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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Help DP "can't do this anymore"

652 replies

Snowfl · 13/12/2020 14:48

I have returned to work so far only done two days and DP is struggling watching our baby. We both work 3 long days. Baby is at childcare one day a week which we both work so we both have him two days by ourselves and all three of us are together the other days. I have mainly been the main parent DP helps out the odd time but I've always found he has a short fuse and stresses easily. He's present in the room but not as hands on. I left him a rough routine written down as he requested and food left out labelled. So on day one of work I am pestered with multiple phone calls and texts. The baby hasn't stop crying he won't sleep. This is ridiculous I can't do this he's screaming and hitting the food away. When I get down to the nitty gritty of it turns out the baby hadnt slept and it was after 12 by this stage so to me he was hitting food away as he was too tired to eat and ended up sleeping in his high chair. Was behind on meals and over tired. DP then tells me he can't have DC the next day as he feels his mental health is going its too much with work and the baby. So I have to ring in sick for 5 days so he has a break!! This alone annoyed me I've basically done it myself for 9months where was my break??. I then resume work so on day two of him having the child alone I am again inundated with calls and texts. I get a phone call he's out for a walk it's half 1 the babies crying. I ask what's wrong he's crying he says idk he hasn't shut up he won't stop crying. So I ask well what time did he eat lunch and sleep is he tired? Turns out he hasn't had lunch as he was asleep. So basically he took him out at half 1 after a sleep for a walk and the child hasn't ate since half 7. Lunch is meant to be 11-12ish. I am not stuck in solid by routine I know things come up by didn't it click he should eat before he takes him out. I then get a text about 3 he's just ate two meals pretty much.then he rings me at 6 you need to get home now I can't do this anymore get home he's hitting the food away he's just crying he hadn't stopped all day he won't do anything I'm sick of this. So I try and calm DP down as he's shouting and slamming doors walking around the house. I said he's probably not hungry yet he ate at 3 had two meals or he's tired. DP insists I come home saying he's not doing this again. I end up in tears in work saying I don't feel like I can even leave DP with the baby what am I meant to do give up work? I run home and the baby is in his vest crying. The house is upside down things everywhere. He smiles when he sees me and stops. I then proceed to feed him and bath him. I ask DP did he have drinks with his meals - no he forgot. So perhaps he cried because he wanted a drink? So he didn't offer him a drink with any meals today as he forgot. How can someone forget to give their child water meaning all hes had is one bottle at 7am. This angers me even more. What am I to do? I don't want him in nursery anymore than necessary and I can't afford it as I pay for it myself. DP wants him in so he can have a day to himself in the house. I feel so let down that a grown man can't look after a baby. I'm meant to be in work tomorrow and dreading going in as Im expecting more phone calls and I hate the thought of my son crying away as dad hasn't put him to sleep or give him a drink. I manage fine he hasn't cried today and I've just done the usual fed and naps at the time I wrote down which DP wanted me to do. Help

OP posts:
Topseyt · 13/12/2020 18:41

@Squiffany

OP, do you have an Alexa? You could set up daily reminders on that for him.
No "parent" (I use the term very loosely here) should need to be reminded that their baby needs to be regularly fed, watered, changed etc.

Anyone that thick is unfit to be left in charge of a baby.

Lisa78Lemon · 13/12/2020 18:41

Haven't read replies but I would never leave my DS with this man. He simply isn't cut out for it. Would consider a nanny / day care / family while he can go to work (where hopefully he is more competent).
Harsh but just reading this has made me so angry for your DC, feel very sorry for you being in this situation OP.

VodselForDinner · 13/12/2020 18:41

@XingMing

With apologies to all feminists, and I am one, for some reason men do NOT understand the needs of new borns and small babies or young children. Before children are mobile, most men are useless at caring for them.
I don’t think it’s feminists you need to apologise to here, it’s men.

What a horrid, baseless generalisation.

If this is reflective of your experience of raising children with your husband, I’d suggest you’re not in a position to offer advise to anyone on this subject.

slipperywhensparticus · 13/12/2020 18:42

@ivykaty44

Id write this down

is he wet or dirty? check

is he hungry? when did he last eat? check
he he thirsty? has he had water or drink? check
he is tired? when did he last sleep? check

is he hot? is he cold?
is his cheeks hot - teething
lets go for a walk if all else is ok

write it down and tell him its the bible of looking after dc

If after 9 months he hasn't got the idea that he should be caring for the baby there is no hope for him
youvegottenminuteslynn · 13/12/2020 18:42

@XingMing

With apologies to all feminists, and I am one, for some reason men do NOT understand the needs of new borns and small babies or young children. Before children are mobile, most men are useless at caring for them.
You say for 'some reason' but the reason is because they are not expected to, taught to or obliged to as society tells them women should do it.
ChocolateCherrybomb · 13/12/2020 18:43

OP.

There is danger here.

Stop trying to fix it, you cannot.

Get away, get your baby away.

If you give in to his demands, you will end up jobless, trapped and on a never-ending downward spiral.

For heaven's sake, for the sake of yourself and your baby, please wake up.

youvegottenminuteslynn · 13/12/2020 18:43

And as I said earlier, decent men are not only perfectly capable of being equal contributors to childcare and chores etc, they want to be equal contributors!

hardtimeuphere · 13/12/2020 18:44

@XingMing that's very offensive to all the great dad's out there including my own father and husband who do a great job.

This is about the OPs situation, she's obviously worried about her child, and as I said in a previous post it's not rocket science to feed and water a child. Perhaps there's something deeper going on with him that a medical professional could help with as I personally don't think it's normal behaviour to not know that a child needs feeding

Dwrcegin · 13/12/2020 18:44

Sorry OP but there is no way I would leave any baby with someone as awful as him. You shouldn't need to leave him reminders or notes. He should be 100% invested in his baby's health and wellbeing.

Can't or won't look after his own baby and is aggressive in the house. Ditch him!

Rinoachicken · 13/12/2020 18:44

My exH was like this. I was the higher earner so went back full time and he have up work to be stay at home parent. 1st child was fine I guess. He was meant to go back to work when DC1 was school age. Never did. Unexpectedly got pregnant with DC2. This time was different. Again I went back full time. ExH spent all the day on the computer and emotionally (and possibly physically) neglected DC2. When challenged he would turn on the tears and claim he was depressed, but would never go to the Drs. Or he would say it was my fault for leaving him alone all day (to work?!). I suggested he get a part time job and we pay for childcare. Nope, he couldn’t cope with work (his mum agreed!) didn’t want a stranger raising his children.

He became more and more manipulative and controlling. I wasn’t allowed to take the kids out without him, if I ever (rarely) managed to arrange to meet a friend for coffee alone he would sabotage it by being suddenly too poorly to look after the kids, or he’d say the kids were poorly, or he’d call me constantly when I was out.

In the end I left him. My youngest is now 7 but is STILL suffering the effects of early emotional neglect from his primary caregiver at that time.

Do not enable and excuse this pathetic excuse of a parent for one more day. You and your child deserve so much better.

He (and his mum) can cry mental health all they like, but part of recovering from mental I lol health is taking personal responsibility for it. He won’t take his meds or seek help. So he doesn’t get to use that card.

He is seriously neglecting his child. Dangerously so. And he’s already lining himself up to work less and less so all the burden is on you and he’ll do what exactly??

You can and should just do this alone. Cut him loose.

Iwillneverbesatisfied · 13/12/2020 18:44

Have you thought about a childminder OP as this can be cheaper than a nursery and you might get more hours that way.

But to be honest, I'd leave the bastard. Your child is not safe with him and he is a sexist selfish pig.

Stompythedinosaur · 13/12/2020 18:44

With apologies to all feminists, and I am one, for some reason men do NOT understand the needs of new borns and small babies or young children. Before children are mobile, most men are useless at caring for them.

I'd love to see any evidence to back this up. My male partner managed to care perfectly well for our babies. Why would he not? He has access to all the same mental faculties and physical abilities (bar breastfeeding) as me.

The only reason dads can't manage is because they aren't trying hard enough.

Makegoodchoices · 13/12/2020 18:44

@XingMing My DH was useless the first time I left him alone with the baby - forgot to feed him lunch as he wasn’t hungry himself. He learnt from that experience and by the time I was hospitalised when the baby was three months old he was perfectly capable of being a single parent for a week. I got home to a clean house and happy baby. Uselessness is not an innate male characteristic.

ScrapThatThen · 13/12/2020 18:45

He's a parent now. He can choose to work more or he can care for his child those two days. He can go to the health visitor for help. He can go on a parenting course. If you suspect he is neglecting or abusing your child or at risk of harming him then that takes priority and you will have to step in.

XingMing · 13/12/2020 18:45

Thank you @AcrossThePond. It's an uncomfortable situation all around. But being competent, I have landed up with all the admin for everyone. It's unlikely to be long drawn out, but it's full on and everyone feels free to say what I am not getting done fast enough.

ForeverAintEnough · 13/12/2020 18:45

Jesus Christ he needs to be told and reminded to feed a baby? He needs a checklist to give a baby something to drink?? My god. I feel so sorry for my wonderful husband - we have problems having children but he has single handedly minded my 3 nieces and nephews without even being a parent yet your useless partner manages to Impregnate you and he doesn’t understand the basics of sustenance and needs a step by step checklist. What a prince you’ve found there

Ohalrightthen · 13/12/2020 18:46

@XingMing

With apologies to all feminists, and I am one, for some reason men do NOT understand the needs of new borns and small babies or young children. Before children are mobile, most men are useless at caring for them.
What utter bollocks. You need to find better men to spend time with.

My husband was just as good as i was at deciphering the needs of our newborn (if not slightly better), and the same can be said of most of the fathers i know. The only thing men can't do for babies is breastfeed.

Raise your standards.

Topseyt · 13/12/2020 18:47

@XingMing

With apologies to all feminists, and I am one, for some reason men do NOT understand the needs of new borns and small babies or young children. Before children are mobile, most men are useless at caring for them.
What utter claptrap!

My DH certainly understood that babies need to be fed and given drinks, and that failure to do so would have dire consequences. I don't know any men who didn't understand this basic fact.

Stop excusing the knobhead.

Rinoachicken · 13/12/2020 18:48

Oh and with the added aggression in the house when alone with the baby, directed AT the baby...I would be seriously seriously concerned for my child’s safety. Don’t risk it. It only take a second for a baby to be shaken, squeezed, thrown down roughly in anger. And even if he’s not physically aggressive, the idea of my baby crying and in distress because it’s tired, hungry, wet and thirsty, and then being shouted and screamed at by its angry father? It’s making me tearful just thinking about it.

So frightening for the baby, to not feel safe. No wonder he’s so relieved when you get home

Dannydevitoiloveyourart · 13/12/2020 18:48

@XingMing

With apologies to all feminists, and I am one, for some reason men do NOT understand the needs of new borns and small babies or young children. Before children are mobile, most men are useless at caring for them.
Because before most children are mobile, most men don’t have to bother with caring for a baby since most men don’t take a lengthy paternity leave.

I knew fuck all about caring for a baby before mat leave, but I learnt with practice. As did my husband once he started being left alone with our baby so that I could meet friends, go shopping alone etc.

There’s nothing innate in men that stops them being able to care for babies. It’s a society that tells them when they are young children that baby dolls, toy bottles and prams are girls’ toys. That caring professions such as nursing, make for girls’ costume. And that parental leave is for women.

Luckily times are changing so wilfully useless men like OP’s DP are becoming the minority.

MadeForThis · 13/12/2020 18:50

Do you genuinely believe he is incapable of looking after the baby or does he just not care?

Dannydevitoiloveyourart · 13/12/2020 18:51

@Rinoachicken

Oh and with the added aggression in the house when alone with the baby, directed AT the baby...I would be seriously seriously concerned for my child’s safety. Don’t risk it. It only take a second for a baby to be shaken, squeezed, thrown down roughly in anger. And even if he’s not physically aggressive, the idea of my baby crying and in distress because it’s tired, hungry, wet and thirsty, and then being shouted and screamed at by its angry father? It’s making me tearful just thinking about it.

So frightening for the baby, to not feel safe. No wonder he’s so relieved when you get home

Yes this - this is what concerns me the most about OP’s post...even more than the negligence.

It only takes one moment of uncontrollable rage for it to be an emergency situation.

For this alone, if I was OP I would be packing DPs bags and looking at ways I could do it alone.

duffeldaisy · 13/12/2020 18:53

"Completely disagree with other posters who say ignore his calls and leave him at the deep end. He is not coping, and baby can't be the one to suffer as a result - whatever the reason, whether due to lack of experience on his part, lack of skills / problem solving ability, or due to some suspected manipulation.

I wouldn't leave baby alone with him until you have seen first hand consistent evidence he can meet baby's needs. It sounds like baby is at risk with him, if he is so angry, forgetting basic care e.g. water. Do what you have to, call on other family members, take extended leave etc. But he sounds like a risk to your child with his inconsistent care at the moment and number one priority you have to keep baby safe."

This. I agree with @turkeymince.
Sorry, but someone who's just neglectful is bad enough, but if he's telling you he can't cope, and if he's getting emotional, I'm sorry, but I really wouldn't be leaving your baby with him.
He doesn't sound safe to be responsible for looking after a child, he also seems manipulative. I'd very seriously consider leaving him. Please talk to someone and find some support - and put your child in childcare for the moment until you decide what to do. Don't leave them alone with someone who forgets to give them a drink. Who does that, seriously?

Nanny0gg · 13/12/2020 18:54

@titchy

I can't believe you pulled a five day sickie because your dh couldn't be arsed to be a parent. You've basically told him you'll bail him out all the time now.

But yes switch your phone off. You won't though.

Nor should she. The baby shouldn't be the one to suffer.
Universallyhappy · 13/12/2020 18:54

Reading this just sounds like a big safe guarding issue to me.