Why is breaking up so hard to do?

Give yourself some time to enjoy your time with your baby. They grow up so fast so take the time to capture the precious moments.

As for your self esteem, take care of yourself, be confident in who you are, take pride in your self and live life with a new increased vigor. Try to go out, make new friends, take the kid to various kid events, and I think you'll find your self esteem return in no time.

Good for you for putting you and your baby first! Take it from me, my friend has 3 kids - yes three. She's 25 with three kids.she gets dates and interested men every month! Seriously, it's all in your attitude and take on life. But give yourself some time to heal first. This was huge, and it will take time before you can separate what he did, versus every other man out there. Focus on your friends and family, and the things that make you happy. Take up hobbies or whatever, but give yourself some time to heal. Go out and get the ego-boosts and pick-up lines you need to get you back to square one. Just keep daddy at bay: and DO NOT GIVE HIM AN INCH! He'll only take a mile. Hang in there :-)

I applaud you for leaving him! I spent 15 years with the same kinda asshole. And it only gets worse. Trust me, it went from names to physical violence. We together have 3 beautiful healthy children. My children are my life and my driving force. I wake up every day and want to be a better person because I am their MOM. He had me as a person so beat down that I had nothing left for me, No value. I found my value in my children. How could I be a fat ugly blah blah blah. When I have the most beautiful children inside and out! I left him because I am somebody. I am a great mom and friend. I have a really happy life now. And I will tell you. I am far from anything he ever said about me. I get asked out a lot. But I am very selective. Again, I am a MOM first! Men will accept you for you and they will love you because you are a good mom. (the right guys) the ones you want to be around. The others do not matter. Trust me baby! Keep your beautiful head up! Believe in yourself and know that GOD wants all good things for you and you beautiful child. Not a drug addicted loser that if full of selfishness and hate. He will one day be sorry. But by then you will be free from him! It is so hard to leave a abuser because they beat you down so low that they make you feel like you deserve it. You get so caught up in fixing it. You do not sit back and wonder if it is even worth being fixed. I am 33 now and divorced. I always thought my ex would straighten up. Never happened. I had to end up putting him in prison when I filed for divorce. He did some pretty terrible things to me. Life is full of unexpected things. How we re-act to things is up to us. YOU DID THE RIGHT THING HONEY! Although I have never met you. I AM VERY PROUD OF YOU! You also learned. You never allow someone to ever hurt you that way again. You are valuable and you are someones mommy. I demand respect now. And I get it. Some guys may think I'm a little witch. But hey! I am not a victim anymore. Choose your friends wisely and watch for the red flags. Make a man treat you the way you would want your daughter to be traitor your son treat his wife. You will never go wrong. And last but not least. Never invest your love, loyalty, friendship, time, feelings. Etc. With those that do not return it the same way. Be blessed and always know your value!

Five years is a long time to be with someone & especially having a child with this person. You need to take time right now for yourself & raising your child in a healthy environment before embarking on another relationship. It is way too soon. You need to work on building your self-esteem & self-worth up & once you have done that & feel you are ready to move on you will not have to worry about some other guy thinking that you are beautiful. He will sence your confidence in yourself & that will speak volumes. You will then be able to find someone worthy of your love & will welcome your child into their life. As time goes on the feelings of pain & anguish will subside & you will become the person you were before. I too, am out of a 4yr relationship with someone who is an alcoholic & I know first hand how that person can kill your self-esteem but, I had to realize at a certain point that I was not responcible for his bad choices & that his addictions were just a symptom of things much deeper within him- they do not think good of themselves so they inject those feelings of insecurity on to us to make themselves feel better but, deep down they know it is them not us that is destroying their lives Be strong- do not blame yourself! Take care of yourself & your child!