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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

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Leaving Dp off birth certificate?

311 replies

Cyber27 · 05/01/2021 10:09

I would like to know if I'm being unreasonable to not add my 3mo fathers name to his birth certificate. Has anyone else been in a similar situations and what would you do.

Here's some back ground information. Me and dp have been together for about 2.5 years. The relationship has been quite difficult and I have tried to leave several times but always end up forgiving dp.

During my pregnancy dp messed up quite bad (won't go into details but it involved dp breaking some of my things). I went away for a month or so and stayed with family. I forgave him and we decided to try and make things work for the sake of our child.

Since then many of the things dp promised to do/change he hasn't done and I feel the relationship is coming to an end for good.

2 weeks before Christmas I dumped him and took ds and stayed at my parents for a week as I didn't like the way he was speaking to/treating ds. Like an idiot I went back to him as I wanted to give ds at least one Christmas where his family were together.

My parents are adamant I should leave dp off the birth certificate and only add him once he can prove he is a responsible loving parent. The only reason dp is currently not on birth certificate is because we are waiting for our appointment later in January due to covid delaying registering. Had ds birth been registered straight after he was born dp would probably have been added to the birth certificate.

My main reason for wanting to leave him off is because I have no doubt if things go south between me and dp he will try to get custody. Dp has also asked that I write up and sign a formal agreement and take it to a lawyer basically stating that I will never take ds out of the country permenantly without dp permission even if we split. Dp has already stated he would not give permission.

This is a problem for me as I have lots of family abroad who have offered for me to move to their countries (although I'm not planning to). I intend on getting a nursing degree in the next few years and employment and education opportunities abroad seem very enticing. Sometimes I think I could give ds a much better life abroad.

Being adopted myself and having never seen my original birth certificate the idea that a fathers name should be on a birth certificate feels quite morally important to me (except in abusive situations obvs) . I know if I do not add it dp will feel severely betrayed and I fear he may try to take some sort of legal action in the future. I also worry that by not adding him it will remove any trust we have left between us and make co parenting a lot harder with dp. He will never trust me in the future. however I also feel that if we do split for good I would limiting my opportunities massively by adding dp name. Dp can often be quite irrational and paranoid and I worry that he will come out with all sorts of crazy things in an attempt to control mine and ds life after we split if his name is on birth certificate.

What do I do? I really worry that his family (who i get along with nicely and are very supportive) will see this as some sort of total betrayal and that i would be denying that dp is the father even though we all know he is and I would never try to convince anyone he wasn't.

OP posts:
christmasathomeagain · 05/01/2021 19:34

This is your childs birth certificate and relates to them. It is not a reward or punishment for a parents behaviour.

Cattenberg · 05/01/2021 19:34

Or, the OP could just tell her son who his father is? Much safer.

I have a friend who wishes that her son’s immature, manipulative father hadn’t turned up to the appointment with the registrar. When her son was a baby, she once rang the police in tears, saying “he’s taken my son and won’t give him back.” The police said there was nothing they could do.

Luckily, this man eventually showed his true colours in front of witnesses. He was told (by a family court judge, I think) that contact with his son would cease until he completed anger management training. That was nearly a year ago, and it appears that this father doesn’t want to see his son quite that badly.

lockeddownandcrazy · 05/01/2021 19:35

Leave him off definitely. Child is better off without him.

MaMaD1990 · 05/01/2021 19:35

I have read the first few updates from you OP and I would say leave him off. If we wants to battle it out through the legal system, toughen up and get through it. If he is how you describe him to be, not a chance in hell would he get custody of your son. It may also be a good idea to start documenting the things he is doing to make you want to leave him off and also leave him. Every time he shouts, swears, threatens, smokes weed. Get it all down with dates, times, screenshots and if possible, pictures. Plan for the worst because that will make everything easier down the road, if you need it. You may not, but be smart and gather evidence just in case.

MunaZaldrizoti · 05/01/2021 19:37

@Wheresmykimchi

But OP did make it clear to those who understand the dynamics of abuse behaviour.

The relationship has been quite difficult and I have tried to leave several times

During my pregnancy dp messed up quite bad (won't go into details but it involved dp breaking some of my things).

Since then many of the things dp promised to do/change he hasn't done

2 weeks before Christmas I dumped him and took ds and stayed at my parents for a week as I didn't like the way he was speaking to/treating ds.

Dp can often be quite irrational and paranoid and I worry that he will come out with all sorts of crazy things in an attempt to control mine and ds life after we split if his name is on birth certificate.

I had only read the OP when I first posted because it was clear as day what was happening. Some people really need to educate themselves a little more before giving advice about what could be a life and death situation FFS

MunaZaldrizoti · 05/01/2021 19:37

*abusive behaviour

SisterlyCare · 05/01/2021 19:45

Op leave him off, let his family know in a few passing comments what he said about your DS “as a joke” and so when you decide to announce that you’re leaving him off he has someone else who would take the burden off you in giving him some lashing.

Leave him off. Try not to consider co parenting with this guy. He is toxic and abhsive.

You can do this alone

Wheresmykimchi · 05/01/2021 19:45

[quote MunaZaldrizoti]@Wheresmykimchi

But OP did make it clear to those who understand the dynamics of abuse behaviour.

The relationship has been quite difficult and I have tried to leave several times

During my pregnancy dp messed up quite bad (won't go into details but it involved dp breaking some of my things).

Since then many of the things dp promised to do/change he hasn't done

2 weeks before Christmas I dumped him and took ds and stayed at my parents for a week as I didn't like the way he was speaking to/treating ds.

Dp can often be quite irrational and paranoid and I worry that he will come out with all sorts of crazy things in an attempt to control mine and ds life after we split if his name is on birth certificate.

I had only read the OP when I first posted because it was clear as day what was happening. Some people really need to educate themselves a little more before giving advice about what could be a life and death situation FFS[/quote]
I agree but kidnapping a child and theatening to throw them off a balcony was very different to what was laid out in the OP.

chuffedasbuttons · 05/01/2021 20:37

Quiet day on MN?

@Cyber27
Give it a day or so and start a new thread in relationships. Everyone who has posted on this thread can keep reading this thread even now it got moved on your behalf.

It will be easier to pick out the true facts and advice on a quieter thread. And you can choose which parts of your relationship you want to discuss.

Alonelonelyloner · 05/01/2021 23:24

Being a sperm donor does not make you a Dad. Having a certificate with your name on does not make you a dad.
Yes it delAys the inevitable, if he gets a court order etc, but it seems to me every delay is a good thing.

Your job now is to protect yourself and to protect your baby. The whys and moral wherefores of a certificate are neither here nor there. It's like arguing that it's wrong to steal a bottle of milk even if a woman does it to feed her starving baby. You do it because you have to.
Don't name this asshole on the BC not least because you'll have to go with him.
H
Get documents you need, any money order bits and bobs that are important to you, wrap baby up and leave. Today. Tomorrow. Not later.
Don't become statistics. You both deserve a life.
Ignore the sanctimonious posters on here who talk about 'what is right'. What is right is you both being safe.

TalesTheCat · 07/01/2021 22:12

I had 2 children with DP, both given my surname. Later we married and kids were issued new birth certificates with their DF surname. On their certificates my name is my married surname not my maiden name. If birth certificates are a genealogical record why was my name changed so it looks like I wasn't a unmarried mother when I was? Totally not a true representation of their birth and my status

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