The internet has urged a new mom to leave her partner after he flirted with a co-worker on social media, just six months after having his baby.
In a post shared on Mumsnet last Sunday, the new mom, under the username Mylifeisamess9, said that while home on maternity leave with her six-month-old baby, she discovered her partner had been flirting with a co-worker, sending her private messages about how "good" she looks.
"When asked did he have [the] intention to take things further he says 'possibly, I don't know'," the mom wrote.
"He blames the fact that you had PND [postnatal depression] and he 'couldn't talk to you', and also says he 'just wanted some attention'. He has allegedly deleted all messages and claims he 'can't remember' the content of them. He refuses to give you exact timescales of when these messages were taking place.
"Could you forgive this? I can't stand the sight of him and I want him out," she said.
Fifty-seven percent of men and 54 percent of women admit to committing infidelity in a previous relationship, according to detective agency LA intelligence.
The average affair lasts two years, and 60 percent of affairs start with close friends or co-workers. Only 31 percent of marriages survive an affair.
Americans tend to take a negative view of such behavior, with 84 percent of people finding cheating immoral.
Among the 102 people who left comments on the thread, most urged the new mom to leave the cheating partner.
One user, scorpiogirly, commented: "Sorry you are going through this. But no I couldn't forgive this. Do what is best for you and baby."
Another user, Unicorn717 wrote: "No, I wouldn't forgive that. You've just had his baby and he's treating you like s***. You deserve better."
AnneLovesGilbert said: "No. The trust would be completely broken and he's treating you like an idiot when you're dealing with a new baby and PND. What an absolute bastard."
And Stompythedinosaur added: "It is less about forgiving, and more about discovering what sort of a man he is. Not the sort of man you can count on, certainly, nor the sort [who] actually loves you. So, no, I wouldn't continue a relationship with him, if that is what you are asking."
Newsweek was unable to verify the details of the case.
Have you noticed any red flags that made you end a relationship? Let us know via life@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Maria Azzurra Volpe is a Newsweek Lifestyle Reporter based in London. Her focus is reporting on lifestyle and trends-related stories, ... Read more
