I did write this earlier but I can't find it so I'm assuming I didn't post it properly, apologies if I've done it twice.
My best friend has been convinced my partner is abusive for a long time now. She used to just think he'd changed from when I got pregnant (we were trying). I also thought he'd changed, he seemed a lot angrier at me and started making cruel comments about my appearance and then acting as if I was silly for being upset. There's been a few things he's done and said but each time, he makes me feel that I'm paranoid and silly and he's so convincing that I'm actually not sure if my friend is worried over nothing or if he actually is abusive. Ps my friend is lovely so I know she wouldn't say it unless she genuinely believed it but even she has said "i only can go on what I see".
However tonight, I think somethings happened that makes me think she's right. Me and my partner had a super brief conversation about me not going back to work after mat leave (6 months left) the other night. That brief that we didn't even discuss how we'd manage financially nor the consequences of me not going back. I didn't really think much of it, until my friend told me my partner had been complaining to her husband (they're friends) that "I've got to work every hour god sends now because Lola cola refuses to go back to work and is being silly about leaving the baby".
When I heard this I felt bad because I thought it was a shame he'd taken our brief chat that way. I did say I'd miss baby but I didn't imply I couldn't leave them. So it gave me a kick up the bum to speak to my manager about work and have a little catch up with her. She was super nice and made me feel great, even a little bit excited about returning. So I was quite exited to tell my partner about this as obviously he was under some stress regarding me not going back.
My job is quite difficult but enjoyable and I really like the people I work with.
I love being a mother and have really enjoyed my mat leave and the thought of not being with baby 247 scares me something rotten but I know that they will be ok as we have a lovely family member offering childcare and we would struggle without my income.
I told him that on top of those reasons I'd would also be nice to get a little piece of me back (I've not left baby for longer than 3 hours - not complaining, I enjoy it but I do think I need to remember I'm not just a parent (not saying stay at home parents are, I just mean I literally haven't done anything for myself for a long time and I don't want to lose myself).
He said "you're an idiot, is our baby that bad that you need to get away from them so you can have a jolly at work?" Amongst other name calling and sheer anger at me looking to go back to work (which by the way had been the plan from even before we started trying for a baby). I got upset at the comment regarding baby being that bad I want to go away from them and he said I was a child, took baby from me and walked away.
So to his friend he's making out I'm the devil for not going back, to me he's making me feel like a bad parent for wanting to go back and my mind is blown!
My friend thinks he's trying to make out I'm controlling (he always calls me controlling and I have asked a million times why he says it and he just says "you just are" - to the point I've actually wondered am I?!) to his friends but actually he just wants me to play mummy and be with the baby rather than have any independence.
I'm just feeling totally lost. I consider myself a reasonably smart person and don't know how I've let all these red flags go. He's had me thinking for months that I'm just a super sensitive drama queen and now I'm wondering if actually he just isn't a very nice man.
I feel really, really stupid and sad. I don't really know what I'm asking but I just feel really lost. I feel like I've tried to do the right thing so many times and always end up getting shouted at.