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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

Need advice - TRIGGER WARNING

47 replies

sabrinayhird · 05/07/2025 18:53

Long story short

met my ex online in 2020, he’s from the US. We flew back and forth very regularly and he moved in for 6 months in 2023. We ended up breaking up because he seemed to be hung up on his ex from when he was 17 (he’s now 35!) and said he’d be with her if he was single. So I made him single in Aug 2023. I was in a bad place as I’d had a 2nd trimester miscarriage and I just had enough. He was a porn addict, lied a lot and was emotionally abusive.

from aug 2023-dec 2024, we were on and off. We both slept with other people and that hurt us both, it never felt truly over. He talked to a few women as a distraction, but we never stopped loving each other.

we arranged for him to come over for Xmas last year but he didn’t as we couldn’t get along. Same happened in January. Same happened in February.

from December-march this year he would flip between saying he doesn’t love me, doesn’t want me, that it was settling, he didn’t want to be with me etc.. and loving me.

enough was enough and I got him a ticket to come over in march. He came over and was a changed man, it was perfect. Except he told one small lie, so I ended it. I then found out I was pregnant. I’d warned him any more lies and we’d be done. But as I was pregnant I wanted to fix it. He kept trying to fix things throughout April, but it stayed over. Then in May I went no contact, and after a few weeks he reached out to say he’d been thinking about me constantly but didn’t feel good enough for me so stayed away. I told him i needed time to process.

he joined a dating/streaming site and all hell broke loose. I’m quite jealous as a person and he knew I’d hate him being on there if he was trying to be with me. It ended up in a situation where he sat on streams with other women slagging me off, playing the victim, saying he left me cos I’m crazy, he even read out one of my messages, and told everyone he didn’t want me. Which is bizarre because on 10 June he was saying he wanted me, so all that changed in a week or 2???

anyway I’m due to give birth very early due to complications. So I have tried my hardest to fix things with him as he can’t be a dad from the US (the original plan was to marry and live here together).

he decided he doesn’t want me because I posted this for advice on Reddit, and because one of my friends exposed him on the streaming site for being abusive. Since then there have been loads of people acting like vigilantes going on streams he’s in and calling him an abuser. I had no part in this, except to confirm he was abusive when asked. He said I let men talk shit on him and that I betrayed him by joining the site (can’t beat them join them!)

he has said some truly unforgivable things, such as “I’ll be happy when u watch this one die”, “I hope u die in childbirth and he lives without u”, “you killed my son and you’ll kill this one”, “toxic womb”, “you’re the reason your husband committed suicide”…

despite all that, I wanted him around for the baby so I called him yesterday. He spent 10 mins yelling at me, saying he hates me, doesn’t see a future with me, doesn’t want me, doesn’t love me, doesn’t want to be in the baby’s life because he can’t bear to talk to me, that he never wants to hear from me ever again and he hopes I die, that he has no feelings for me. I then ended up in hospital with stress and when i called to tell him, he was pretty much the same. He then blocked me.

this morning he unblocked me and tried to call me but I didn’t answer, because he chose to call on Instagram (knowing he can block me straight after; whereas on Facebook he can’t). Because I didn’t answer, he blocked me. I have no idea why he was calling except maybe to check on the baby

i am by no means innocent, I accused him non stop of doing things. In my defence it was based on stuff he’d done before or stuff I was hearing. But I appreciate it drove him insane. Every time he spoke to a woman (even as a friend) I would be told, and I’d accuse him of wanting her (in my defence he’s slept with every female friend he’s ever had, or wanted to)… I have been toxic and jealous and crazy.

but he has said and done some pretty awful stuff to me over the years… it was only in march that he changed

ive tried to keep him involved with the baby, but there’s not much point if he’s not going to be around. He doesn’t want to fly back and forth spending all his money on flights and hotels and I can accept that because it is unreasonable. It’s too expensive and he only gets 2 weeks holiday a year. The only way he says he can be involved is if we are together, but he no longer wants that apparently.

so is it acceptable for me to stay silent? If he’s not going to be involved with the baby because “he wants no part of me and being involved with the baby means he’d have to talk to me” then does he need to know anything? Is there any point?

im well aware that he says he hates me and doesn’t love me when he’s angry, and probably doesn’t mean it, but the push and pull is too much for me now

I’ve tried to handle it as best as I can but he drives me up the wall and I do react badly. I wish he’d have actually changed in march but with the way he is now, has he even changed? He’s still abusive, still lies and still addicted to porn… but apparently he’s not an addict, doesn’t abuse me and I’m crazy and that’s why he left!

OP posts:
Beachtastic · 05/07/2025 18:57

This is not a relationship OP, it's a nightmare. Don't bring a baby into this toxic mess. Handle it as best you can alone.

Hinba · 05/07/2025 18:59

What an awful situation to bring a child into. Poor baby.

TwistedWonder · 05/07/2025 19:00

The best thing you can do for your unborn child is to block this man from your life and go it alone .

I can’t begin to understand how you’ve dragged this shit show on for so many years but please don’t allow your babies life to be dragged into this toxic drama.

Bobbybobbins · 05/07/2025 19:03

Block him and move on. What a toxic mess.

BeenThereBackThen · 05/07/2025 19:04

Sounds absolute mess. Toxic.

Best you can do is block him out of your life completely and focus on your baby. You can’t carry on with this hurricane of a relationship when baby is here. All this back and forth from him tells you he is not the right person for you.

You are in for endless rounds of this with hi
if you carry on. Wasting money on flights, hotels etc. Save it for yourselt and the baby.

Sassybooklover · 05/07/2025 19:12

Why on earth have you continued with this shit show of a relationship for several years???!! You don't live in the same country, and long-distance relationships are tough at the best of times. You've split up numerous times, what does that tell you??? That the relationship isn't working!! In fact it's more than not working, it's toxic and abusive. How is this man going to be a Dad living in a different country??! He can't. End this relationship, and make plans to be a single parent.

gamerchick · 05/07/2025 19:18

i am by no means innocent

You think? Hope your friends pay attention to how you deal with conflict. Christ. He doesn't sound much better.

Poor bloody kid being dragged into the middle of you both. The both of you need to grow TF up.

MaggiesShadow · 05/07/2025 19:20

This isn't a relationship and never was.

You got pregnant by a toxic randomer from the other side of the world and now you're stuck in a shit show.

You really haven't tried to handle it as best you could. Sorry, I know that's harsh. But handling it the best way you could wouldn't involve hanging around from scraps and begging him to want to be around an innocent baby after the vile things he has said.

The child will be much better off not being caught up in this madness. And you should put all your efforts into being the most balanced, mature, caring single mother you can be.

MammaTo · 05/07/2025 19:25

You need to stop living your life online and touch some grass.

notimeforregrets · 05/07/2025 19:25

Woah that's one hell of a shitshow. You need therapy like, yesterday. I have no clue how you would manage therapy and a newborn but you need to get out of this toxic mess of a "relationship"

MrsFeljne · 05/07/2025 19:28

You both sound bonkers. The most sensible thing you could do is never speak to each other again.

MaryGreenhill · 05/07/2025 19:31

Poor child

Bittenonce · 05/07/2025 19:33

Sassybooklover · 05/07/2025 19:12

Why on earth have you continued with this shit show of a relationship for several years???!! You don't live in the same country, and long-distance relationships are tough at the best of times. You've split up numerous times, what does that tell you??? That the relationship isn't working!! In fact it's more than not working, it's toxic and abusive. How is this man going to be a Dad living in a different country??! He can't. End this relationship, and make plans to be a single parent.

This, I’m afraid. You and he should never be together. Should never have been. If you have this baby, the only contact you should have should be about child support.
I’d suggest you also get some help to understand what a healthy relationship looks like, when to run, how to deal with conflict. Because as well as him being a toxic abusive lying porn addict, you seem not to know any of these things.

looselegs · 05/07/2025 19:33

Your child deserves better than this. They haven't asked to be brought into this world, please don't put them.in this toxic situation. It's just awful.

LadyMonicaBaddingham · 05/07/2025 19:47

This is why children shouldn't have children. Grow up and take some responsibility.

Btowngirl · 05/07/2025 19:54

How is it unreasonable for him to spend his money & annual leave on seeing his child? He managed to fly over and see you regularly..

It all sounds so toxic and childish. It’s not about either of you any more, it’s about your son so please make sure you prioritise your son over yours or your ex’s feelings or lack of regulation.

FortyElephants · 05/07/2025 19:56

Jesus Christ. Never go to live in the US. He can come here if he wants to see the child. And stop shagging him FFS

Aimtodobetter · 05/07/2025 20:00

Firstly, you need to actively try and keep this man out of your child’s life if you possibly can. Go non contact and make it as impossible as possibly for him to find you - this guy is scary. Also, you don’t sound like you are in the right headspace / able to manage your emotions in a way that is good for a child either - please get some therapy or other help of some sort to get you to the point where you can be. Parenthood is hard - when you’re “toxic” to use your own words like this it can be very hard to put them first.

TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne · 05/07/2025 20:00

End it!
Block him.
Stop taking him back.
He's a nightmare abuser.

Keep him away from your baby. I wouldn't even bother asking for child support from this man. You're both safer staying well apart.

makingthecut · 05/07/2025 20:02

This is abusive and he will go on to abuse your child too.
Cut contact completely, block and delete on everything.

Don’t tell him anything about the baby and move on and parent on your own. Seriously this will be a disaster otherwise.

Mirabai · 05/07/2025 20:16

It should have stayed over in August 2022.

thepariscrimefiles · 05/07/2025 20:20

Hopefully, he can't get into the UK and you can't get into the US as your relationship (if you can call it that) is utterly toxic. Neither of you sound mature enough to be parents.

Have you got anyone else to support you? Can your parents help?

Sayshesheshe · 05/07/2025 20:34

Goodness I’m so sorry you had a second trimester miscarriage but it’s outrageous you decided to get pregnant with his child again.

Put your child first, cut ties with this man and work on your own issues.

Cucy · 05/07/2025 20:35

Your poor child being born into an absolute shit show.

You and him don’t work but you both love the drama so much that you continue with the shit show.

Both of you need to grow up.

He’s told you he doesn’t want to be in yours or your baby’s life and so change your number and get him out of your life for good.
Your baby will thank you in the long run.

ChocoChocoLatte · 05/07/2025 20:42

Jesus wept what a shit show. Focus on the baby, that’s the important bit here.