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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

I had an abortion and he left me

117 replies

Chaoticgarden · 22/01/2025 10:14

A while back I posted about being pregnant and was really struggling to decide whether to keep the baby or not. Because i'm 40, this has been a heartwrenching decision for me and a lot of tears have been shed, but in the end I decided to go for a termination.

The experience of having a termination was one of the most painful and traumatic experiences i've ever had, the pain was so intense I had to call an ambulance. I'm now recovering from it. Prior to that I spent 3 weeks in a complete panic over what I should do.

The father of the child was trying to encourage me to go through with the pregnancy pretty much constantly, it was impossible to have an impartial discussion with him, he was just completely sure that we were going to be able to do this. I am sure he is right but some of my reasons for not going through with it were as follows:

I have only been officially dating him for 4 months, I was seeing him before that and it took him two months of sleeping with me to ask me out.

In the time I've been dating him he's never introduced me to his mother or even taken me out on a date - it actually became a point of contention and I eventually had to outright ask him to.

He lives at home with his mother and is 40. He's been in this country for a year after moving from another country so I understand he's getting back on his feet, but he earns half what I do and has no savings and no assets.

In the end I felt like his frequent declarations of love just really weren't backed up with anything solid, and I couldn't risk upheaving my entire life to have his child. I felt that me having his baby wasn't because he loved me and wanted to be with me, I felt like it was a way of him getting a life upgrade, while I would have been sat at home with a baby and he could go to work as normal. Because I earn so much more, I realised how much of an impact this would have on my independence. I live in a house share at the moment because I'm still selling the house from my previous relationship which was abusive and which I had to leave.

I didn't feel like I could rely on this guy who I barely knew, despite him saying he'd marry me there is no law that says he has to do that, and no law that says he couldn't leave when things got hard. I just couldn't risk it. I am devastated. I am sure I would have been able to do it on my own but he was so hell bent on having the child that there is no way he wouldn't have hounded me and I did not want to be in a coparenting situation - I wanted a family.

After my termination he basically turned on me, told me his mother is devastated and her health has taken a turn for the worse, that I am selfish for asking for support, and that I am "pushing him for answers" on the future of our relationship. He said we're not broken up but he "needs space". He told me several times he wouldn't judge me whatever decision I made. He has text me asking how my day was but I don't get much more than that, when I've said my day is fine he's told me i'm being short with him and that asking what's going on is being aggressive and harsh.
I'm also selfish for not asking after his mother and I'm a narcissist because I am making everything about myself.

I realise that I should never have dated this man in the first place, this whole thing was an accident but I am just completely gobsmacked by his cold behaviour towards me after the termination. It was a bit like he expected me to give him a baby, he already has one in another country that he does not see because the mother apparently got pregnant and then ran off and refused to let him have any involvement in it.

He's seemed really nice and very kind (as long as it's free) but his sudden change of tune is apparently all my fault? I was not a very nice person during the pregnancy because I felt under immense pressure and stress, I barely ate or slept and cried constantly, so maybe that is why? I don't know.

OP posts:
Chaoticgarden · 22/01/2025 10:15

I should add that I did ask him if we could please talk and he refused to come over even though I'm literally a 2 minute drive away. He told me he's no longer "bending the knee to me" or "bending to my demands".

OP posts:
Completelyjo · 22/01/2025 10:16

I mean he wanted the child, this was never going to be an easy scenario.
You made the right choice for you, ultimately you didn’t feel like having a child was the right path for you and that’s absolutely fine. But you also need to accept that he felt differently and it was probably always going to be a relationship ended with such huge differences so early on.

Focus on yourself and your own healing.

Chaoticgarden · 22/01/2025 10:19

Completelyjo · 22/01/2025 10:16

I mean he wanted the child, this was never going to be an easy scenario.
You made the right choice for you, ultimately you didn’t feel like having a child was the right path for you and that’s absolutely fine. But you also need to accept that he felt differently and it was probably always going to be a relationship ended with such huge differences so early on.

Focus on yourself and your own healing.

I would have had a child but I just couldn't rely on him. I didn't feel like he was particularly genuine about me because everything was just words.

OP posts:
Largestlegocollectionever · 22/01/2025 10:20

Thanks fuck you made the choice you did - I’d delete block and take as much time and self love and care as possible to heal from this 💕

Itrytobesensible · 22/01/2025 10:21

I'm really sorry about your dreadful experience of the termination.

But honestly I think you have totally done the right thing, given how you describe this man and your relationship with him.

Please look after yourself and focus on your own recovery and welfare.

Whydoeseveryonewanttoargue · 22/01/2025 10:22

Sorry OP but you are gobsmacked at his cold behaviour because you aborted the kid he desperately wanted? I think his behaviour seems pretty normal
to me.

Im not sure what you thought was going to happen. You said yourself how much he wanted the baby so did you think he would just continue like nothing happened? People can say they are going to be okay but I think you could see this coming.

Also, you talk a lot about him but not about your reasons for doing it.

The whole thing just feels really sad to me.

TwentyKittens · 22/01/2025 10:23

You've absolutely done the right thing OP. Well done on being able to see through his words, realising they meant nothing, and deciding that it was the right thing to do. Especially since you've recently been in an abusive relationship.

Are you really so gobsmacked? Everything you've said about him screams a really bad reaction when you decide to do what's best for you, and not what he wants.

You're well rid of him.

Bakedpotatoes · 22/01/2025 10:23

I think you made the right decision for you, it doesn't sound like he was reliable or would bring anything but stress to you. However, if he really wanted the baby I can understand why he is upset. I don't think the relationship is going to work and as pp said, work on healing yourself and perhaps look into the freedom programme.

Purplecatshopaholic · 22/01/2025 10:23

I’m sorry you are going through this. It sounds like you made the right decision. He isn’t the man for you, and doesn’t sound very nice when you were vulnerable and needed him. Give yourself time to heal, maybe seek counselling, and block him.

PeppyTealDuck · 22/01/2025 10:23

It sounds like you are well rid of that man. He showed himself for what he is and in a difficult situation he proved that you couldn’t rely on him, just as you suspected.

I hope you start feeling better soon.

MellowAfternoon · 22/01/2025 10:24

I think you need to start counting your blessings, he does not seem like a nice guy at all and I don't buy the story about his child abroad (bet the ex has a different story). He would have left you high and dry had you gone ahead with the pregnancy.

Treat yourself well op and forget about this loser and his mother.

WildestWinter · 22/01/2025 10:24

You made the right choice - continuing with the pregnancy would have tied you to an unstable, unreliable man for life. He doesn't sound like he's in a position to provide for a child, and it sounds like you need to prioritise your wellbeing as well. Block him, don't have any contact with him, and look into if there's any counselling available to help you through this.

MemorableTrenchcoat · 22/01/2025 10:24

Chaoticgarden · 22/01/2025 10:19

I would have had a child but I just couldn't rely on him. I didn't feel like he was particularly genuine about me because everything was just words.

So what is the issue? He doesn’t sound great, and now you’re not stuck having a baby with him.

Mrsttcno1 · 22/01/2025 10:25

I think you need to accept that while you’ve made the choice you wanted- which is absolutely your right to do so and no judgement at all from me for that- this isn’t the ending he wanted and so of course he is going to be dealing with that in his own way.

May09Bump · 22/01/2025 10:25

Block him and concentrate on your healing. Move forward, otherwise he will be consistently dragging you down.

Chaoticgarden · 22/01/2025 10:27

Whydoeseveryonewanttoargue · 22/01/2025 10:22

Sorry OP but you are gobsmacked at his cold behaviour because you aborted the kid he desperately wanted? I think his behaviour seems pretty normal
to me.

Im not sure what you thought was going to happen. You said yourself how much he wanted the baby so did you think he would just continue like nothing happened? People can say they are going to be okay but I think you could see this coming.

Also, you talk a lot about him but not about your reasons for doing it.

The whole thing just feels really sad to me.

My reasons for doing it were because I just didn't know him well enough and couldn't trust him to be honest.

I felt like he just wanted the baby. I wasn't sure about him or his intentions towards me to be honest. I am extremely upset about the situation because in another scenario I would have kept it, but I just knew that it would ruin my financial stability and seriously impact my life and independence if I did it.

Before this I was never planning on having a child, I thought that ship had sailed for me if I am being honest. When I became accidentally pregnant I was suprised but mostly extremely stressed. He was happy to go all out and save money and told me he'd marry me, but in the end there are so many people who have all these promises made, and then the guy never marries them or leaves and I didn't want to be in that situation. I didn't want to just lose control over my own life. He's been "joking" about me having his babies from the start and he says none of this is about my decision to terminate, it's about me pushing him constantly for answers.

I wanted an established relationship and home with someone, not an uncertain situation where I barely knew someone and them taking me out for dinner in early dating stages was a battle.

OP posts:
404ErrorCode · 22/01/2025 10:28

Perhaps they saw you as a meal ticket (higher salary, perhaps gaining permanent residency in the UK if they don’t already have it).

I definitely think you dodged a bullet with this man, as tough as it has been for you, it sounds like the correct decision.

He has another child who it seems his ex fled from him for some reason, which is a huge red flag also. Plus the apparent enmeshed mother to boot.

happinessischocolate · 22/01/2025 10:28

I think you made the right decision.

I also think you need to forget about him and block him.

If he wasn't the right man to have a baby with now despite him apparently wanting it and trying his hardest to convince you then he won't be the right man in a year or in 5 years either.

You don't trust him and his behaviour now isn't going to improve that, nothing he says is going to help you so stop trying to talk to him and heal yourself.

BeaAndBen · 22/01/2025 10:29

It doesn’t feel like it now but you’ve dodged a bullet.

You could have been stuck co parenting with this unreliable useless bloke for the rest of your life.

If he were a decent human being he’d understand that 4 months in is too early, that it’s entirely your choice to make and if he cared about you he would support you and not emotionally blackmail you or blame his mothers reaction on you (why did she even know? What idiot tells her at this early stage?)

I hope you recover quickly. Your future will be brighter without this man in it.

DeepFatFried · 22/01/2025 10:30

I am so sorry for everything you have been through.

The truth is that whatever decision you made about your pregnancy, he was brandishing red flags left right and centre.

Worse than being an unreliable support, I suspect that he would have used your motherhood as a way to trap and control you.

And what on earth it has to do with his mother I can’t imagine!

Men are allowed to feel sad about a termination, to have a different preference, and to question a relationship in which the woman makes a different choice.

But this man’s reactions are based on more than that.

In the end, the bottom line is your body, your life, your choice.

Sorry it was so hard… but you are well rid of him.

BlondeMamaToBe · 22/01/2025 10:32

I’m sorry for what you’ve been through but cutting all contact and moving on is for the best.

Gettingbysomehow · 22/01/2025 10:34

I think you made exactly the right choice. This man isn't good enough for you and has no future. Neither has he been at all supportive. You should only have a baby if it's 100% what you want.
Don't feel bad.

Itsasintokillamockingbird · 22/01/2025 10:34

You made a very wise decision. If I were you, I wouldn't see that man again. It's easy for him to have made empty promises, but his actions show you what he really is.

You've had an awful time, so look after yourself.

Chaoticgarden · 22/01/2025 10:36

He's just texted me asking if i'm free this evening to talk despite rejecting my offer a couple of days ago to talk.

OP posts:
BlondeMamaToBe · 22/01/2025 10:39

Chaoticgarden · 22/01/2025 10:36

He's just texted me asking if i'm free this evening to talk despite rejecting my offer a couple of days ago to talk.

He told you he needed space.

I think you need to make a decision if you want to talk or not.

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