Mice

[suziechan]

Please be gentle with me. This is the first time I've posted here but I'm at my wits end.

We live next to a wood and the other day I saw a large mouse running across our kitchen. I went and bought loads of mouse traps and things. We had mice last year. I had to disinfect everything and throw loads out.

But this time I have a baby. DS1 is 4 and DS2 is four months. So I'm really freaking out

I guess most of this is just backstory. My question is whether I'm overreacting. My DH always says I am. We've just had a massive row because I wanted to pull drawers out and disinfect etc. He kept saying there's nothing more we can do so make your breakfast and calm down.

I know I need to calm down. But he always says stuff to me and I just feel so patronised. He says I'm being silly and overreacting. He says it's just one mouse (when I saw it the other day he said it was just one and on its way through) whereas I think we don't know that. Mice don't tend to just be on their own. I want to get cleaning straight away I feel awful. He says it's a part of living in the country and we should just accept it.

I don't know. I think it might be bigger than just mice. I have been diagnosed with generalised anxiety and had awful pnd with DS1. (I don't feel so bad after DS2 but we've recently moved and the post natal care here is a little lax. I wouldn't feel comfortable discussing it even if I could) DH always calls me illogical when we argue which winds me up as I feel like he's using my anxiety and depression as a reason why I'm clearly in the wrong.

Sorry this has just turned into a ramble. But I've just spent ten minutes outside in the garden because I just can't cope with his shutting me down as if I'm being unreasonable.

YANBU

Mice can spread diseases including salmonella, toxoplasmosis etc. They are incontinent of urine so you need to disinfect anything they may have been in contact with.

I would call pest-control ASAP. When we had mice the pest control team said if you see one running across a room (which we did) the problem is already bad, they will be breeding in large numbers. Traps are useless at this point, you need to tackle the nests. Also check how they got in, ours were getting in through a tiny crack in wall where old washing machine pipe had been removed.

Sorry your DH won't listen. Mine was the same until one jumped out of his jeans (which he'd left on the floor overnight!!)

Just wanted to add, you are not being silly or overreacting re the mice. I suggest showing DH an article about wild mice and disease risk. Also keep an eye out for other signs of an infestation- we noticed a stale smell in house, mouse droppings in cupboards, bits of chewed paper under furniture etc. They even knawed into a packet of contraceptive pills I left on the floor!! (they're attracted to red things that resemble berries!) we heard a lot of scratching at night too as they were breeding in the walls.

Re PND, are you on meds? I found Sertraline helped a lot with PND and postnatal anxiety. I still get anxious but it takes the edge off and I feel more in control.

Hope you get things sorted soon

I live very rurally and I overlook a allotment which is just stunning I think, however I have found RATS living in my garden.

Dirty bastard rats I am moving immediately x

Mice are horrid and they can get in anywhere. I would suggest getting a cat or two. We have only had a mouse once and that was when the cat brought a present home and let it go. Mice are par for the course if you live in the country.
Most people can't help how they feel and his not acknowledging how you feel won't help.

how about a cat? btw, while mice can be a serious problem, I think you are overreacting a bit. Calm down and try to think rationally instead of imagining all sorts of catastrophic scenarios.