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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Or is my husband - doesn't want sex unless stop cosleeping with DC

792 replies

dhnosex · 06/11/2024 22:53

DC is just under 3. Cosleeps with us for about half a year now.
I love the cosleeping - it leads to more sleep for me and in all honesty I love waking up to the tiny sleepy face or the little hugs I get in the middle of the night, DH not so much - he occasionally gets woken up by DC turning over in the night and DH believes a bed should just be for parents.
We have a large and comfortable sofa (for sex or to sleep in) and a spare bedroom (which, in fairness is full of clutter and used as a storage room but has a bed).
DH has declared that he is uncomfortable having sex when a toddler is in our bed. Understandable. To my suggestion that there are other places to have sex he's said he just likes it in a bed, after a cuddle rather than a scheduled walk to the second bedroom or on the sofa.
DC sleeps through the night when we cosleep but wakes up every couple of hours if we sleep apart. Inevitably I'm the one that has to resettle DC if they wake up because DH absolutely can't (DC will not go back to sleep, just gets more agitated). If we were to end cosleeping I'd just end up marching back and forth between our room and DC's all night, or camping in DC's room.
So... who is being unreasonable? Him for wanting DC out of our bed and threatening no sex until I do or me for not wanting to kick DC out? What solutions do I have? I do want sex, in theory could easily live without it but it's not great for a marriage to be sexless.

OP posts:
adriftinadenofvipers · 07/11/2024 00:21

NiftyKoala · 07/11/2024 00:16

I agree. The biggest mistake I ever made was co sleeping. Sure the little face and cuddles are sweet. But then you get a child who doesn't want to sleep alone, you feel touched out, and you don't sleep well. I'm sure some people don't have these issues but I did. At 14 my dd still shows up in my room from time to time. I hate it.

Bollocks. I co-slept with all three of mine. They moved into their own rooms aged 18 months, 4 years and nearly 5. They never looked back and I regret nothing!

Futurascope · 07/11/2024 00:21

first, I would say it’s time to stop cosleeping. At this age, they really need to be settling themselves back to sleep.

if you’re adamant not to do that, then I would settle toddler to sleep in a double bed in his room/spare room. Then when he is asleep, go to bed with your husband in your room. Have intimate time as desired.

on toddler’s first wake up, you can then move into toddler’s double bed, and it is just one wake up and move in the night.

adriftinadenofvipers · 07/11/2024 00:20

Nanny0gg · 06/11/2024 23:51

Why hasn't the 'spare' room been turned into the child's room?

Then they may want to sleep in it

Maybe because the child's mum is happy to still co-sleep with her child? I was. I bloody loved it.

TheWonderhorse · 07/11/2024 00:18

SouthLondonMum22 · 07/11/2024 00:12

OP said that DH can't settle his child, not that he won't. I suppose it depends on how that goes. Does he make a half hearted attempt before leaving it all to OP or does OP jump in and take over before DH is given a chance to settle him? It's impossible to say unless OP comes back.

It sounds like he's never approved of co-sleeping so may be annoyed because of that too.

If he's not able to settle his child then he needs to work on that. Maybe then they can sleep train between them?

It's mad that everyone is putting this parenting problem all on the woman of the relationship, while poor incapable Dad just provides criticism and punishment. Why is that okay?

Theextraordinaryisintheordinary · 07/11/2024 00:17

You and your son should sleep in the spare room and you visit your husband for sex. That way it’s fair.

NuffSaidSam · 07/11/2024 00:17

Marblesbackagain · 06/11/2024 23:38

It is not the norm here in the western world where the op is.

So?

Something being the norm doesn't mean it's right does it?

NiftyKoala · 07/11/2024 00:16

SleeplessInWherever · 07/11/2024 00:04

I don’t support OP, I think everyone should be back in their own beds. As I mention earlier, we’re currently trying to stop co-sleeping, and it’s horrendous. I completely understand why her DH would like his bed back, I’d like my partner to be able to stay in ours.

It is teamwork, but for me step one of that teamwork involves a transition out of cosleeping.

I agree. The biggest mistake I ever made was co sleeping. Sure the little face and cuddles are sweet. But then you get a child who doesn't want to sleep alone, you feel touched out, and you don't sleep well. I'm sure some people don't have these issues but I did. At 14 my dd still shows up in my room from time to time. I hate it.

SouthLondonMum22 · 07/11/2024 00:12

TheWonderhorse · 07/11/2024 00:06

Of course it's his bed. But it's also his child and he is currently taking no responsibility for the sleep training and withholding sex until his wife figures it all out on her own.

OP said that DH can't settle his child, not that he won't. I suppose it depends on how that goes. Does he make a half hearted attempt before leaving it all to OP or does OP jump in and take over before DH is given a chance to settle him? It's impossible to say unless OP comes back.

It sounds like he's never approved of co-sleeping so may be annoyed because of that too.

AgainandagainandagainSS · 07/11/2024 00:11

TheWonderhorse · 07/11/2024 00:08

Is everyone forgetting that the child is his too. It's like the 1950s in here.

Of course it’s his. And he wants the child out of the marital bed, and settled in his own. Perhaps would help bring that about. But wife is blocking that from happening.

TheWonderhorse · 07/11/2024 00:08

AgainandagainandagainSS · 07/11/2024 00:07

And you wonder why he is fed up? Most men would be thoroughly pissed off to be kicked out of their bed and sex on hold because you refuse to train your child to sleep in his own bed and put your excessive attachment to your child above your marriage.
Sex is a normal and healthy part of a marriage.

Is everyone forgetting that the child is his too. It's like the 1950s in here.

AgainandagainandagainSS · 07/11/2024 00:07

dhnosex · 06/11/2024 23:16

No, we just don't have sex

And you wonder why he is fed up? Most men would be thoroughly pissed off to be kicked out of their bed and sex on hold because you refuse to train your child to sleep in his own bed and put your excessive attachment to your child above your marriage.
Sex is a normal and healthy part of a marriage.

TheWonderhorse · 07/11/2024 00:06

SouthLondonMum22 · 07/11/2024 00:04

Because it's his bed too. Kicking him out of it shouldn't be an option and certainly isn't teamwork either.

Part of the agreement could be DH agreeing to work together to sleep train or at least start 3yo out in his own bed so they can have a few hours alone in bed together.

Of course it's his bed. But it's also his child and he is currently taking no responsibility for the sleep training and withholding sex until his wife figures it all out on her own.

TheWonderhorse · 07/11/2024 00:04

TheShellBeach · 07/11/2024 00:02

Some marriage!

YABU.

He's the one refusing the sex. He will only have it in one spot and only at one time of day. Boring!

SouthLondonMum22 · 07/11/2024 00:04

TheWonderhorse · 06/11/2024 23:55

What about other people's wants? Why is this particular issue one where his wants trump everyone else's?

For ops dh there's no solution where he has to do anything, which is convenient. She has to meet the child's needs differently and deal with the fallout on her own, so that she can then meet his needs. That's not intimacy, or closeness, or teamwork.

Edited

Because it's his bed too. Kicking him out of it shouldn't be an option and certainly isn't teamwork either.

Part of the agreement could be DH agreeing to work together to sleep train or at least start 3yo out in his own bed so they can have a few hours alone in bed together.

SleeplessInWherever · 07/11/2024 00:04

Wonderlust233 · 07/11/2024 00:00

You can literally just keep flipping your argument to support OP.

It's about teamwork. If DH suggests that OP can have a lie in, nap or early night because of the night waking then that's team work. If he purely just wants the bed and doesn't want to help with night waking then it isn't.

I don’t support OP, I think everyone should be back in their own beds. As I mention earlier, we’re currently trying to stop co-sleeping, and it’s horrendous. I completely understand why her DH would like his bed back, I’d like my partner to be able to stay in ours.

It is teamwork, but for me step one of that teamwork involves a transition out of cosleeping.

JellycatParent · 07/11/2024 00:03

Your 3 year old needs to be in their own bed. It’s really sad when you became a mother you just totally stopped being a woman and a wife too. YABU big time.

TheShellBeach · 07/11/2024 00:02

dhnosex · 06/11/2024 23:16

No, we just don't have sex

Some marriage!

YABU.

CocoDC · 07/11/2024 00:02

dhnosex · 06/11/2024 22:53

DC is just under 3. Cosleeps with us for about half a year now.
I love the cosleeping - it leads to more sleep for me and in all honesty I love waking up to the tiny sleepy face or the little hugs I get in the middle of the night, DH not so much - he occasionally gets woken up by DC turning over in the night and DH believes a bed should just be for parents.
We have a large and comfortable sofa (for sex or to sleep in) and a spare bedroom (which, in fairness is full of clutter and used as a storage room but has a bed).
DH has declared that he is uncomfortable having sex when a toddler is in our bed. Understandable. To my suggestion that there are other places to have sex he's said he just likes it in a bed, after a cuddle rather than a scheduled walk to the second bedroom or on the sofa.
DC sleeps through the night when we cosleep but wakes up every couple of hours if we sleep apart. Inevitably I'm the one that has to resettle DC if they wake up because DH absolutely can't (DC will not go back to sleep, just gets more agitated). If we were to end cosleeping I'd just end up marching back and forth between our room and DC's all night, or camping in DC's room.
So... who is being unreasonable? Him for wanting DC out of our bed and threatening no sex until I do or me for not wanting to kick DC out? What solutions do I have? I do want sex, in theory could easily live without it but it's not great for a marriage to be sexless.

Your DH is being unreasonable. When you cosleep with a child you have sex somewhere else, as you suggested. He can’t insist on it just being on the bed or nothing.

HollyKnight · 07/11/2024 00:02

I think the only solution is to have seperate beds. Your DH doesn't want to co-sleep. So put a double bed/mattress in the child's room and sleep in there with him/her. It will also be easier to transition DC into sleeping on their own when the time comes.

TheShellBeach · 07/11/2024 00:01

You need the Ferber sleep training book, and you need to respect your husband's wish to reclaim his bed for adults only.

TheWonderhorse · 07/11/2024 00:01

BIossomtoes · 06/11/2024 23:59

Why is this particular issue one where his wants trump everyone else's?

Because he’s the other half of the marriage and he gets an equal say. The toddler doesn’t get a say.

Equality doesn't mean one person is more important than the other.

Wonderlust233 · 07/11/2024 00:00

SleeplessInWherever · 06/11/2024 23:56

So should he be evicted from the bedroom so it can continue?

That’s a super quick way to disregard someone, and could lead to some real relationship problems.

You can literally just keep flipping your argument to support OP.

It's about teamwork. If DH suggests that OP can have a lie in, nap or early night because of the night waking then that's team work. If he purely just wants the bed and doesn't want to help with night waking then it isn't.

Sugarnspicenallthingsnaice · 07/11/2024 00:00

dhnosex · 06/11/2024 23:16

No, we just don't have sex

Probably terrified he'll end up with more kids in his bed.

BIossomtoes · 06/11/2024 23:59

Why is this particular issue one where his wants trump everyone else's?

Because he’s the other half of the marriage and he gets an equal say. The toddler doesn’t get a say.

SleeplessInWherever · 06/11/2024 23:56

Wonderlust233 · 06/11/2024 23:53

She wants to sleep with her toddler.
She wants to be able to get rest at night and not have to be woken from a toddler.
She wants to have sex in the spare room or on the sofa instead of in the bedroom.

All valid reasons. Reasons why plenty of people co-sleep.

Maybe we should get the toddlers opinions added too.

So should he be evicted from the bedroom so it can continue?

That’s a super quick way to disregard someone, and could lead to some real relationship problems.