r/Parenting•
Helpme0011

Baby attached to abusive husband

Newborn 0-8 Wks

Hey guys,

I just had my baby 5 weeks back. She came 2 weeks early and was in NICU for 3 days. My abusive husband got to spend a lot of time with her in NICU (2-3 hours per day) while I couldn't due to emergency c-section complications (max 30 mins-1 hour per day). When we got discharged, I fed her every time while he would change her when I was bed-ridden the first 2 weeks.

Quickly want to share his actions the first 3 weeks after we got discharged from the hospital-

  1. He would only give me food once a day because he was too tired/haven't eaten myself/ask you mom to cook for you etc.
  2. My parents couldn't come to help as my dad had to go through emergency back surgery a week before my delivery. My husband would say- your dad broke his back, that's his problem. They should have arranged for childcare for us if they are not able to come help us.
  3. Called my mom selfish because she wont leave my dad alone to come help us.
  4. Would ignore me asking for water and make me wait all day for one bottle of water. When he heard me complaining to friends over the phone, he would keep whole 36pack of water bottles on the floor so I have to bend down to get a bottle. Despite my doctor telling him clearly not to make me bend forward or do any household work due to c-section complications.
  5. He would scream at me if I took more than 5 minutes in the bathroom. This would wake the baby up who would end up crying the next few hours.
  6. Would call me abusive names if my baby woke up or cried at all.
  7. Once I was able to walk a little bit after 2 weeks, he completely stopped all help and would make me do everything by myself. Like going downstairs to get food, water, baby formula, etc. I was stuck in upstairs bedroom as we had water damage in half of the home downstairs just a week back and it wasn't cleaned after the restoration company left.

There's more but here's my worry.

For some reason, my baby responds to him as if he's her mother. She would turn her head all the way looking for him if she hears him. She buries her head into his chest whenever he holds her. Looks at him with so much wonder. Today she swatted my hand away when he was handing her over to me and again buried her face in his chest.

It would have been fine had our relationship been normal. Infact initially I wanted her to bond with him well, in case if I ever die early given fibromyalgia and all other chronic autoimmune diseases I have, she would at least have a father she loved. I would google search and tell him all the ways father can bond with the baby, But now, what I am left with is an abusive husband and a baby who is bonded with the abusive husband way more than anyone else. I worry she might become like him or end up joining him to abuse me the rest of my life. Help!

Posted Mar 25, 2023, 11:57 PM UTC

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