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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

Staying in relationship after being cheated on

189 replies

MrsFCastle · 09/01/2026 00:43

If you have stayed with your partner after being cheated on please tell me your experience. I’d appreciate some insight be it good bad or ugly.

OP posts:
Changeiscoming1111 · 09/01/2026 00:55

I’m going to give you the answer you don’t want to hear - don’t stay in it. You suffer either way in this whether you stay or whether you go.

NewLemonHare · 09/01/2026 01:23

First cheating was when we first got together. There were signs he was not a one woman man for a while, I was in my 20s before children. Tried to put it behind me and then he kissed someone 3 months after the wedding day. 2 years later he left me home with a c section, newborn and 2 other children and ‘didn’t know’ if he slept with someone. 2024 he contacted escorts and was fairly open about wanting to sleep with other women. Now separated which still kills me as I love him but I wish I had left on the first instance as it just escalated and I became someone I didn’t recognise. If he had done the work to understand the whys etc I may have tried but he basically couldn’t be bothered. Wants women in their 20s. It may work out for you but honestly as hard as it is you may save yourself years of headaches by leaving. Are you ok? What has happened?

SwanLake35 · 09/01/2026 04:45

I spent a lot of money, time and suffering pursuing reconciliation. One thing brought me to my senses and that was reading accounts from cheaters on cheating sites. There are thousands of sites like that and the pattern is the same across all of them.

The pattern is that the majority of cheaters do not really want to reconcile.They want to leave but don’t want to take responsibility for it.They are disappointed when they are forgiven so they act out .This looks like minimising, behaving in ways to trigger you, telling you to get over it. Eventually when you don’t get the message they do it again.

This reflects the pattern you will see in individual posts on here which is an escalation in bad behaviour and repeated cheating after being forgiven.

Highlighta · 09/01/2026 04:54

I'm sorry OP.

After lots of trauma, a nervous breakdown and a hospital admission, I urge you to take your time about this, but do not be bull dozed into staying (better for the kids, won't do it again excuses etc)

BTW he cheated again anyway.

You will never trust them again and your stomach will be in knots every time they are out.
You will never know what to believe as they lied to you in such a massive lie
You will be walking in eggshells to be the perfect partner, ie doing the pick me dance.

If i was in this situation again, there woild be no second chance.

HoseGoblin · 09/01/2026 05:02

I did. Shocker, he cheated again and just hid it better.

I don't actually believe "once a cheater always a cheater", I think people can change and better themselves. I was a horrible shit in my 20's so I have to believe people can change.

However I do believe that cheating irreparably damages the current relationship. I believe "once a cheater always a cheater in this relationship". He only has to cheat once to be a cheater forevermore to you. It's probably a lot easier and healthier to just not have that hanging over you for the rest of your life.

selffellatingouroborosofhate · 09/01/2026 05:41

Staying was a mistake that rotted the inside of me. I never stopped resenting him and wouldn't piss on him if he was on fire, over 20 years later.

You're asking because you've been cheated on. Leave, and get an STI test. Guess how I know you need the latter...

Even if you can't leave immediately, make your plans to secretly and do so as soon as you can.

TheMentalMentalLoad · 09/01/2026 05:56

First marriage - he cheated, I forgave him, he cheated again.

Second marriage - he cheated despite knowing my stance on it. Threw him out. Hurt like hell, still
does but no more will I lay in a bed next to a man who is sleeping with another woman.

Find the blog by Chump Lady.

TheMentalMentalLoad · 09/01/2026 05:56

And order her book, Leave a Cheater Gain a life.

AnnaQuayInTheUk · 09/01/2026 06:01

Not personal experience but one of my friends has managed to rebuild her marriage after her husband cheated. He had an affair for 7 years with one of their friends.

She initially threw him out but after a few months they worked through it and managed to move forward. It wasnt easy for them. It's now been over 10 years and they seem happy.

Changingplace · 09/01/2026 06:09

I’m currently in this situation, for practical reasons I can’t leave right now so I’m letting him think I’m trying, really I’m making my plans to leave.

Ever since I’ve 100% known I’ve suspected everything he says and does, it’s making me physically ill with painful tension in my neck and feeling sick but I know it’s temporary, I couldn’t life like this forever.

He says he still loves me, but he’ll never stop this cheating cycle, I’m walking away asap.

MrsFCastle · 09/01/2026 06:51

Thanks for taking the time to reply. I’ve read them all multiple times through the night. I’m 6months pregnant with our first and just found out he’s been cheating for at least a year. Don’t think the gravity of it has sunk in yet. 😩

OP posts:
Highlighta · 09/01/2026 06:58

AnnaQuayInTheUk · 09/01/2026 06:01

Not personal experience but one of my friends has managed to rebuild her marriage after her husband cheated. He had an affair for 7 years with one of their friends.

She initially threw him out but after a few months they worked through it and managed to move forward. It wasnt easy for them. It's now been over 10 years and they seem happy.

Perhaps she seems happy on the outside.

I am quite sure that the trust is not the same anymore and how she feels and how she seems can be two very different things.

I know this for fact. I have been there.

Highlighta · 09/01/2026 07:02

MrsFCastle · 09/01/2026 06:51

Thanks for taking the time to reply. I’ve read them all multiple times through the night. I’m 6months pregnant with our first and just found out he’s been cheating for at least a year. Don’t think the gravity of it has sunk in yet. 😩

What a bastard! I am so sorry OP.

Do you have support around you?

Does he know you know?

MrsFCastle · 09/01/2026 07:07

Seeing friends tonight. Yeah he initially denied it but then admitted it.

OP posts:
Angrybird76 · 09/01/2026 07:11

I'm so sorry. Another one here who was married for 12 years (together 5 years before that) to a serial cheater and coercive controller. He eventually left me for someone else which was the best thing that happened to me as I was so low by that point I felt I could never leave. I advocate strongly for women to maintain their independence in their career due to my experiences. My career and financial independence got me through, it IS possible for people to recover but is he exception rather than the rule. The key is, what is he doing about it? Is he doing everything to gain your trust is he severing all ties with the other woman? Is he giving you all access to passwords and phones? Is he willing to go to counselling. All the work needs to be done by him. My ex would never do this and I should have left. You will know by his reaction. Take your time, get counselling yourself and make plans. If you do stay, ensure you have your independence. Good luck you will be fine xx

Changingplace · 09/01/2026 07:26

MrsFCastle · 09/01/2026 06:51

Thanks for taking the time to reply. I’ve read them all multiple times through the night. I’m 6months pregnant with our first and just found out he’s been cheating for at least a year. Don’t think the gravity of it has sunk in yet. 😩

I don’t think the real level of deception has sunk in here yet either, I know it deep down but I feel like if I allow myself to think too deeply I’ll fall apart and I need to keep going so on a practical level I can make my plans and leave.

I’m so sorry this is happening to you, you and your baby both deserve better.

TheMentalMentalLoad · 09/01/2026 07:33

I’m so sorry you are going through this @MrsFCastle

I doubt you’ll ever believe another word out of his mouth. A lack of trust eats a relationship alive, from the inside due to the poison it brings.

Not a single person will judge you whatever you do however my advice would be; do not let the last man you love be one that has and will do this.

You will be fine as a single parent, in so many ways it’s easier than being in a relationship with children. I’ve done both.

ArtfulTaupeGoose · 09/01/2026 08:18

I'm so sorry to hear what you're going through.

My situation was very different to yours, married 25 years, OH had 6 week affair.
We are still together, and I am happy we are.

In your situation I don't think I would be anywhere near as forgiving.

Take a look at survivinginfidelity.com which has some excellent advice.

Odiebay · 09/01/2026 14:27

Get yourself over to surviving infidelity website. You will see millions of stories like yours. These are people trying to "survive" infidelity whether they stay together or not.

Personally I think there is a special place in hell for men who cheat on their partners who are pregnant. Also please get an std check. He has put you and your baby at risk and that's something i could personally never come back from.

Taraaa · 09/01/2026 14:35

I was cheated on also while pregnant and over a long period. We also had a long shared history together and 2 children. Everyone’s circumstances are different, but some people do manage to rebuild together. Sorry you are going through this.

Taraaa · 09/01/2026 14:39

Sorry forgot to say I stayed. It took many years of hard work from us both to rebuild, but we are happy together 20 years on and I think bizarrely we always were. I think these things are it always black and white, people are not black and white, so maybe I am also more open minded and being cheated on is not the worst things that can happen to me.

Ihaveoflate · 09/01/2026 14:50

It's a very personal decision to stay or not and depends very much on an number of variables, so I'm not sure if knowing other people's experience is useful.

Having said that, I stayed after my husband had an affair (6 month emotional which turned physical for the last 2 months). That was over three years ago and I don't regret giving him another chance. I completely trust him not to do it again, but that's by the by. The most important thing is that I now trust myself to act decisively should anything like that happen again. Our marriage will never be the same and in some ways that's a good thing. I am much more pragmatic (and detached) about the relationship and I know that he will forever regret what he did because of it.

I found the surviving infidelity website really useful in the early days and I had some therapy after about a year (when I moved into the anger phase!).

SapphireBeau · 09/01/2026 15:24

Hey op
I just wanted to send you hugs. I have chosen to try to reconcile with my H after an emotional affair and its not going great (I posted earlier as i needed to vent) but ive tried. I dont regret trying.

In your situation im so sorry hes done this. No one will judge you no matter what you decide. To do it when you are pregnant is really low. Definitely recommend surviving infidelity, im on there but haven't posted for a long while, i did in the early days. The advice and files on there are really helpful. Huge hugs xxxx

Rhaidimiddim · 09/01/2026 15:25

He cheated twice more, and then I left him.

EarthSight · 09/01/2026 15:33

The reason why people can't let it go, and usually can obsess over the cheating or adulterous behaviour over a period of years, even decades, is because something crucial has changed in their understanding of who their partner is.

You'll know if it's fundamental if someone asked you 'So with this information, would you have gone on a first date with him if you knew he was going to do 'x' to you in future?'

If the answer is 'no', its unlikely you'll ever get over it.

A break in trust, such as cheating, lying or abuse is like a drop of potent poison in an otherwise healthy pool. Washing that out is often impossible and what usually happens is that the person that's been betrayed staggers on in the relationship for a few years before finally accepting they'll never get over it.

Also please know that many men don't want to leave their wives because they want to have a soft, suitable landing pad so they can monkey branch their way from one relationship to another. It's possible he hasn't found his yet, even if he says he regrets cheating.

And, they don't want to be seen doing the leaving. They're cowards and will progressively take the piss in various ways until you decide to take the emotional responsibility on your own shoulders, and finally leave. Be careful that won't be you.