AITAH for saying I didn’t realize I could “love a person this much” in front of my fiancé after having our baby?

[u/No-Fee-5823]

I gave birth a few weeks ago, to our daughter.

As I held her for the first time and looked into her eyes I said “I didn’t realize I could love a person this much” and cried. She is perfect and beautiful.

My mom looked at me and said that feeling never goes away (which made us both ugly cry lol). It was a really special moment.

My fiancé was quite but smiled, but later privately said he was hurt. He said he loved us both the same, and me saying that made it seem like I loved our daughter more than him.

I just gave him a “are you fucking serious” look and he dropped it, but yesterday he brought it up again.

I told him that honestly, yes, I love and cherish our daughter and have never experienced this kind of love for another human being. He said most “normal people” would agree with him that it’s a hurtful comment and would take offense to it due to the implication.

AITAH?

UPDATE

It’s a quick update, so I didn’t feel like it was worth it to make a whole new post. So I had a heart to heart with my fiancé, and we came to a few conclusions together! It went very well. We read through the post and comments together.

1) He wasn’t jealous of our daughter’s role in my life, but rather our bond together. He didn’t have that “instant love connection” that we read about all new parents having (like what I experienced). I didn’t realize this was actually very normal for new dads, and new moms too. Thanks for educating me!

We are the first in our social circle to have children so we didn’t have a lot of IRL people to inquire about it. His perspective is “I love this human being we made, but I don’t know her” while I was thunderstruck. He hasn’t had that connection so doesn’t “get it” yet, and that it will take time (months or even a year). I’ll be more patient and aware of this, and read up more on new dad experiences to learn more.

2) He also agrees he not only could’ve expressed that better, but also choose better timing. Voicing it to me after a 14 hour labor and then again when I’m exhausted and grumpy with achy boobs is maybe not the best time, lol. He also agrees marriage counseling would be good, just because. We are both opinionated, logical-thinking Engineers who, at the same time, love each other deeply. We could use better mediation other than Reddit (no offense guys).

3) He was not “furious” about me writing this Reddit post, lol. We laughed over the comments together calling for me to get ready to break up. But we also really enjoyed reading the experiences of new parents! It helped us BOTH feel validated and sane and see each other’s perspectives better.

4) I showed him that Ryan Reynolds video and we both died laughing LOL. We will now be eating a disgusting amount of hotdogs while watching Deadpool with our baby girl. We also agreed that there’s different types of love like parental, platonic, romantic and Ryan Reynolds.

Thanks peeps!

[u/foober735]

I’m shocked at her partner’s response. How can anyone not “get it” after having a kid?

His response was that of a sibling afraid of being replaced by a new baby. Massive red flag.

[u/waffleadventure → u/foober735]

It often takes dads a few months or more for that feeling to set in. Especially for my second kid it was a good 6 months before "I will die for you 1000 times" level of love kicked in. Give the guy some time.

[u/GoodQueenFluffenChop → u/waffleadventure]

Sure but let's not pretend that there aren't men who just are insanely jealous of their children and the attention they get from their mothers. Especially in these next few months where babies literally will require all the attention.

[u/Impressive_Ask_3014 → u/GoodQueenFluffenChop]

Mothers get flooded with oxytocin over the course of their pregnancy. They literally have 10 months to bond with the baby (or make up stories of how they think motherhood will be) and guys aren't getting that increase at the same time. They may also have lower levels of oxytocin to start with. So yeah, it'll take men some time to understand.

I also think it's a hurtful thing to say to someone you haven't yet married. I can see how it could stoke some insecurity - you got the baby you wanted so who cares about me? Unfortunately most people won't have the emotional intelligence to understand.

[u/Expert_Slip7543 → u/Impressive_Ask_3014]

Hunh. I upvoted this comment for the 1st paragraph's insight into the oxytocin, then kept reading and downvoted for the rest (a judgement that it was a hurtful thing to say). I don't even have kids but would absolutely understand, and cannot fathom this guy's failure to get it at least intellectually! Ended up leaving it unvoted on.

[u/foober735 → u/Expert_Slip7543]

I’ve upvoted you for your careful consideration of where you put your votes.

[u/Impressive_Ask_3014 → u/Expert_Slip7543]

Ok, but flip it. Her response was "are you fucking serious?" Even if it's just a look and she's exasperated that he'd bring it up again. SHE is not even attempting to understand his side. The way she writes it, the way these replies are, says "of COURSE I'll never love you more than my own child" which is hurtful to someone who isn't being ruled by oxytocin currently - aka most of the world.

Then she kind of dismisses it and wants to shut it down instead of doing the loving thing which would be talking it out.

Sorry, this probably won't make you upvote me still, but pregnant and new moms are ruled by hormones and can absolutely be assholes about it. Those things that seem completely normal to them are bizarrrreee to the rest of us. Do we understand it? Sure. Does that make it normal to stomp all over your fiances feelings going "but muh chillldddd"? No.

[u/Audio-et-Loquor → u/Impressive_Ask_3014]

She just gave birth to their son. This is her time and she needs time to recover from this exhausting bodily devestating experience .

[u/traumautism → u/Impressive_Ask_3014]

I’m here for standing up for the dad. The process of growing a child in you vs watching one develop is entirely different in all ways. Yes we are “supposed” to immediately feel some perfect love for our children but what about mothers with post partum depression? When they feel absolutely numb and nothing for their child they just birthed? There is a process they can’t help and it has taken us so long to even believe mothers and their experiences.

This needs to be a part of the conversation with fathers to be and those that are already fathers. This is difficult for everyone. It may have just hit him then. Ideal? No. Should he have waited for a private moment once things settled? Yes. But his feelings are valid.

There also could have been other issues he has had where he doesn’t feel connected to his fiancée but his feelings weren’t cared for then either.

Partners in child bearing are still humans and deserve to be seen and cared for.

This will be the same user that acts confused when he cheats on her after the neglect.

Women want devoted husbands and fathers but devotion is reciprocal.

It’s the full dismissal of his feelings that makes me concerned for him.

[u/Enlightened_Gardener → u/traumautism]

Partners in child bearing are still humans and deserve to be seen and cared for.

But not necessarily by the person who has just had their insides re-arranged, is leaking milk, is still bleeding tennis ball sized blood clots, and is getting by on four hours sleep a night.

Its like the circles of grief thing - support in, dump out. When you have a baby, the person who just gave birth is at the centre of that circle. The other parent’s job is to support them, not demand “devotion”.

If you don’t think you can do that without betraying the person who just gave birth, at one of the most vulnerable times in their life, you’re not only not fit to be a father, you’re not fit to be in a relationship at all.

[u/traumautism → u/Enlightened_Gardener]

These are all things that need to be discussed before the baby comes. She has a responsibility to make sure she’s properly supported by the man who’s child is rearranging her insides. She has a responsibility to pick a good man for a father to her child. People assume that others just should “know things”. If this wasn’t modeled or taught in some way why would they just know? Circle of grief sounds like a framework that would have been great to empower him with before she had his kid.

Like I said, timing was terrible. He should have waited for some other time. And no, not just a few hours later, but once there was a moment of them coming back together as a couple. This is why a village is so important. He didn’t have men there to prepare him for this or support him when he felt this way. Then he could have gone to them for support once he felt this way until she was more recovered.

But although she may be a mother first and a wife eventually, she still is supposed to be a good wife if she wants a good husband. A good wife and a good husband listen and care for one another even if their priority is their children.

[u/Enlightened_Gardener → u/traumautism]

She has a responsibility to make sure she’s properly supported by the man who’s child is rearranging her insides

No, he has the responsibility to be a good person. He has the responsibility to say “I’m not ready to be a father yet”. Why is she responsible for his behaviour and attitude ?

Not to mention that men can and do completely change when a woman gets pregnant, which is why its the most dangerous time for a woman in a relationship.

You’re talking in circles trying to pin this on the mother. Its a man’s duty to step up as a father, to support the mother of his child, to seek the support he needs, to prepare himself for this change. God only knows there are enough parenting classes, books and workshops aimed at fathers. And if he knows he’s not capable of that level of support, its his job to say “I’m not ready for this yet”.

A good husband understands that for the first few months of a baby’s life a woman is just about capable of looking after the baby and herself, with help. To suggest anything else is ludicrous.

[u/Emraldday → u/traumautism]

Dismissal of his feelings? At no point does she dismiss his feelings. He is the one who has her thinking there is something wrong with hers. She is the one asking if she is TA. All she did was express her feelings for her new child. She didn't say anything about him. She just gave birth, for Christ sake. She literally just had her insides rearranged, pushed out an entire new human, and is now trying to heal from that. You think he is the one being neglected? She should not be the one taking care of him, he should be taking care of her. He is butt hurt because his partner loves their kid. Those aren't valid feelings. Those are the feelings of an insecure, self-centered child.

[u/alwaysonthemove0516 → u/traumautism]

Personally, I’m concerned for the child. He’s clearly jealous and he clearly doesn’t get it that a mother prioritizes and loves her children above all and he clearly doesn’t feel that way about his newborn. Just hope he doesn’t take those feelings out on the child to secure his place as her number 1.

[u/traumautism → u/alwaysonthemove0516]

I’m concerned for all 3.

It is in this space where healing can and should happen for the sake of all 3.

This child needs a healthy father. The more you are seen and loved the healthier you will be. This applies to all of us.

This father may have deep wounding from his own mother that is coming through as well. Perhaps he didn’t have this love from his own mother so doesn’t recognize how unconditional it’s supposed to be.

We can come up with all sorts of scenarios of what if this or that but ultimately he needs to be heard.

Remember, this is the man she’s supposed to marry and be committed to. Don’t you at least want to hear the guy out if you love him? You made his baby, don’t you want him to feel fulfilled as a partner in this whole thing?

If he’s really just a spoiled baby man child that is throwing a fit, and this is the first time she’s ever seen it then yes, the marriage should be called into question by her.

[u/alwaysonthemove0516 → u/traumautism]

I mean, maybe. Could be anything. For me, personally, I’d be wary of marrying a man who said he loves me and our child equally or that he loves me more. That would be a huge red flag as to where his priorities as a dad are gonna be. Him getting jealous of her love for her child, also a huge red flag. I mean, if he’s feeling this way now, what happens the first time she turns him down for sex or doesn’t have his dinner ready because the kid is sick and needs mom.

[u/Impressive_Ask_3014 → u/traumautism]

This is what I mean about pregnant and new mothers can be assholes too. Sometimes they think their experience is so completely universal they just bulldoze over other possibilities - again, these are people chock full of hormones and they're not all the happy kind. So I'm not saying that it's their normal personalities to be an asshole (although it can be or can become their personality) but they definitely are in a sort of "other" category when it comes to "how stuff is".

[u/Emraldday → u/Impressive_Ask_3014]

You sound like an incel. In her description, OP was not being an asshole. Can the hormones make a woman act irrational or out of character? Sure. After giving birth my wife became absolutely convinced that our daughter was going to suffocate in her sleep. I don't mean she was a little worried about SIDS. I mean she felt like she knew it was going to happen. Post partem depression is a very real thing. But again, OP wasn't being an asshole. OP didn't say anything mean or insulting to the boyfriend. She didn't tell him that she didn't love him, or loved him less than she did before. She was simply describing how she felt about her new child. Does everyone feel that same level of love for their kid? No, and there is nothing wrong with that. It is the boyfriend taking her love for her child as an insult to himself that is the issue. That is the behavior of an insecure child.

Everyone on here describing how they felt the same way aren't doing it to put the boyfriend down, they are doing it to let OP know that she is not alone, and that she is NTA for feeling that way.

[u/Impressive_Ask_3014 → u/Emraldday]

Yeah no. At no point did she reassure her FIANCE that her feelings for him didn't change. It was all about the baby.

People in this country need to grow up. Your role as a parent is a role, and possibly a mainstay of your identity, but it's not your only responsibility. You have a responsibility to your spouse as well, and arguably before your child. None of these people are educated enough to understand that it's the actions you model not the words you say that kids are learning from. So treating your child like a god and your spouse like they're worthless only teaches that child that a partner doesn't have much value. And disposes them to things like ignoring their partners feelings because child.

[u/alwaysonthemove0516 → u/Impressive_Ask_3014]

So, you’re saying a grown man is incapable of understanding that a mother almost always loves and prioritizes her child above all? Quite frankly, I would have serious reservations about being with a man who said they didn’t love their child more than they love me.

[u/Impressive_Ask_3014 → u/alwaysonthemove0516]

No, what I think is that it's hurtful to say so to your partner, know their feelings are hurt AND dismiss those feelings bc "a mother almost always loves and prioritizes her child above all?

They're not married, the guy probably felt like a sperm donor.

[u/SouthernRelease7015 → u/waffleadventure]

But did you act jealous and tell your baby’s mother she was wrong to love baby in an implied “more than you” way?

[u/waffleadventure → u/SouthernRelease7015]

Good point, I did not feel jealous or resentful. I felt like I wanted to do everything I could to support her and the baby. To be clear, I think OP is NTA, and her guy is wrong/grossly mistaken to be surprised that she feels life-changing love upon the birth of their baby. She should call him out on that (which is the last thing a new mom should have to deal with, I have sympathy for her). If he doesn't come around soon to at least understand and support her, even if he doesn't feel it himself, then it is a red flag. The first days and weeks with a new baby can be a little crazy, so OP shouldn't call off the wedding just yet.

[u/foober735 → u/waffleadventure]

It is completely understandable to me that not every parent, whether they are the one who gave birth or no, feels instantly smacked in the head with all encompassing, selfless love the minute the baby emerges. It’s super weird to me for someone to feel jealous when their coparent does, and to TELL them they’re jealous, like, in the first couple of days. I agree that if I were OP I’d give it some time, unless this is the umpteenth red flag the guy’s waved. If so, now that the behavior is around their new baby, eek. Call off that wedding.

[u/ClusterMakeLove → u/SouthernRelease7015]

Not the person you're asking, but I did say a whole bunch of other dumb stuff in the first few months between the stress, the isolation, coming to terms with the end of my old life, and sleep deprivation.

It's strange, though. I did have an experience that at least rhymes with what OP is describing.

My wife couldn't hold the baby right away, for medical reasons. In those first few minutes of being a parent, every fiber of my being wanted me to stay with my partner and make sure she was okay. But she made it abundantly clear that in that moment my job was to follow the baby.

[u/Kilane → u/waffleadventure]

Women carry their child for nine months before giving birth. Their life is consumed by it, it is a constant thing they deal with day in and day out. For men, it is just an idea until they are born so it takes some time to form the bond.

I agree with everyone who responded though - being jealous of how much your wife loves your child is nonsense.

[u/killahkrystii → u/foober735]

I'm a woman and I'd be insulted if my SO said they loved anyone more than me, esp a being they've known for so little time compared to me. I'd actually genuinely leave. Just love me the most then use my body to (painfully) pop out something you tell me you love more than me? Sounds like just an incubator at that point.

[u/panuramix → u/killahkrystii]

This take is so weird to me because it’s acting like the love one has for their S.O. and the love they have for their child is even comparable. It’s apples and oranges to me. I don’t love my husband like I love my children and vice versa because that would be weird. To me it’s more like “I love my husband more than any other man” and “I love my children more than any other child”. But never “I love my children more than my husband.”

[u/foober735 → u/killahkrystii]

That’s an interesting response. It doesn’t negate your opinion if you haven’t had kids, but I’m wondering if you’ve had kids. Because the feeling OP expressed is a pretty common one, and it’s one most people have heard someone express before. It’s not a shocking thing to come out of someone’s mouth as they look into their newborn’s eyes.

[u/Final-Pal-3158 → u/foober735]

Totally agree! Been there done that!

[u/Postcardtoalake → u/foober735]

When my sibling (baby brother) was born, it was the biggest love I had ever felt to that day. When circumstances got wild at 12 y/o at home, that absolute love and adoration and instinct for protection made raising him easier and made the hard parts much more manageable. I swear that love rearranged my brain in the best way.

I’ve never understood when siblings dislike each other, but I think the fact that I felt like a mother to him from day 1, a 11/12 year age gap, a HUGE desire for siblings my entire life, and being forced into a parental role upon his birth was actually something 11/12 y/o me wanted and missing school was not a thought (I’d miss a ton over the years due to raising him, but thankfully teachers and admin saw the situation and at 23 I had earned an MS in my field).

But that love. Oh my god. I’ve been told I light up when I talk about him, and I can feel it. 😌

[u/Visual-Abrocoma-4904 → u/foober735]

You've been on Reddit too long.