Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

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

To wonder if I want to be with my husband anymore

11 replies

JDLXNDR · 19/06/2024 22:38

My husband and I have been married for just over a year and together for around 7. We have a beautiful baby daughter who is 4.5 months. She is my world!

Before my daughter was born my husband promised he would quit smoking. Both cigarettes and let’s say, “herbs” which he smoked recreationally but a lot of. When my LO was born we had many arguments over his smoking as he tried to quit. There were two occasions where he smoked “herbs” whilst taking care of her - she was asleep but I was still very angry. For me this is an absolute no. I made it very clear it’s not to happen again.

He has been able to quit cigarettes by using those nicotine pouches you put in your mouth which is good because he doesn’t stink anymore and I worry a little less about his health. But he is inclined to smoke the “herbs” during the evening when me and my daughter are in bed. I have been letting it go for the most part, I may make the odd comment but he claims that quitting that too is also difficult and that the odd bit is “part of the process”.

I feel like I need to add that we’re not in the best place, my husband and I. There’s no intimacy, he’s lovely with our daughter but shows no initiative. I am very much the primary parent. I am constantly picking up after him, having to organise everything, and I find myself wondering what I’m getting out of this marriage.

This evening I went to drop my mum off at her hotel (she’s visiting us as we live overseas). She forgot something and I ran back in to get it and caught my husband smoking “herbs” whilst our baby daughter was inside in her bouncer. He ran inside when I came through the gate. I went inside, flipped, said something stupid, took my daughter and left. I dropped my mum off, came back and rather than argue in front of my baby sent him some messages telling him that he has completely broken my trust. He lied, then made excuses, then told me I’m awful because I don’t understand how hard this is for him (lol what?) then he got aggressive with me, then told me this is what I’ve wanted all along to take the baby away from him. Etc etc etc. His parents are also here and I’m also “ruining their trip like I always do” (again sorry what?)

But the bottom line is, he made a poor choice and I need to put my daughter first. I don’t want her to have a dad who smokes and who lies and I’m just sick of everything being about his smoking. I’m kind of just sick of him in general.

So I’m just lying here feeling very lonely, because I can’t really speak to anyone about it. Except my
mum who is here on holiday. So also feeling guilty because she had to see me cry and is now worried when she should be enjoying her holiday and her time with her granddaughter, guilty because I want my daughter to have a happy family life. Guilty because his parents are also here and want to see my LO.

Is it me?

:(

OP posts:
JDLXNDR · 19/06/2024 22:38

Sorry for such a long post!

OP posts:
XChrome · 20/06/2024 03:19

No, it most definitely is not you.

"He lied, then made excuses, then told me I’m awful because I don’t understand how hard this is for him (lol what?) then he got aggressive with me, then told me this is what I’ve wanted all along to take the baby away from him."

That, right there, is why you should leave. He lies and gets aggressive when he's justifiably criticized, then makes up paranoid accusations. Did he get physical? Even if he didn't, the aggression is a red flag.
Get shed of this pothead loser. He's a poor excuse for a father as well as a husband. Smoking pot around a vulnerable infant is unconscionable. It can damage the developing brain. That's abuse in my book.

CalicoPusscat · 20/06/2024 03:31

Can you not say weed?

It does sound like you should split up, unfortunately. What would you do about housing?

He's broken your trust and acted irresponsibly so it's best to call it a day.

polkadotclip · 20/06/2024 04:13

MN is always quick to jump to why you should leave, but what you should do is imagine your alternative futures.

What are the possibilities if you stay together?

If you separate?

Do you think he understands that he is putting his own desires above his baby's safety?

If so, why is that? Laziness, selfishness, stupidity?

Can any of those be addressed enough to make him a safe, useful competent parent?

Can he be loving? This behaviour is not loving.

How does that impact your alternative futures?

urbanbuddha · 20/06/2024 05:06

I think you’re underestimating how difficult it can be for some men to stop smoking weed. It seems to be really difficult for some males - teenagers as well as adults. I think you’re right to ask him to stop smoking around your baby but it won’t be as easy as flicking a switch. Try and support him - I know that’ll be difficult when you’re tired with the baby but a bit of empathy will help.

https://www.wearewithyou.org.uk/advice-and-information/advice-for-you/how-to-stop-smoking-cannabis-weed

How to Stop Smoking Cannabis (Weed)

How to cut down or stop cannabis (weed), with advice on how to prepare to cut down cannabis and coping with cannabis cravings

https://www.wearewithyou.org.uk/advice-and-information/advice-for-you/how-to-stop-smoking-cannabis-weed

AttilaTheMeerkat · 20/06/2024 06:21

It’s not her job to support him. Unless he himself wants to stop using weed then no one else can do anything to help him. Her primary responsibility is to her child and her own self.

BeethovenNinth · 20/06/2024 06:24

You can’t leave a stoned man in charge of a baby. This is your issue.

is he unable to care for her without smoking weed?

XChrome · 20/06/2024 06:28

urbanbuddha · 20/06/2024 05:06

I think you’re underestimating how difficult it can be for some men to stop smoking weed. It seems to be really difficult for some males - teenagers as well as adults. I think you’re right to ask him to stop smoking around your baby but it won’t be as easy as flicking a switch. Try and support him - I know that’ll be difficult when you’re tired with the baby but a bit of empathy will help.

https://www.wearewithyou.org.uk/advice-and-information/advice-for-you/how-to-stop-smoking-cannabis-weed

She asked him not to smoke it around the baby and he did it anyway, then lied about it. What good will asking him again do? He obviously doesn't care if the smoke harms the baby. If he did, he'd get it in the form of edibles or pills instead of smoking it.
He doesn't even have to quit. He just has to stop smoking it and not get high when he's alone with the baby. He simply isn't willing. It's not her responsibility to help him stop, anyway.

Meadowfinch · 20/06/2024 06:32

OP, I think you need to face the reality of his addiction, and be pragmatic.

Start planning to be a single parent. Plan your finances and your career to be self supporting and independent. It will take time to get in to the right situation - it took me a year, and my ds was a little older.

At the same time, make it clear to your dh that it needs to stop now. That the end result of his smoking weed is that you and the baby will leave. He needs to stop making excuses, and engage with professional help.

It is down to him. Which does he love more, his daughter or the weed?

Because in the end, you cannot safely raise a child in the same house as a pot head. You'll never be able to trust him to collect her from school, to drive her anywhere, to leave her in his care. It's just not safe.

Maray1967 · 20/06/2024 07:08

He is a drug user - and apparently a drug addict. Simple as that.

Keep your child away from him.

Let his parents sort him out. If my DS was doing this, I’d be on his case, not blaming his partner for removing the child. He’s a pathetic loser, quite frankly, and I have no tolerance at all for this kind of behaviour. Condoning it, making excuses for it - all that does is put children at risk. He needs to get clean now or lose his family.

Staringatthewalljustmeagain · 20/06/2024 11:10

He smokes weed, repeatedly and secretly, when in charge of a tiny baby. He’s a waster and a failure of a father. There’s no getting away from that.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page