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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:
Meadowflower2023 · 05/07/2025 21:06

Hinba · 05/07/2025 18:59

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

^^

healthybychristmas · 06/07/2025 00:15

Wtf have I just read? Do you realise how much women had to fight for reliable contraception and you've thrown that in their faces by getting pregnant by a toxic mess? And you are as toxic as he is. You're both a disgrace.

healthybychristmas · 06/07/2025 00:15

.

cool4cats2020 · 06/07/2025 03:44

You need to grow up, quickly. Or do the best thing for the child and give it up for adoption.

PennyRest · 06/07/2025 04:04

Oh goodness. This sounds awful. Please never agree to go to the U.S. OP, you could end up stuck in a very bad situation.

LurkyMcLurkinson · 06/07/2025 04:17

What you’re describing is not a relationship it’s an online soap opera that occasionally enters real life. You both sound very toxic and he is without a doubt horribly abusive. It’s madness to actively try and pursue this man to play the father role. You need to recognise your child needs to be safeguarded by you and you are now responsible for providing them with stability and a secure loving home free from frightening behaviour. Have you told your midwife all of this? Have you ever competed any healthy relationship work before?

RichPetuniaAgain · 06/07/2025 04:19

I don’t say this to be mean, but please consider having your baby adopted into a stable, loving home. Then go and try to get yourself sorted out. It also goes without saying, completely block your ex.

sabrinayhird · 06/07/2025 11:16

Are you seriously telling me to have my baby adopted? wtf. Yes he was abusive and I had trauma responses to that (which you could say are toxic) but that means I don’t deserve to have my baby? It’s no wonder people end up mentally unwell with advice like that. Wish I hadn’t bothered posting

OP posts:
MorrisZapp · 06/07/2025 11:28

It's all him, him, him. He won't matter as soon as the baby is born. You won't have the time or the emotional bandwidth to block and unblock some arsehole in America.

Cattery · 06/07/2025 11:38

😱

Dabralor · 06/07/2025 11:41

Ita a good thing he is in America and only gets 2 weeks holiday.

  1. As others have said, you need to bin him now. He is not capable of taking care of a child and that should be a non-negotiable.
  1. Block him on all these crappy sites you been talking to him - consider blocking yourself too. Your new pre-term baby doesn't need you being distracted with your head in your phone.
  1. What is your support network like? Do you have a mum or some people round you who can help and advise with the baby once he/she is here? It will be challenging and you will need help - everyone does.
  1. Seriously consider sitting with your midwife and asking her about support available to help with leaving abusive relationships.

I hope to God that you can settle this before your baby arrives, for both your sakes. Am not taking the father into consideration here, he's done enough damage.

FoxLoxInSox · 06/07/2025 12:22

I’ve been on MN for 15 years and this is categorically the wildest, craziest, most immature post I’ve had the misfortune to read on here.

That poor unborn baby.

sabrinayhird · 06/07/2025 16:07

I posted here for support not to be shamed. Yes he is abusive. I am not immature, It wasn’t an online romance. I saw him probably as often as I’d see a partner who lived in the uk. I won’t post again, because most of the advice was to give my baby up for adoption or calling me toxic and immature so all that has done is make me feel even more like shit. Thanks

OP posts:
TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne · 06/07/2025 18:19

sabrinayhird · 06/07/2025 16:07

I posted here for support not to be shamed. Yes he is abusive. I am not immature, It wasn’t an online romance. I saw him probably as often as I’d see a partner who lived in the uk. I won’t post again, because most of the advice was to give my baby up for adoption or calling me toxic and immature so all that has done is make me feel even more like shit. Thanks

You must have known that nobody would recommend ways for you to stay in this relationship.
The best thing you can do is to stay away from this man. This will protect you and your baby.

PeonyPatch · 06/07/2025 18:22

Agree with PP, this is a very toxic environment to bring a poor baby into. It doesn’t sound healthy for ANYONE involved. I really think you need therapy as it sounds to me that you have quite serious attachment issues.

PeonyPatch · 06/07/2025 18:24

Also for the love of god, you need to get rid of this chap, and for good as well. Do you have a support network around you? Otherwise, please look into therapy. It’s not healthy at all. It sounds like you need a lot of perspective, and more than what Mumsnet can offer you.

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 06/07/2025 18:26

OP, what did you want people to say?

FourLove · 06/07/2025 18:33

He’s mad. Block him and focus on your baby.

Endofyear · 06/07/2025 18:52

What have I just read??! 🙄 Neither of you sound stable and responsible enough to be bringing a child into the world. You both sound ridiculous. For your baby's sake, stop all the nonsense, leave him alone and please try and bring your baby up without all the drama.

ChimpanzeeThatMonkeyNews · 06/07/2025 19:07

That’s not love, that’s a co-dependent mess.

Do yourself and your baby a favour, and keep away from this man.

Isometimeswonder · 06/07/2025 19:15

You're an idiot to stay with this man

RedRock41 · 06/07/2025 19:25

OP respectfully it sounds like you and he have mental health problems. There’s no shame in that but will mean at some stage you should consider getting help. There’s probably a lot you’ve been through to act and react the way you do (him too) but there’s a wee one due who needs you well, focused and not caught up in this circus. Going no contact a must. Do not get into any new relationships until you heal and do some work. No one meaning to make you feel worse just we can probably see what you can’t. This situation is toxic and no place for a wee one to get in the middle of. Wishing you and the wee one all the best and hoping all goes ok.

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