How to be a supportive partner?
Ladies of Reddit! How can I be the best supportive partner of a pregnant women. A little back story the mother of my unborn child is 19 weeks pregnant(we dated for 1year and this pregnancy pretty much ripped are relationship apart). Things between her and I have been very rocky for the past 2 months. I went to her 16 week appointment and found out we are having a boy. She has decided I shouldn't be at the 22 week appointment. I want to know what things I can do to be supportive even though she is pushing me away. At 9 weeks I sent her a care package filled with dark chocolate, 2 books, crackers, and body lotion. At 13 weeks I sent her a dehumidifier to help her with the dry apartment she lives in. At 16 weeks I sent her a maternity pillow. I have offered to clean her house for or anything that she would need done. I would much rather be there for emotional support but she won't let me at this time. Any suggestions of things to send to her or do for her would really help.
Thanks ladies, A concerned Baby daddy
Edit: A little more info about the back story
Well first off we dated for a little less then a year. I was finishing up my last year of college and this was a long distance relationship. We lived 2.5 hours for one another. I say this because we had a very loose relationship in that she never wanted to call me her boyfriend because of the distance and me being somewhat unavailable sometimes due to school. We did things for one another that a normal couple would do for each other in a relationship care packages, mix cds, notes, emails, txts, phone calls, me sending her flowers and chocolates , ect. Things people would do in a normal relationship. I mention all of this because around the same time of the conception date she slept with her ex boyfriend yep...zing. So pretty much in a matter of a 2 mins she told me she was pregnant, she slept with her ex, and the child may not be mine. I took everything pretty well at first, this kind of boiled overboard when we got into a heated argument on new years. She said some nasty things and I said some nasty things. (after the argument on new years) I asked the next day if she Considered an abortion or adoption she said No and I left it at that. I never pressed only asked a responsible question if she considered alternatives to keeping the baby. So after this I wanted to try to make things work between us but all my efforts seemed to be pushing her away. We got over the argument on new years and we were pretty good up until mid February. When we went to visit her parents. She was a complete bitch to me that weekend. I mean a complete bitch wouldn't say a word to me. I was nothing but nice trying to make a good impression for her mom and step dad. So this all leads me to where I'm now. Are communication has been terrible she asked me not to be in our childs life which was pretty devastating to hear her say she also said she sees nothing positive coming from having me in her life. At this time I took her off my facebook account in retrospect I did it out of hurt and me still having strong emotions for her. It was really hurting me seeing her status updates and all that. So I thought it was best for my own sanity and the child's for her and I to keep some distance from the personnel space of facebook. She was pretty hurt that I would do something like? No clue why. We haven't talked much in the past 3 weeks and its been able to help me clear my own mind. 2 weeks ago I sent her the maternity pillow and she thanked me and asked if I wanted to meet up for lunch. I was down for it and we will probable meet up this weekend or next. She has an app April 2nd that she asked me now to be at. I was fine with and understood if she didn't want me there.
Sorry for the grammar I just woke up from work. Any other question Ill try to answer. Thanks (m) 24 (f) 23
Posted Mar 25, 2012, 12:34 AM UTC · edited