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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To be so disappointed in my husband

555 replies

LetItRain88 · 29/09/2017 11:33

So a little over 3 weeks ago I had a horrific birth experience resulting in 4th degree tears. Lost bladder control which is slowly coming back and almost lost bowel/sphincter control but fortunately all seems ok in that department now thankfully.

Still in a fair bit of pain and got quite bad baby blues, but this seems to be subsiding thank god.

Husband and I have been married for almost 6 years, together for 7. We both work full time (me past tense until maternity leave is over). We own our house and wanted to have a baby so we tried and after a number of years I got pregnant Smile I knew it would be hard work, I was under no illusion, but what I didn't expect is to feel like I'm in this all by myself.

I now feel like I have a flat mate who occasionally picks up the baby for a minute or two but other than that doesn't have any interest in him.

I am exhausted naturally from generally having a baby, but the trauma of the birth and the resulting injuries mean I needed a little extra help- but I'm getting literally nothing.

He had taken two weeks annual leave after the baby was born, I presumed to spend time at home helping with DS. But he literally has gone to the gym every single day since the day we came home from hospital for at least 3 or 4 hours a time. If he's not at the gym he is having a nap(!!!!!). And now he's back at work he is still fitting in a number of hours each day at the gym around a full time job. If he decides to have a rare rest day he will spend that time sleeping, not helping with the baby or around the house.

He does cook dinners on the days he isn't on late shift but that was usually what he did anyway before the baby.

Even before he went back to work I've been sleeping in the lounge with the baby while DH sleeps in the bed upstairs. I didn't mind at first because I kinda just presumed that we could take it in turns to do night shifts. But I literally had to ask him if I could please have just one night in bed while he looked after DS (he wasn't at work at this point). He did get a bit huffy but knew he couldn't protest so agreed. I was so excited and thanked him so much so he knew how important it was to me and got myself into bed. He managed it until 4:30am when he came and got me saying it's better to get me now as DS would be waking up for another feed soon so I could just do that and then go back to sleep on the sofa. I protested saying please just let me sleep I need to rest but he got narky so I gave in and got up.

Since DS was born I have asked to sleep in bed twice and both times he got me up at 4 oclock/5oclock ish even tho the second time I asked him to please let me sleep until at least 6am (I'd have loved a lay in but could tell there was literally no point in asking).

I have literally been in tears crying at him this morning because now both DS and I also now have full blown colds. DS can't sleep properly, wakes up every hour or so and I have a massive head ache and sore throat and haven't been able to even wash myself for two days.

He is on late shift today, had a rest day from the gym and instead of saying to me I could have an hour to sleep while he watched DS he had himself a nice long lay in and long shower before getting ready and going to work. His response to my crying was to say "aw babes you're doing a great job". Which is nice of him to say, and he does say it regularly, usually just before he leaves to go to the gym again. But I need physical help.

He says "sleep when baby sleeps", which is easier said than done. I'm trying to get my baby back on breast too (long story to do with the 4th degree tears making it almost impossible to BF at first) and having to bottle feed, wash and sterilise bottles, offer breast to DS and also express. It's like feeding triplets as I'm doing three time consuming things at every feed.

And the house is disgusting. Trying to keep on top of it too while trying to remember to even eat is a task on its own while I have baby blues and pain from stitches and bladder control loss on top of minimal sleep.

I know house work isn't important right now but there is a standard of cleanliness I am not willing to give up on.

I say to him often "I need a bath" or "I've not had a chance to wash since yesterday" or something along these lines but he just goes "oh right" and brushes it off.

I don't feel like I'm expecting too much. An hour in bed here and there, for him to change a nappy for once, offer to do a feed while I eat dinner instead of letting it go cold, not even to run my bath for me but to just say "ok you go get in the bath I'll watch the baby". Maybe do the washing up!?

I mentioned it to him a few days ago that I need more help with the baby and that while I appreciate the gym is important to him his priorities need to change at least for a few months while the baby is so little and I am in such a state while I heal. He got immediately very defensive and quite angry saying he's stressed and it's his only release and he's not willing to stop going or go any less than he already does.

I know there's no point in talking to him about it again, I guess I don't even really know why I'm posting this, I just need to vent I suppose. I am fully at the end of my tether. I don't want to nag him I just want him to know already what is needed- it's not rocket science and he's a clever guy and he does already know, but it's like he's making a point of not letting the baby affect his life in any way.

My mum helps out when she can at the moment but she is moving back to America next week and I have no one else that can help nearby.

Anyway my industrial double breast pump has just been delivered and DS has finally nodded off so I'm gonna go milk myself.

Sleep when the baby sleeps...what a pile of bull Envy

OP posts:
Roomster101 · 29/09/2017 20:57

You're talking rubbish Witty. Spending all his time at the gym when he has a new baby is bad enough but the lack of care and consideration towards his wife who has been seriously injured by childbirth is totally deplorable.

meximess · 29/09/2017 20:59

Op i have torn very badly with my two children - thankfully both times I had an extended stay in a wonderful hospital - my husband was mixed in his response with the first baby but I read him the riot act when he went out for drinks came home drunk and at that stage I couldn't walk up stairs without his help.

I was also able to afford a cleaner thankfully when I realised that I was so shattered.

What you need to do is rest - where you can.

In some ways expressing might be a flaff but if you are exclusively breastfeeding I would expect him to do everything else - change nappies bath clean house and cook when he isn't at work.

I would allow him one gym session a week for now but he needs to allow you time doing something you want.

He may also need to get flexibility to take time off work until you really recover. My consultant didn't even want me to return to work at 10 months as he was worried I would continue to have accidents at work - which lets face it would be really crap - excuse the pun!

He needs to understand that you are at risk of being incontinent - and you need him to understand this.

My tears took a long time to heal - even when at first it seemed things were getting better - i would then have set backs and then/now I need to go to the toilet even now I have to go quickly or I feel at risk of having an accident but I feel recovered and very very lucky that I recovered.

I hate to think how bad it would be if I didn't have time to do my pelvic floor exercises or shower or bath.

Please put yourself and your baby first - you need to give yourself the best shot to recover and deal wth the trauma.

Also my hospital was excellent offered counselling which I didn't take because my husband ended up being ok thank god.

But one thing the hospital did is talk through the whole birth with my notes and made me aware of just how serious the tears were - this happened maybe the four week after labour and it really really helped me understand what I had been through - I found it really helpful.

Good luck OP and congrats on your baby.

Awittyandmostunusualusername · 29/09/2017 21:00

Sorry I'm not high Confused I breast fed my baby and thought OP was trying to breastfeed so she can't just leave the baby. That's why I said babies want their mummies .

Just offering my experience of the not perfect life and saying it got better. I can't believe everyone has a perfect husband on here apart from me. I think I'll go back to lurking ...

Roomster101 · 29/09/2017 21:01

And I am going to be flamed to hell and back for this, but you really ought to stop bf. while you're breastfeeding he just has one more excuse to keep bringing the baby to you. Once the baby's on bottles only you can leave him without so much as a word of expectation of your DH and he has no reason to bring him back to you for a feed or wake you in the dead of night.

That wouldn't be fair on the baby to stop breastfeeding. OP could express every day so that he can feed his child expressed milk at night.

Talith · 29/09/2017 21:06

Roomster101- expressing can take as long as breastfeeding, and with a dimwit spouse in the equation I'd be inclined to fling the formula tub at him and curl up and heal. New mothers need rest. She's getting fuck all

meximess · 29/09/2017 21:07

Also if my husband had been as useless and selfish as yours I probably wouldn't actually trust him wth the baby as I would be worried he would put his needs above the babies.

So I think - get all the help you can elsewhere. Hire an agency cleaner ask for help.

Do you have a good friend - ask her to set up a roster of help. I did this for a friend who was in hospital who didn't have many friends of family and so my friends and family all pitched in with practical help it was a way of sharing the load.

Ask him to help with what he can - taking the baby once fed - cleaning and cooking and handling bills etc and treating you well while you recover.

Take care OP.

ivykaty44 · 29/09/2017 21:08

When he gets in just leave a note saying you've popped over to see a friend in need and check yourself into a hotel for the night

Let him know that you know he'll understand as you need a release and he's doing a grand job

And

Don't ever ever than someone for looking after their own child 👶

Good luck

Talith · 29/09/2017 21:09

Meximess - if he can hold down a job and go to the gym he can manage a baby. It's a confidence thing in part but outsourcing backup to others prevents him from learning how to parent.

meximess · 29/09/2017 21:10

Oh and another thing I breasted both my babies but I remember this - both times on the hospital ward the midwives took the baby for one night and formula fed so I could sleep for 7 hours straight - it didn't interfere with breastfeeding long term.

I did this at home too - made my husband do a night or two with the formula while I slept.i never could express and couldn't be bothered with it not when I was recovering from being ripped to shreds.

Wishing you lots of sleep and BrewCakeBrewCakeBrewCakeBrewCake

meximess · 29/09/2017 21:11

talith - too true you are correct.

TheRealBiscuitAddict · 29/09/2017 21:12

Nope, the baby isn't going to care if it's given only formula at three weeks old. OP already said that she's trying to re-establish BF so clearly some formula and bottles are still in the equation. The OP's wellbeing is far more important than a bit of breast milk so I'd be ditching that as of right now.

meximess · 29/09/2017 21:19

She doesn't need to ditch breastfeeding - she can use a bit of formula to get her husband to feed baby and her rest.

She might end up enjoying breastfeeding - I did - and while breastfeeding you can do it in bed.

I breastfed in bed - watching movies 🌺 a - getting food on a tray.

CommanderDaisy · 29/09/2017 21:27

To summarise most of the posts for you Op.

  1. Don't ask , tell. I'm doing X - here's the baby.
  1. Sleep in the damn bed - fuck him, move the baby in too.
  1. No one spends 4 hours in the gym everyday unless they are a fucking Olympian. Does he spend most of that time admiring himself in the mirror? Even an Olympian might re gig their schedule a bit after their partner had a traumatic birth.
  1. He doesn't get to lie in.
  1. Your stress beats his stress hands down. You win the stress/tired/bothered/whatever contest . He hasn't got an overly muscled leg to stand on.
  1. Show him this thread

NB - My husband is reeling in horror at his behaviour. It's not just the women on here that are gobsmacked.

  • make a bottle, give him the baby, go to your mothers or a hotel and sleep, and have a bath.
Talith · 29/09/2017 21:28

She's not in a bed she is on a sofa downstairs with a torn bumhole. I get the feeling she'd have to sort her own tray.

AllTheWhoresOfMalta · 29/09/2017 21:48

OP I cannot believe this. I would be telling him to go fuck himself before I went and slept on the sofa with the baby. What a prize prick. He needs telling in no uncertain terms that he sorts his fucking life out or you'll be divorcing him. Selfish fuck.

LindyHemming · 29/09/2017 21:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

RubyReins · 29/09/2017 21:55

I've shown my DH this thread and he is utterly horrified at your husband's complete lack of care for you and his wee boy. In DH's view he should be cosseting you and your DS and ensuring that you properly recover. Our third baby is due on Monday and I am in no doubt that we will all be well looked after. His arms aren't painted on.

So sorry you are going through this. Wishing you all the best for a speedy recovery and as swift a resolution to your current situation as possible.

Sparrowlegs248 · 29/09/2017 22:00

Op, I haven't rtftw, sorry. My husband was like this except has never cooked. I've had a second baby. He's stepped up a tiny bit, but only as much as he had to.

We're separated. It would be easier on my own.

CantThinkOfAUserNameNotTaken · 29/09/2017 22:02

Words are wind. His actions are loud and proud. I feel for you op, he needs to take a lot of steps up and feel ashamed of himself.

I would be mortified if he was my ds.

Benedikte2 · 29/09/2017 22:03

My exH would go road cycling for 6 to 8 hours on Saturdays and Sundays leaving me with our newborn. He spent more time with DC when we had visitors to show baby off to. Changed one nappy ever. Was not prepared to alter his routine at all. Still could sweet talk but it was very rarely translated into actions. As DC got older and noisier etc he became more distant because he "needed quiet".
Mothers make changes for their DC but some of the DF's are not prepared to do this. We naturally presume our loved partner will do this but so often are bitterly disappointed.
Single parenthood isn't the end of the world -- often it is less stressful and allows us to enjoy our precious children without pressure/expectations of the man-child father
Good luck.

Mustardnowletsnotbesilly · 29/09/2017 22:04

Hope you are okay OP.

MillicentFawcett · 29/09/2017 22:11

WTF? What an utter utter shit.

Go to your mum's. You need looking after. You poor love CakeBrew

NoqontroI · 29/09/2017 22:12

You may find being a single parent is better than this. He's doing nothing to help anyway. At least you'd get the bed back. Although I'd take the bed back anyway. Fuck him, selfish twat. You deserve better than this. I would tell him to shape up or get out personally.

Starlighter · 29/09/2017 22:17

Your husband has not been there for you and your son at the most vulnerable time of your life, while you're recovering both mentally and physically from a magical, but also difficult time.

His lack of care and empathy is quite disturbing and I'm not sure I could forgive this... Grounds for divorce for me. Totally unforgivable behaviour.

Blossomdeary · 29/09/2017 22:18

Dear me - what is this creature you have married? You must be exhausted and so disappointed in him.

Tell him that my OH used to get up when the babies cried in the night, bring babe to me in bed, where I would bf, then he would take the baby away and change her nappy and settle her down to sleep again. I did not even have to get up. We were a team in the project o bringing our children up.

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