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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To expect husband to feed baby on the weekends?

116 replies

Gemmy96 · 08/03/2025 09:23

I am a SAHM who looks after dc (1yo) from Monday to Friday solo. This includes all meals, with the exception of a few dinners a week, all cooking, all baby groups, all medical appointments, etc. All the usual SAHM things. My husband goes out to work Monday to Friday. We have just had our usual Saturday morning row because he wants to lie in (as if I ever get to!) and is whining about me asking him to feed the baby. The issue is, apparently, that he never gets a full day off. AIBU?

OP posts:
Keepitrealnomists · 08/03/2025 11:10

Your allowing yourself to be treated badly, was being a SAHM a joint decision or were you bullied into it or wanted to be a SAHM?
As a women with 2 young DC, we both have professional jobs and work FT, have a cleaner and share lie ins at the weekend. We are a team. Your team mate sees you as maid and nanny. I would consider your work and husband options..

SoMauveMonty · 08/03/2025 11:10

Iamallowedtodisagreewithyou · 08/03/2025 09:49

Yeah.

Not happening.

Sometimes we have to push back a bit with the people in our lives. Firmly, politely, and robustly.

Yes and sooner rather than later, before it's "our dc is 4 and i've never had a day to myself because dh is either in bed or out at a hobby when he's not at work." See that too many times on here.
And if he thinks caring for your dc isn't work, do as a pp suggested, get a weekend job and leave him to it with dc

Sassybooklover · 08/03/2025 11:08

Sadly, many people think a SAHM/D as an 'taking the easy option' and that looking after children/home somehow makes them a less of a person. If you're in a relationship, regardless if you're married or not, you're supposed to work as a team. Squabbling over 'who is the most tired' or 'who works harder' is juvenile and not in the least helpful. Before having a baby, couples need to be honest about their expectations. If your partner is expecting to work full-time, and do absolutely nothing to help in the home or parent the baby, then his view of family life is not reality. The reality is, you do need to participate in helping your partner, the one you supposedly love, in the home and parenting. To think one person should do this 24/7 365 days per year, because he 'works' is selfish. Honestly, I do wonder what goes through some men's mind! They are grown adults, yet their attitude is immature. My husband would allow me a lay in on a Saturday and I'd allow him on a Sunday. Some weekends, he'd let me have both days, especially if my son had me up at all hours during the week. My husband worked full-time (still does) and therefore I did all the getting up at night during the week, and he would take over on a Friday/Saturday night. It's called team work!

TheMeasure · 08/03/2025 10:59

So, if he works Monday-Friday and "needs" downtime at the weekend, presumably he views childcare as too much hard work?
So how come it's not "too much hard work" for you to do 24/7 with no downtime from it at all?
He's a dick. Tell him he needs to pull his finger out and do some parenting with his child.

BIossomtoes · 08/03/2025 10:58

EmmaOvary · 08/03/2025 09:56

You’re allowing him to go to work by taking on full time childcare, sacrificing your pension and career progression.

There, fixed it.

This argument is trotted out all the time on MN and it’s completely illogical. He’d still be working if she wasn’t a SAHP.

AxolotlEars · 08/03/2025 10:57

If you are a SAHM consider it a forty hour a week job. It absolutely doesn't mean 24 hours a day. If you are doing 8 hours a day as your 'job' all the other hours need to be shared or worked out in some way. I always did night feeds because I was breast feeding. My husband did baths. I cooked, my husband cleared up, until the kids were old enough to help. It's not a strict decision of labour but an ebb and flow. We are all working together for everyone's good. Your husband seems to be thinking like a single man with no family responsibility

mindutopia · 08/03/2025 10:52

Also if your baby is bottle fed, there is absolutely no reason he can’t be doing night feeds during the week or getting up with the baby some mornings in the week.

What do you think two working parents do? There isn’t some mythical 3rd one to drop in and do everything so they can sleep and not be disturbed because work. No, they get up and do it and then they get up and go to work. I was doing half the nights and still getting up at 5:30am for my 3 hour commute to London and not getting home til 7pm and then straight into bedtime and night wakings. Obviously, if you are a SAHM, it’s your ‘job’ to do most of it, but that doesn’t mean he can’t do some of it, just like all the other working parents.

Penguinmouse · 08/03/2025 10:50

Blushingm · 08/03/2025 10:43

So you want a day off? But he's not allowed one?

They're both your kids ffs. Take it in turns if you're that petty about it

That’s literally what the OP asked for…her husband wants a lie in both days! He’s the one being selfish, not her.

Mumofoneandone · 08/03/2025 10:50

Gemmy96 · 08/03/2025 09:26

Because the other adult wants to lie in both days.

If he gets a lie in both days ... He has to trade it off with something else ie he has to take DC out for a couple of hours in the afternoon, so you have some breathing space. Or he does something else, but basically he can't opt out of parenting because he works and you are a SAHP

CurlewKate · 08/03/2025 10:46

@Blushingm "They're both your kids ffs. Take it in turns if you're that petty about it"

It is absolutely not petty to want some completely down time.

Blushingm · 08/03/2025 10:43

So you want a day off? But he's not allowed one?

They're both your kids ffs. Take it in turns if you're that petty about it

CurlewKate · 08/03/2025 10:40

We used to divide the weekends into 6 chunks of time. We each got two chunks completely child free. That usually meant he had two lie ins because I hate staying in bed, and I had one evening and one afternoon. During our child free chunks of time we did NOTHING child related at all unless we actually wanted to.

Dampfnudeln · 08/03/2025 10:39

DH was SAHD whilst I went to work FT. We took it in turns at the weekend for a lie in. It was never even a discussion because we appreciated each other's contribution.

Zonder · 08/03/2025 10:39

Nothatgingerpirate · 08/03/2025 09:50

He's keeping a whole family financially secure.
You are a SAHM.
Before anyone says "so what, it isn't 1950" - so what if he decided not to do this and walk away?
Jump and feed your (supposedly wanted) baby.

Seriously?

We have two full time working parents here - OP who is FT working at home as a mum and her DH who is FT working out of the home.

Should he get preferential treatment? Is that because he's male or because he brings in money?

Gamerlady · 08/03/2025 10:33

He needs to step up and feed his baby. He doesn't get to decide he has a lie in. He should be telling you to stay in bed. Looking after a young baby is very tiring. When do you actually have a rest , let me guess when baby sleeps.

SouthLondonMum22 · 08/03/2025 10:33

What does he actually bring to the table? I wouldn't be prepared to be a SAHM if it meant he thinks he can completely opt out of parenting his own child and won't even feed them at the weekend.

I'd look at going back to work and divorcing DH.

Pippinsdiary · 08/03/2025 10:33

We’ve always done I get a lie in Saturday, my husband on Sunday. It’s very simple, 2 people, 2 days, 2 lie ins

Rainbowclouds101 · 08/03/2025 10:32

I feel like the most judgmental people towards SAHM’s are their own partners. “I work all day so I have it harder, I work during the week so I want the weekends off, I pay the bills and you get to stay at home”

isnt it funny that the people who are meant to be the biggest support, the same people that make SAHM’s feel like they’re nothing.

My friend is going through this at the moment, her DH being nasty towards her because it’s busy at his job right now, he keeps saying she’s got the easy life being at home with 2 kids and doing everything at home.

Obviously not all DH’s are like this.

AnneLovesGilbert · 08/03/2025 10:30

You both seem to have a lot going on.

PLHJ84 · 08/03/2025 10:29

We nearly divorced over the same
issue -
wish i had!

Qwee · 08/03/2025 10:29

OP, you have had a child with a selfish prick.
Huge mistake.
Do not have another child with him.
Return to work and look at the reality of remaining with him if this is who he is.
Life is too short.

Stop cooking and ironing for him.
Stay close to family and friends.
Selfish men very rarely change.

Rainbowclouds101 · 08/03/2025 10:28

Aalasya · 08/03/2025 10:24

And she is keeping a whole baby cared for. What the fuck is your point?
SAHMs are not lesser beings and working parents still have to parent.

Yep! I’m actually not a SAHM, I work part time. I don’t get home on my days I work expecting to do nothing. Imagine if me and DH both came back home from working and neither of us did anything for baby?

SAHP’s constantly get called lazy, I find looking after my toddler on my days off work just as tiring as a full days work in the office.

When we’re both home, childcare is 50-50. I have a lie on Saturday, DH Sunday.

Aalasya · 08/03/2025 10:26

Edenmum2 · 08/03/2025 10:02

Who does any night wakings? I'm a sahm in your position and I get a lie in ok both days because I do bedtime and night wakes. If I didn't get these lie ins I think I'd file for divorce

Yep ditto. I make sure DH gets nine unbroken hours every night. He then facilities a lie in for me on Sat and Sun, when I've had a broken night's sleep like I do every night.

thepariscrimefiles · 08/03/2025 10:25

Nothatgingerpirate · 08/03/2025 09:50

He's keeping a whole family financially secure.
You are a SAHM.
Before anyone says "so what, it isn't 1950" - so what if he decided not to do this and walk away?
Jump and feed your (supposedly wanted) baby.

That's a nasty dig about the 'supposedly wanted baby'. SAHMs to young children still deserve some time off and a lie in at the weekend. OP wants them each have a lie in at the weekend but her (supposedly) DH wants to lie in on both days while OP gets up with the baby.

If he decides to walk away because he doesn't get a lie in on both weekend days, he is an absolute dick and a terrible father. He should enjoy some alone time with his baby at the weekend but he obviously doesn't want to do this.

Aalasya · 08/03/2025 10:24

Nothatgingerpirate · 08/03/2025 09:50

He's keeping a whole family financially secure.
You are a SAHM.
Before anyone says "so what, it isn't 1950" - so what if he decided not to do this and walk away?
Jump and feed your (supposedly wanted) baby.

And she is keeping a whole baby cared for. What the fuck is your point?
SAHMs are not lesser beings and working parents still have to parent.