(Part1) Hi. I've asked several questions here and I usually get some seriously helpful replies. But now I'm faced with a problem that is hurting me so much. I've been seeing this guy for a while now. I have a daughter who is two, and he loves her
(Part two) As if she is his. I see he has huge potential to be a wonderful father. I love him dearly and I would want to have kids with him and it scares me. How do I approach him about this? Its seriously flaring my anxiety anytime we even see a baby. He just means so much to me and I dont want to lose him as I have been clean from self harm with his help. Please help me:( *tag as pregnancyproblem
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It really is great that you have found this blog useful in the past!! It is amazing the way he is with your daughter and I am really glad you have found someone that treats her like that and makes you feel like starting a family with.
All I can do is try my best to understand how hard this must be for you. However my mum is a single parent and I know how hard dating has been for her. I would recommend sitting down with him and talking to him about your future, maybe order a takeaway, have a glass of wine, something to just relax you and to help make you feel more comfortable. Maybe watch a film about pregnancy or starting a family? or about family life, which may help to casually bring up the subject of starting a family, talk about how you feel, and ask how he is feeling. Take deep breathes and ask his what he would think about starting a family with you. Maybe mention that there is no rush, but its something you would like to do with him in the future.
Whenever you get anxious just keep taking deep breathes, remind yourself that this thought is not rational, carry something around with you that you could squeeze, or play with when you get anxious, imagine all the anxiety flowing from your body into that object, letting it go, focusing on your breathing.
Talking to him about starting a family will not result in losing him. It may scare him a little if he is not ready for that, but as long as you make it clear that there is no rush, and it is just something you would like to happen in the future.
I am extremely proud of you for staying clean from self harm, and for future reference, I know how hard it can be to stay clean after losing someone that means a lot to you, but you need to remember that person should not be able to hold that much power over you, self harm is just a coping mechanism and you need to keep using the ones youve been using to stay clean in order to deal with whatever happens to you, I believe in you sweet pea.
I really hope everything works out for you, lots of love,