My [26F] STBX[26M] doesn't want me to breast feed our baby because it means he won't get to see her as often because she will need me.
So to make a long story short, I am 22 wks pregnant with our first child. My husband has consistently belittled me, talked down to me, lied to me, etc. I wasn't confident in our marriage when we got pregnant and we had originally always agree'd on termination. He insisted on keeping the baby or else he would leave. I didn't stay true to my original plans and decided to keep the baby thinking he will be a great provider. He turned out to be quite the opposite and has since destroyed my self esteem throughout the past 22 weeks. I'm at my wits end, and I am no longer in love with him. So I am moving out in a month or so and we are just going to have to co-parent. We have tried couples counseling. I have tried telling him why I'm so hurt and why I feel like leaving him is my only option. The only things he really has to say is that I'm over reacting, I should forget about things in the past, and that I'll be nobody without him. So my mind is made up. I can't stay with someone who is making me lose confidence in myself at such a scary time. But he is making it very difficult. He basically demanded I stay until the baby is born. He is demanding that he gets complete 50/50 custody immediately after the baby is born. When I told him I planned on breast feeding (which isn't new information..) He laughed at me and said I wasn't breast feeding. He said it's really hard and painful and I can't handle pain so I won't be able to do it.. When I insisted because it's the best for our child, he got mad and said I shouldn't anyways because then the baby will have to stay with me and he won't be able to take the baby overnight. I'm really irked by this.. I'm trying so hard to be civil through this heart breaking ordeal but he has just turned into such a mean and vile person. I never thought he would put his wants before what is best for our baby, but everytime I say "doing that would only be harmful to our child" He say's I am being manipulative. I'm really upset. I told him he could come and see her anytime he wanted and help out whenever he wanted.. But the baby has to be with it's mother. It's biology.. And he told me that was bullshit. It's also worrying because he is a very heavy sleeper and barely wakes up when I shake him. I don't know how he expects to have a newborn stay the night with him. I understand where he is coming from. He wants to be here for our baby. I want him there for her too. But our marraige is just too far gone and for my sanity I can't stay with him. I would never deny him his rights to see his girl, but what he is demanding seems very wrong. Any advice is really appreciated.. tl;dr** Husband and I are separating. He demands that I wait to move out until after the baby. When I told him that's not an option, he told me I can't breast feed because then he won't be able to see the child. Not sure what is right or wrong here.
Posted Feb 17, 2017, 3:47 AM UTC