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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

Partner has someone else's baby on the way

225 replies

Alwaystooproudtoask · 09/06/2022 00:51

So this thread may be long I'm sorry. I've just got soo much whirling around my head, heading may also be a bit misleading sorry. So I met my partner who worked for the same organisation as me (didn't meet there), around 3.5 years ago. I had older children already from a previous relationship that had ended many years ago. Because of this I had accepted when the drs had told me After my last Dds complicated pregnancy I couldn't physically have more, it was very traumatic and both me and baby were not too great after. That was until my partner who I was madly in love with I should probably add, kept raising that it makes him sad we can't have a child together. He didn't have children & it really did affect me that he would have to sacrifice that to be with me and i didn't want to think of life without him or him sacrificing not having the blessing of a child because of it. I probably should add I broke up with someone because of the same issue years ago and he did meet someone and have a child but blamed me for being stuck in a horrible relationship all for the sake that I had pushed him away so he could meet someone and have a child. He said he would have been happy not to have had any children as long as we we're together. I felt awful for lots or reasons about that. But back to partner now , I had started to look into if there was any alternative ways we could have a child together through my drs. I didn't want to get his hopes up so discussed the basics. after some blood tests that came back unexpectedly well and lots of reassurance I was informed I could try and have a consult lead pregnancy due to high risks & that all was very likely to go well given the right care. We discussed this and discussed the news which came with the blow of, I only have around a year to try as I was in the early menopause (no pressure, to process or conceive eh). We hadn't conceived after 7 months. He put it down to me not being able to conceive, and highlighted it did make him sad, when my periods would confirm I wasn't pregnant. I had the mindset that, it also wasn't looking like we would conceive naturally.
we started having difficulties in the relationship, he was great with my children & they really did like him, that's one of the things I really loved about him, including he was amazing with our 2 little doggies. Unfortunately him and my eldest dd( 20 at the time) had fallen out and it had got a bit unbearable, he also had the mindset that he shouldn't have to help with housework as it was for me and the kids to do, as none of it was his mess. I struggled with that being his family upbringing mindset (his mother apologised for that) as he lived alone before me, I had the fantasy illusion of him being a domestic god, a girl can dream.
His mindset and upbringing was so far removed from mine. His family moved around a lot due to work where mine were very grounded. He was always wanting us to move away and start a fresh somewhere, one day Yorkshire, the next Germany. I live near the sea and we're quite happy here but would move if it was a great option. when I first met him I felt he was a deeply intellectual thoughtful, very affectionate guy & I probably was in a much less stable way than I realised. I'd been a single mum for roughly 10years by this point. However, I asked him to leave due to issues with my older dd. he didn't want to leave & wanted me to help him with making the situation better. I didn't have any fight to give at this point, I felt absolutely emotionally drained due to lots of things I guess & I needed needed him to fix it all, I know way too much pressure. The 1st few days without him was fine, I felt fine about our time apart but that was when I realised that's exactly all I wanted, just some time apart. I just wanted him back & by day 6, I had just found out I was pregnant. He had gone to stay with family up north & said he was really happy when I called, I asked if we could see each other but he was putting me off. I've realised I have a terrible habit of pushing people away and then trying to pull them back. The result was I told him I was pregnant via a message. It really sucked but it's how I did it and I can't go back on that unfortunately. When he phoned he was like a different person he was screaming at me to get rid of it and how much he hated me and he'd moved on and wasn't coming back (it was 6days wth) and that I'm on my own if I keep it & that he had never said he wanted a child with me let alone want one & that I was lying about that fact.

I decided to continue with the pregnancy and she's the best thing to happen to our family and we're all absolutely in awe of her. My pregnancy was terrifying, I needed bloods taken every 2 weeks and she needed brain scans in the womb regularly and I was always terrified she wouldn't survive, I'd had 12 years of being told it wasn't possible. She was induced early and spent some time having treatment in hospital due to being born quite poorly, conceiving knowing I was putting her at risk weighed heavily me, even with all the drs reassurance, but we were in it and she's just great and An absolute blessing. Her dad would check in every so often, when I was pregnant until he would tell me how much he hates me and block me off everything. I felt so sad about it and did feel he was behaving that way because I'd hurt him and provoked him with things I'd say. I felt I was the cause of why he was having difficulty regulating his emotions. He asked to move back at one point, as he said he could only be around if we lived together. After the things he had said when he found out I was pregnant I didn't want him moving back in, I felt we had a journey to get through before that. He wasn't at the birth & it bloke my heart he didn't check in let alone be there around that time, even though I was induced earlier than he expected, I was blocked by him and his family at that point so couldn't contact him. I must add I was soo angry that his family blocked me, I had stayed at there's when visiting a couple of times but he said it was him that blocked me of all there contacts.
He decided to arrange a visit when she was around 6 months old. & had a few more visits. I thought things were going well and that it could only be positive for Dd. we talked about what a mess things are but he wanted to move on in a positive direction & me too, I still question if I said did the wrong things to cause him to stay away, he said it hurt him too much and he didn't know how to fix things. It was a journey with my elder children adjusting to him being back around. Then boom he had decided I'd been horrible and hated me and he left and didn't return for almost 7 months. zero contact, even on her 1st birthday, but did send a gift with his parents. the weird thing is I thought we were really getting on. Then one day he just knocked on the door said he'd moved back to the area, as he'd been living about 3 hours away & that he's been working on his mental health and he's here to stay and finally do everything he can to prove he's here to stay. It was such a whirlwind, I was totally swept away and yes I'm pathetic & within 2 weeks I was absolutely back in love again. The children (they are high school uni & above age) we're away and the 1st night he stayed just felt soo special, it felt like we could really move forward & actually be a family. I knew it was going too take a lot for me to let go of heartache from his absence in the pregnancy and 1st yr but our dd was bonding so beautifully with him & I am a pathetic hopeless romantic. Our first night was overshadowed by constant calls in the morning. Long story short it was a girl to say she is pregnant 😔. It's been absolutely devastating again. He is doing to her what he did to me. He said she was just a housemate in a shared house and that she thought she couldn't have children too and she's keeping it for fear of not managing to have another child. She contacted his parents (through fb) but I had inclined to them something was going on, so luckily he had told them prior to the message. He said she suffers with lots of mental health and would have a lot of difficulty managing life with a baby. I told him I don't want anything to do with him if he doesn't do the right thing & support her and the child. I was obviously devastated. When we did speak he informed me she had decided not to go ahead with the pregnancy & his only focus now is me and our dd. It's taken months of feeling like I'm on a horrible rollercoaster, and me and him just trying to move forward. I was always saying he needs to confirm for sure if she kept the baby, well a few weeks ago he has confirmed that he has been speaking with her, I was great full for his honesty and glad he had. she had decided that although she didn't want him involved she wants him to financially support the baby. He said he's ok to do that & that they are only talking to negotiate money. He said it's an issue as she believes she should receive more than me as he's in our dds life. I don't believe him and feel like he enjoys talking to her to get at me. He's started telling me about chats he has with her about me. I have always pushed for him to be involved while hes been adamant me and our dd is all he wants and has the capacity to cope with. I always knew she would keep the baby, so it's not a surprise and it's my Dd sibling an innocent baby. He has me worrying about his mental health a lot, and I tolerate a lot of things & tried not to push him into a dark place, about everything, as he doesn't deal with things well clearly, hes now says I'm manipulative and always put him in a dark place. When I feel I affect my mental health to protect his. Anyway In an argument he blurted that the other girl thinks I'm mad because I questioned him if he had been to visit her when he just went away for 2 weeks to Scotland and to visit his parents where she lives near by to them, I might add he told me while in bed he's going away it wasn't a discussion we had, hence the argument I guess, that he never considers my feelings. I felt that inconsiderate to our relationship. I don't have issues with her for thinking I'm mad, she doesn't know me or I her & I believe he plays mind games with us both now, I do have issues with him discussing our private relationship with her, especially when he says he isn't going to be in her life & she apparently doesn't want him to be in hers & it's simply about money. I actually feel an idiot hearing myself as I read this and can't believe I'm caught is an insane situation like this. I am also aware I can quite easily and happy live life without him as I've had to do that more times than I care to remember. I asked for some time out the other day and he has sent me awful messages telling me how manipulative I am and that no wonder I've never been able to keep a man. I think I've unfortunately just not made great choices and probably do have to work on myself quite a lot, I was doing just fine when he was absent for the 7 months, my issue was more about will he ever re-appear.

The current situation is he's now saying im preventing dd from having a relationship with him. This is because he's decided he doesn't want to see her at my house or have her at his & also won't take her out without me there. He wants us to meet weekly for walks (a bit of a drive away too) and coffee. I just don't want to push myself to do that, especially when the probability of rain is high and I don't have much time for this, especially as I do everything alone. I work and am a busy single mum of a toddler. He says the alternative is we be together but I feel like I have no trust and he's playing emotional games with me and this girl. He's now saying as I've been writing that he will probably be in the child's life, I am happy about that, I'm just so sick of his swapping and changing his mind and getting angry with me for addressing that. I'm sorry for all this rant, my brain is pounding. I can usually walk away so easily but the pull he has on me is quite literally soul destroying and really a bit concerning now. I'm guessing my character my get questioned here but I don't mind maybe I need some harsh truths. My family hate him (bar my children), but they don't see him just hear my stories and I do have friends who seem to promote us being together. So I'm so conflicted & he tells me I'm the problem soo much and he loves me deeply but in the next breath he hates me. I can't decide if I'm in an abusive relationship or if I'm the emotionally abusive one? ☹️

OP posts:
Spohn · 09/06/2022 11:28

Why is that person droning on about travelling to parent a kid? That’s their take away from OPs shitshow of choices?

TeamWorkDreamBurb · 09/06/2022 11:29

@AintNoPartyLikeANumber10Party

lol truth hurts

Mummyoflittledragon · 09/06/2022 11:31

Idk if this is a mental health condition, a personality disorder or he’s just extremely nasty. However, this sounds very abusive and manipulative. An abuser turning their behaviour back on the victim is typical DARVO (deny, attack, reverse, victim and offender).

Have you heard of the abuse cycle It’s very confusing, which is why you’re struggling to get away from him because he switches between abusive behaviour and love bombing. His wanting to see your dd under certain conditions is part of the abuse. If you agree to meet him, he will very likely try to reconcile. If you agree, you will have a period of calm before the abuse restarts, which I imagine will trigger you trying to appease him.

I also think you should do the freedom programme. The book by Lundy Bancroft ‘Why does he do that’ is often recommended for women, who are struggling to extricate themselves from abusive partners.

As for your dd and access, she is not a pawn. However, I would want to protect her from him so it’s a good thing he only want to see her to get to you? He is unpredictable and volatile. The best thing to do if he can’t be civil would be to cut contact. Is all of this in writing btw? Have you kept these texts and his texts telling you to abort and so forth?

TeamWorkDreamBurb · 09/06/2022 11:32

@Spohn

Because someone else is saying that it’s fine to never travel for custody arrangements. It’s not it’s selfish and wrong and if both parents do this it’s going to cause constant issues. But for some reason she thinks it’s fine for her and OP

Mummyoflittledragon · 09/06/2022 11:36

@TeamWorkDreamBurb
He moved back locally and lives nearby. This isn’t about sharing the driving.

mydemontoddler · 09/06/2022 11:40

@TeamWorkDreamBurb driving to see your child is the fucking bare minimum. Get a life.

Nothappyatwork · 09/06/2022 11:42

TeamWorkDreamBurb · 09/06/2022 11:32

@Spohn

Because someone else is saying that it’s fine to never travel for custody arrangements. It’s not it’s selfish and wrong and if both parents do this it’s going to cause constant issues. But for some reason she thinks it’s fine for her and OP

It very much depends on who’s moved away doesn’t it if you’re both in the area that you were both in when you split up then there’s no issue.

if one person leaves that area then they need to return to the area that the child lives in to facilitate child access that’s perfectly reasonable and normal and expectation. I am not running around like a blue arsed fly after an ex-husband. Just as if my child decided they wanted to do a dance class that was 350 miles away every Saturday morning they would be quite right they told no.

Threetulips · 09/06/2022 11:46

Re read you OP - it’s all about his wants and needs - what do you want?

I bet when you say x he says y and you never get a straight answer - he’s a grown man and can arrange a meeting place - I’d walk over hot colas for my kids - he can walk round a park and get there all by himself.

Stop and ask yourself ‘what do I want’ and stick with it. He’s a pointless human being and neither you or your daughter are getting anything out of this relationship.

Give yourself an shake and walk away. He can go to court for access if it means that much to him. You’ll find courts can be quite empowering for people in your situation.

Sadly I know too many woman in your situation - start taking to family - the only reason you don’t is because you’re embarrassed.

AintNoPartyLikeANumber10Party · 09/06/2022 11:47

Alwaystooproudtoask · 09/06/2022 11:15

I think you're absolutely right.

I am really greatful for all these messages even the little bit hard to hear ones. It is already helping to clear my thoughts 😌

That's good to hear. So what are you going to do?

ivy4iona · 09/06/2022 11:57

It's amazing the crap we put up with in the name of romantic love! Don't have any more to do with him. Seriously. It's sad and he will manipulate your feelings and you will kid yourself...but for the sake of your children as well as yourself strengthen your backbone. Try not to make it a drama. Plan carefully and calmly. You've done your best now you'll have to do better.

Alwaystooproudtoask · 09/06/2022 12:09

Thank you I will. I am new to the site also and stupidly thought it was one of those sites that didn't allow paragraphs 🫣 my brain is total mush. Plus I was pretty mentally drained just writing a little part of my story, which worked out to be much longer than anticipated.

i actually can't bear to go back and read it again. I will look up who you requested thank you

OP posts:
Alwaystooproudtoask · 09/06/2022 12:15

Thank you . That actually brought tears to my eyes x I do think I feed into the negative things people say over the nice but your lovely words hit me 😌

OP posts:
Alwaystooproudtoask · 09/06/2022 12:23

I will definitely look into both of these thank you x

OP posts:
Leanne12321 · 09/06/2022 12:25

He would be through the door.Wanted weekly walks so all in his Terms?I wouldn't put up with it you need to put your children first your daughter don't need someone who is in and out if her life all the time its more damaging than rewarding.If he really wants to be in her life he has to make all the efforts not you.He is using your child as a weapon saying he can inly do it if he's with you.He is mentally abusive

Alwaystooproudtoask · 09/06/2022 12:26

I have always been a people pleaser and now feel I probably do suffer with low self esteem, how I got there I do not quite know. I am definitely going to look into the freedom Program 🙂

OP posts:
Leanne12321 · 09/06/2022 12:27

Please please please know your worth you are worth so much more than him.Please take care

Alwaystooproudtoask · 09/06/2022 12:30

I am definitely overwhelmed with the replies & boy did I need to hear all of this. I had truest started to believe I was the mad one 😞

OP posts:
Longdistance · 09/06/2022 12:30

Hopeless romantic? Getting treated like crap whilst your kids witness it. Have a word with your set.
What are you doing?

CarriesHandbag · 09/06/2022 12:37

You and your family deserve much better than this. This is such an unhealthy relationship. Move on without this waste of space.

Alwaystooproudtoask · 09/06/2022 12:39

I'd love to butter down everything you said but that would only mean I'm in denial. I'm soo ready to run.

OP posts:
Alwaystooproudtoask · 09/06/2022 12:47

This entertained me. I will always think of Boris from now on 😄 . All these treads have ensured I blocked today and tomorrow I am totally working on moving on. I highlighted court before I blocked.. thank you for the Boris entertainment xx

OP posts:
Alwaystooproudtoask · 09/06/2022 12:48

She really is and what a blessing 🥰

OP posts:
Alwaystooproudtoask · 09/06/2022 12:56

This is all exactly it. It was actually really helpful having all that mirrored back. Wow. No wonder I wrote a long bonkers message last night. It really is time to move on and actually show the kids it's ok to take people like this out of your lives, no matter who they are.

OP posts:
Alwaystooproudtoask · 09/06/2022 13:00

X

OP posts:
Alwaystooproudtoask · 09/06/2022 13:08

This is all how I've felt and tried to convince myself it's not really as black and white but it is. He hasn't been a physically around my older children as it may sound, I have not wanted to expose the to what I was feeling like a shit show anyway, but it does impact greatly how it may have affected them and I try to keep it open to discuss. In regards to the children that unfortunately is another journey in itself that I need to get healthy enough to work with positivity but I certainly will. The kids emotional well-being is always my highest priority. Weirdly why I've struggled with being rid of him finally

OP posts:
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