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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

He tells me he wants less time with me after i've given birth to his child

54 replies

MissFloof · 31/07/2019 21:47

So I gave birth to our baby a month ago. It has been a very hard month. Me and bf never planned our little one but I carried on with my pregnancy.

A few weeks after giving birth I suffered from postpartum depression and was sent to a mother and baby unit. my depression was severe and I was put under band three for a week while at the unit to keep both of us safe. The sad thing was that the nearest mother and baby unit was 4 hours away. BF can't drive so in the two weeks being there he could only visit us the once.
I came home sunday the 21st, I put in so much hard work to get better but our relationship has fallen apart.
BF had a female friend. While I was away I pushed him to go out more, to sleep and have fun while I was gone. I kept urging him to go out with this female friend, it would be nice for him. But he didn't seem keen. When I came back I tried spending time with him but he would be on his phone messaging his female friend, which I thought was rude of him. The three of us met up to see the lightning storm and that is when BF let out that he had been spending a lot more time with her than he told me while I was away. I thought it was VERY odd that he didn't tell me any of this when I asked everyday what he had done. He told me everything else but missed out this part.
While he was at work I was on his computer looking at his work rota to see when he was coming home and I had this sudden pushing urge to look at his messages. I'm not proud of it but I did. I found out that he told her he was going to leave me if I didn't talk to him soon. (basically I was acting cold to him when I first came home because I felt overwhelemed and angry that the flat was so unclean and the fact I felt pushed out every time he would be on his phone when we were spending time together) I also found a photo of this girl in just a towel and he had said a "joke" to her which he had deleted and then put "i better delete that so she doesn't see it"

I confronted both of them seperately. after some time she explained she sent the photo to show off her bruising from a spa treatment and it wasn't meant to be flirty. (I obviously didn't look at the photo properly at the time because i couldn't bear it). They both say nothing is going on. He says the joke was a sex joke about having sex with her and it was just a joke. I believe him.
I then listened to what he felt. he said he would never forgive me for trying to hurt our daughter while i had postpartum, and that i should of got help sooner. He said that the day i found out i was pregnant he was actually going to dump me but then i found out i was pregnant and he didn't want to be the guy that dumps a pregnant woman. he also said that i have issues and if he joked like that to a guy i would have no problem.
I explained to him that the only reason i had such a problem was because he lied to me about hanging out with her (even though i encouraged them to hang out) and then he was investing more time into her, was confiding and talking to her but wouldn't for me and then the towel photo and the joke. sex jokes don't normally bother me but all of it together made it complicated.
ANYWAY, today i spoke to him again. I said that when I asked for him to take a few days working on us and taking a step back from the female friend that he hadn't done that. I just wanted a few days. But he was back to texting her constantly, in front of my face. Consistantly talking about her, talking to her when we were suppose to be spending one on one time with each other. and then went out with her, leaving me with our baby.
He's responded to me saying he disagrees, he hasn't cheated on me so he doesn't see the problem. I said all those feelings are still there, they don't just go and that I still feel emotionally cheated. He has now told me that he wants to go slowly, he doesn't want to go back to seeing eachother and being with each other all the time. he told me to go get some friends and be bymyself more often. We live together, we have a baby together. I don't see this being an easy task.

What I am trying to say is that I'm so angry. He's sprung this all on me a month after I've given birth. He now wants to have friends, to go out often, to see me less once we have had a child together? He wants me to be alone more often, to find friends. That isn't easy. Especially when I have a newborn taking up so much of my time. What does he expect? that we can both have full on lives and leave our little one at home alone?
I was always happy to spend my time with him and I thought he felt the same back. And now he told me he never did? He's telling me he does love me, and months into the pregnancy he loved me again. That he wants to work on us but wants to take it slowly and not see each other as much? I don't understand how this can be all possible. I'm just angry that he has sprung this on me once i find myself having less time and less friends (most of my friends quit talking to me when i got pregnant)

it feels like he's found his new life while i was at the unit and has left me behind. i feel like i've been abandoned at the time when i needed him. he said to me he doesn't trust me alone with our daughter but happily leaves me with her to go out with this girl? I just don't understand what is going on.

opinions?

OP posts:
HeadintheiClouds · 31/07/2019 22:32

Don’t prioritise the pets.

MissFloof · 31/07/2019 22:35

it's not just the pets. yes they are a part of it but what about the finances, the tenancy and the fact he does love his child. What about his contact if I did go to family? It isn't local

OP posts:
Lozzerbmc · 31/07/2019 22:35

I dont think hes the one for you; he doesnt sound reliable. You need to concentrate on your baby. He needs to pay maintenance. I’d stay with my family if I were you- you are so young and i found it daunting as a single mum first time mum at 38 let alone 22. Perhaps you can rehome your pets.

earlgreymarl · 31/07/2019 22:44

Can the uni offer you some help? You don't need any extra stress or hassle beyond you and your little one. You will pull through and you will be fine. Just focus on you, and the baby. Good luck OP. Don't try to cater to his needs as well. You will find yourself again and your own way.

SmellbowSpaceBowl · 31/07/2019 22:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Howdoyousleep · 31/07/2019 22:57

It’s only been one month and you have been through a lot. You do need support especially if your relationship has broken down

BrigidSt · 31/07/2019 23:01

I went in a mother and baby unit, when my baby was 9 weeks old. 2 hrs from home, husband couldn't visit. Our relationship was falling apart then and got worse when I came home after 2 months of treatment. He has been very unsupportable, without getting into it all. have just moved out to live alone with my baby, 18 months later. No family, no friends nearby. I joined a local group for women and got support from Womens Aid. I wish I had gone sooner. He isn't helping you recover, recovery is ongoing, you don't have to be with him and you can do it alone. If he was going to be a loving, helpful partner it would be showing by now. You don't need him. I'm sad for the loss of him, my home, the family I thought I would be having, but I have to stay well for my child. Leaving is part of that, for me. It's peaceful here and having been in the unit and now being a single mum has meant good support in the community from social services, which wasn't the case when I was with his da. Put yourself first, so you can care for your baby. XX

AgentJohnson · 31/07/2019 23:14

This is going nowhere OP. He blows hot and cold and that isn’t good for your MH. It’s time to let go.

Whosorrynow · 31/07/2019 23:15

Missfloof, your bf, even though he may appear well meaning is flaky and inconsistent, he may be loving towards your child but at the same time he's giving you weird mixed messages, making big promises, hinting at things and then backing out. This is damaging for your mental health.
You need people who are steady and reliable, who will do the right thing and act like adults.

IncrediblySadToo · 31/07/2019 23:17

You have been so ill you were placed in a unit and he lives you SO much he just had to tell you he was going to dump you before you told him you were pregnant. What a stand up bloke!

Little Miss Flirty Pants can piss off too - showing him her spa treatment bruises- yeah right 🙄

Dipshit wants to see less if you and have your own lives? What kind of a dense moron is he? You’re living together and have a one month old baby together it’s a bit fucking late to be ‘taking it slowly’

It doesn’t need to be your parents, but hi and stay with someone who lives you and will look after you, who will make you feel
Safe, loved & cared about because that’s what you need right now. HE should be doing that when
You’ve just had his baby, but he’s clearly far too fucking selfish

Don’t worry about how far away you’re taking the baby, you wouldn’t need to if he wasn’t pushing you away

Give yourself a few weeks to get some strength back & then decide what you want to do with regard to where you live, uni & super twat. But make it very clear to super twat that you are NOT ‘on a break’ and he does NOT have the green light to be fucking Miss Flirty Pants!! (Or anyone else)

See just how much effort he puts into your relationship while you’re away...
Look after yourself 🌷🌷

Whosorrynow · 31/07/2019 23:19

you need someone to show care and concern for you and the baby, the two of you are an item, it's not right for him to be affectionate to the baby and then weird towards you, a good partner would be feeling protective towards BOTH of you, leaning in so that you and the baby feel safe and held.
He is trying to push you away when you are at your most vulnerable and in need of support.
This is NOT a good man.

WinnieTheW0rm · 31/07/2019 23:24

Prioritise your health - what is your post-discharge care plan?

How would it work if you moved?

DontDribbleOnTheCarpet · 01/08/2019 00:08

I think you need to reach out to everyone you can- your health visitor, social worker if you have one, your GP, university student support services, anyone you can think of. Staying where you are and as you are will grind you down and you have already been very unwell. The last thing you need is mind games.
Sometimes there is support available but we don't know how (or who) to ask for it. Ask about supported living, and get all the advice you can about housing for you and your baby. I know it seems hard, but you can rehome your pets if you need to- it may be either the pets go or you end up with nowhere to go. You can do this, for yourself and for your baby. You don't have to do it alone, either. But you must tell people that you need help.

ukgift2016 · 01/08/2019 06:40

To me it doesn't sound like he is in love with you. He was planning on ending the relationship when you found out you were pregnant, so effectively he felt trapped in staying. It doesn't matter if he says he loves you, that is empty words.. it matters what his actions are.

I am guessing he is a young dad too?

This relationship will not work out long term. You can stay and try to make it work but it needs TWO people communicating and it doesn't sound like he wants to put in the effort.

SimplySteveRedux · 01/08/2019 07:17

Your boyfriend checked out of your relationship before you became pregnant and is using your PPD (I hope you're ok now) as a convenient excuse against you. It's pretty clear he has feelings for this friend, and is likely having at least an emotional affair, being awfully close to it turning physical (if it hasn't already).

As pp said, you should go to your family.

SimplySteveRedux · 01/08/2019 07:22

what about the finances, the tenancy and the fact he does love his child. What about his contact if I did go to family?

You shouldn't be planning to go back, or if you need to (Uni) he can move out, you can look elsewhere? You're prioritising his needs. I sometimes feel men are demonised regarding contact on MN, but in this case, I will say contact is his problem, after all he is the one being a twunt, and if he has to travel to see DD tough bloody shit.

Agree with pp he should have been making far, far, more of an effort to see you whilst in the unit.

Howdoyousleep · 01/08/2019 07:25

When were you planning to go back to university?

TheSheepofWallSt · 01/08/2019 07:32

OP...

I would gently suggest that the instability of your relationship will only exacerbate PPD and PPA - take it from one who’s been there.

Please please go to your parents- even just temporarily. You need support and care - I had PPA with intrusive thoughts (do you know by the way, that there are basically no recorded cases of women with intrusive thoughts, without postpartum psychosis, harming their babies?) and I’ve been in therapy for 2 years. I had to leave my partner for the sake of my sanity when my son was 7 months - his behaviour was making my symptoms much worse.

Please put your health and your baby first, and sack this loser off. Flowers

user1493494961 · 01/08/2019 08:52

Please go to your family, you and your child need support, your Bf won't provide this.

SignedUpJust4This · 01/08/2019 08:55

You need to forget about this man. He's not ready or capable to be a father or partner. Start planning your life without him. Being closer to family will help

31RueCambon · 01/08/2019 16:52

Ditch him and go to yr family

StarlightIntheNight · 01/08/2019 17:49

Its easy to meet others when you have a baby, if you make an effort. As I find this connects you to more people. For example, you can go to baby cafes, breastfeeding drop ins, baby music groups etc.

slipperywhensparticus · 01/08/2019 17:59

Whose name is on the tenancy agreement? Love is nice but reliability is better does he work? How were you planning on doing uni now your a mum?

LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett · 01/08/2019 18:07

Give yourself a year's maternity leave, by which I mean focusing solely on your baby and your own health and wellbeing.

Leave the pets with him and go to your family as a short-term measure, while you learn how to take care of the baby. You are not out of the PND woods yet and your recovery is very fragile. You need to be with people who will take care of you and help you take care of the baby.

Pets, tenancy and contact can wait. You need to be stronger first. Remember, your baby won't remember any of this time, there is plenty of time to think about contact if you stay with parents long term etc etc. Just priotirise the two of you for the next few weeks. Then take it from there.

whitebowls · 01/08/2019 18:59

Has any of your family been to see you since the birth of your child?
You've been through a very traumatic time and need support and love.
Could your mum come and help you?