amazing mum.
Best of luck to you x

Girliefriendlikescake · 28/03/2019 23:10

Hi op I've raised my dd on my own since pregnancy, her father isn't involved at all (his choice) and yes it's hard at times but would do it all again? Absolutely I would 100%.

I feel incredibly lucky to have my dd and we have a lovely close bond, I believe if I hadn't had dd I wouldn't have had any children and I would have missed out on so much.

Have your baby, enjoy your pregnancy and don't give your ex a second thought. Congratulations 😊

BumbleBeee69 · 28/03/2019 23:11

Keep your precious very wanted baby OP, get rid of the bloke, you will be okay honest Flowers

Ribbonsonabox · 28/03/2019 23:13

Please keep the baby you want OP. Hes being an absolute bellend. Your relationship will not survive anyway.. if you terminate a wanted pregnancy for him how on earth could you forgive him and recover from that?
Good luck, I'm sorry you are going through this. Flowers

theprocrastin8er · 28/03/2019 23:14

Noimaginationxyzz
You've had a million messages of support, but for what it's worth I wish I could explain how you mustn't mustn't worry about being a single mum. I've always been and it's really great.

Thank you for your post. It is so good to hear this from someone who has been there.

OP posts:
JaniceBattersby · 28/03/2019 23:16

OP your partner sounds incredibly selfish.

Cut him loose. Concentrate on you and your lovely baby and the brilliant life you’re going to have, just the two of you. This is an exciting time for you. Don’t let him take that away from you. He can stew, or brood, or whatever. Leave him to it. He’s not treating you well and you don’t deserve that.

theprocrastin8er · 28/03/2019 23:22

TheFormidableMrsC
Sorry to hear how your ex-husband treated you but thank you for sharing your experiences and for your advice. You must be very proud of both your children. Thank you for the congratulations.

OP posts:
ozymandiusking · 28/03/2019 23:27

Congratulations on your pregnancy. I do hope you decide to go ahead with the baby. Grasp your new life and enjoy. X

GoodMornin · 28/03/2019 23:31

It sounds like he has messed you around and not been supportive.
It sounds like the relationship with him is over regardless of what you do next.
If this was me there is no way on Earth I would have a termination. You are in a better situation than many and as you say this could be your last chance. Go for it! You will manage and your baby will be worth it all. Good luck

MulticolourMophead · 28/03/2019 23:47

He says he would have stood by me and tried to make it work, even though he was reluctant, because he accepted he had gone through with IVF. But that this is different because he wasn't ready for this and had decided against having children.

He chose to have unprotected sex, so it's not different. It's not uncommon for those needing IVF to find themselves with an unexpected natural pregnancy, this happened to my colleague and others I know.

So he needs it pointing out that every time he has unprotected sex, he faces the possibility of pregnancy. If he doesn't want children he needs to take control of his own fertility, not expect you to terminate.

OP, you want this baby, take this road. It will be hard at the start, but you will get the rewards of being a parent. Claim for maintenance for the child, he doesn't get to opt out there, whether he wants children or not.

I think your relationship is doomed either way. You abort and resent him for wasting what is possibly your only chance of motherhood, or leave and have the baby you are clearly longing for. So my vote is go with the baby.

theprocrastin8er · 28/03/2019 23:48

MadeforThis
He sounds like he doesn't know what he wants. Maybe scared? Some people who have awful childhoods are terrified they might replicate it.

No excuses for him.

I think this is definitely true. He hated his dad so he assumes his child will hate him. I struggle to find the line between understanding him (because I care about him and have known him a long time) and making excuses for him.

OP posts:
theprocrastin8er · 28/03/2019 23:52

Girliefriendlikescake
Thank you for sharing your experience with your DD and thank you for the congratulations too.

OP posts:
HelloDarlin · 28/03/2019 23:57

Life with the new baby might turn out to be amazing.
Life with him, after a termination, probably won’t...

theprocrastin8er · 29/03/2019 00:01

Flirtygirl
Thank you for your post. How is a termination even in my radar? I suppose mainly because he is begging, pleading for me to terminate and he is so sure his life will be over. And because I don't want to bring a child into a bad situation if that's bad for the child. But you're right in a way. I'm not even sure if I am really considering a termination, or I'm just telling myself I ought to. I look at the Marie Stopes website but I haven't even made an appointment to discuss it.

OP posts:
theprocrastin8er · 29/03/2019 00:03

Just to say I am reading and rereading absolutely everyone's posts, sorry not to be able to reply to each person.

OP posts:
anothernamereally · 29/03/2019 00:11

I get where you're coming from with the religious parents - if you do decide to continue with pregnancy I would tell them with a big smile and a 'isn't this wonderful ' attitude rather than something you should apologise for - you aren't a child anymore and how you live your life is up to you - 'd'p isn't a child either and his behaviour is no reflection on you.

BlokeHereInPeace · 29/03/2019 00:39

He doesn't have to be involved in your child's life. Have the baby.

BitOfFun · 29/03/2019 00:48

"...he assumes his child will hate him"

Well, he's already taken a shortcut to that by asking his mother to abort him, surely? Idiot.

He is going to miss out on so much.

BitOfFun · 29/03/2019 00:50

*him/ her, sorry. I don't have powers of prediction Grin

theprocrastin8er · 29/03/2019 00:56

BitofFun
Haha thanks for making me smile.

But yes I thought exactly the same - it's a self-fulfilling prophecy - it is really frustrating but he's so concrete about it.

OP posts:
theprocrastin8er · 29/03/2019 01:03

We have just had a conversation where he has reiterated that if I go ahead with the pregnancy I am doing it without his consent. I feel like he is painting me as the bad guy kind of as a preemptive strike, so that whatever he does next is excusable. I don't know. When I'm on Mumsnet everything seems fairly clear but he see everything so very differently that I feel confused and discombobulated.

OP posts:
howmanyleftfeet · 29/03/2019 01:10

He doesn't get to consent, or not consent. His consent finished at the point at which he had sex with you.

He has an opinion, sure, and he's definitely voiced it. But you do not need his consent either way. He is trying to talk you into an abortion it's plain you're not at all sure about. That's really, really low behaviour. Inexcusable.

Tweety1981 · 29/03/2019 01:14

Congratulations!!! Forget him . If you want the baby keep it !

I’m so happy for you . Your OH sounds childish . He might even grow up one day ....

momoftwo76 · 29/03/2019 01:15

Congratulations on your miracle pregnancy. You will be a lovely mommy and you can do this on your own x

Tweety1981 · 29/03/2019 01:16

I agree , he consented when he had sex without a condom . He knew you could get pregnant . So he needs to live with your decision. It’s your body and you don’t need to do what he tells you to do .

Be strong and be happy