I'm really scared right now and I just need someone to talk to

Throwaway here as my gf knows my reddit username.

I'm in the same exact situation as you right now, but I'm the position of the boyfriend. Me (27M) and my girlfriend (27M) have been together for almost 10 years now, and we are also each other's firsts (I've dated others before her but no sex, I was her first boyfriend). We're both from a different country than the one we reside in now, and although we've been here for around 2 years now, she also doesn't have a lot of friends (mostly acquaintances, most from work and some of them she met through me).

A mutual couple friend of ours recently found out that they were pregnant and it made me think about what we wanted to do with our lives going forward. We've broached the subject of children and a CF life. She told me that she wants to be CF, and has already thought about this for a long time. I've always been indifferent about children, but I feel like now is a good time to really decide on one or the other, as I would love for me and my gf to either agree to be CF or also break up (hence why I'm here browsing this subreddit). Our relationship is also in a standstill as well (we've decided not to communicate with each other, unless it's an emergency, for 3 months, the longest we haven't talked with each other in 10 years).

Some of the things I've thought about these past few months, that your BF might also have thought about:

  • I'm very career driven person. I'm not afraid to say that I love saving, spending, and earning money, along with the pleasures that it brings. I feel like having a child would go against this personality of mine. I like not having a budget and just buying what I want without having to consider anybody else (me and my gf have separate finances)
  • I have a high sexual libido. I feel like having a child would hamper this.
  • I want to go and experience the world. We had just visited Europe last year, and it was amazing. I feel like having children would not allow me to do this, or at the very least, not allow me to this without spending a lot of money (going back to point #1)
  • Whenever I imagine spending a CF life with my gf, I feel myself looking forward to it. Whenever I imagine spending my life with my gf and having kids at some point, I feel really indifferent about it. I feel like I don't want it, but at the same time, I wouldn't mind.
  • I am the eldest of 4 siblings (24F, 20M, 16M). My sister has already declared that she was going to be CF a couple of years ago. I'm afraid that if I choose to be CF my parents would be disappointed in me since I am the eldest (it's a huge deal where I'm from for the eldest to carry the family name, which is why my sister can get away with it). I have a great relationship with them and I don't want that to go away. Case in point, my mother has already been hinting at me and my gf as to when she can expect her grandchild.
  • I'm deathly afraid of regretting being CF. What if I spend around 10 years being CF with my gf and having a ball, and all of a sudden feeling empty and unfulfilled because I have no family of my own. When my parents pass away in the future and my siblings also have gone their own ways, who would be my family? What if I fall out of love with my gf and then I have nobody?

I would love to hear your thoughts on what might be going on in my GF's head, seeing as we're both on the same situation right now - it would be extremely helpful. Also, feel free to ask me anything as well.

/r/childfree Thread