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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

What is his problem? Arsey DH. Am I the problem?

101 replies

Aboutreadytopop · 17/10/2021 19:07

I'll give full context so bare with me.

I'm 39 weeks pregnant and have 2 young DC. I've been SAH for the past 3 months as I have SPD, painful hernias and rely on crutches so could no longer do my very physical job that requires me to be on my feet all day walking between places (I'll be returning to work later). I have a DH who works 4 nights a week.

We don't have a tumble dryer so we take our washing to the laundrette on the next block, 2 mins walk. DH has taken on that job for the past few months because I can't lift heavy bags of wet washing.

Despite my limited mobility I have been doing 99.99% of the housework (I'm nesting like crazy so if there's something I can do, I will gladly do it and then some)

DH worked last night (but has two nights off in a row now) and we had the mundane "what do you fancy for dinner" conversation this morning when he got in as we don't have much in because we do the food shop on a Monday.

He said he wanted a fry up which we didn't have ingredients for. I said if he wants a fry up he'll have to cook it when he's up as it's too much faff for me and I'm indifferent. He said sure. My DM who was visiting at the time kindly offered to go to the supermarket and pick up what was needed so I didn't need to hobble down there myself. He says sausages, bacon, beans etc.

He goes to bed for his 7 hours sleep and all is fine.

During the afternoon I put a wash load on whilst cooking the kids tea, no expectation that he needed to take it across to be dried today as we have racks it can sit on until tomorrow.

6pm comes and he gets up. As soon as he hears the washing machine on his mood changes and he's clearly in a strop.

He starts his fry up. He then moans about the lack of oil we have left and the fact the tin of beans doesn't have a ring pull so he has to open them with a knife. I said they were the only ones the shop had when mum went, he then replies "well personally I would have left it then"

so what was my DM supposed to do then, then?

No gratitude for the fact she went out of her way to go shopping for us, it's all shit because the beans don't have a ring pull.

It's now clear he's regretting the fry up and feels inconvenienced. I asked why he asked for one in the first place on a Sunday knowing we don't have much in. He said it's because I'm a fussy eater and he couldn't think of anything else I might want.

(I eat plenty btw. I'm not that fussy at all - infact I took out a subscription to simply cook because he moaned that we always ate the same stuff, then he moaned about that and said the meals were shit and not filling!)

Eventually I ask him what his problem is as his mood is starting to grate and he starts listing off all these inconveniences.

The washing machine being on which means he has to take the laundry across. The fact we have to do a food shop tomorrow and he hates doing food shopping and it's inconvenient (we both go together btw, me crutches and all)

He even throws in a moan about how he usually has to take the kids to nursery on a Monday, which is null and void because they're off for the next month so no nursery runs nessecary. He has been doing the nursery run, to his credit, but it's only when he's off work and not due in to work.

Then he says there's too much to do, including bathing the kids.

I tell him he doesn't need to take the washing over today it's not nessecary, I remind him the kids aren't even at nursery, I'll bath them and if he doesn't want to do the food shop tomorrow then that's fine we don't need to and I'll do an online shop instead.

He responds with silly excuses about how my solutions to his perceived problems won't work and says I'm escalating things into an argument (by offering solutions to things he's annoyed about?!)

After going round the houses for 10 minutes I've excused myself to sit in the bedroom as I simply can't be bothered with his mood.

I would love to switch places with him and be back at work, not stuck indoors all day anxiously awaiting a c-section (which I'm really scared about to be honest)

So do you think I expect too much of him? Which is absolutely sod all in my opinion, short of minute contributions toward the running of the home (drying washing 2 x a week which I didn't even expect him to do today) and child rearing (dropping the kids to nursery 2 mornings a week when he's not at work!)

Your take please mumsnet.

OP posts:
Lockheart · 17/10/2021 19:18

Sounds like he's just stressed and in a mood, it happens to the best of us at times. Especially when hungry.

Can your laundry be dried on an airer or on radiators though? Why make the trip to the laundrette, can that be cut out? It's going to be much more than a twice weekly job with a newborn and you rightly won't be lifting heavy washing then. If you can fit a heated airer in your home then that will also save you a lot of money in the long run. Laundrettes are pricey!

Europilgrim · 17/10/2021 19:20

Can't you just dry at home? It's a real pain to haul wet washing.

Aboutreadytopop · 17/10/2021 19:22

@Lockheart

Sounds like he's just stressed and in a mood, it happens to the best of us at times. Especially when hungry.

Can your laundry be dried on an airer or on radiators though? Why make the trip to the laundrette, can that be cut out? It's going to be much more than a twice weekly job with a newborn and you rightly won't be lifting heavy washing then. If you can fit a heated airer in your home then that will also save you a lot of money in the long run. Laundrettes are pricey!

Thanks for the reply.

We used to dry the bulk of the washing on the airers but it became problematic, causing condensation in an already poorly ventilated place. DS also got into the habit of dragging it all off the racks which was a pain.

I suggested we bought a tumble dryer but he insists there's not enough space, he does have a point there though.

It's not ideal but is the best solution imo.

Still, I do try and limit the amount of loads I put on so he isn't going across any more frequently than needs be.

Eventually I'll be able to reclaim the job of doing it all myself and it won't be an issue for him.

OP posts:
Aboutreadytopop · 17/10/2021 19:23

@Europilgrim

Can't you just dry at home? It's a real pain to haul wet washing.
X posts.

We were drying the majority of it at home for a long time but it caused more issues than was worth it.

Condensation / kids dragging it all off the racks etc.

OP posts:
LawnFever · 17/10/2021 19:24

Sounds like he’s just got out of bed the wrong side today and he’s stressed out.

Why do you take wet washing to the laundrette? Can’t it just dry on airers, that’s what we do?

LawnFever · 17/10/2021 19:25

Cross post about the washing!

Aboutreadytopop · 17/10/2021 19:26
Grin
OP posts:
DrSbaitso · 17/10/2021 19:26

Off topic, but can you get your shopping delivered? If he hates doing it and you're on crutches?

Aboutreadytopop · 17/10/2021 19:30

@DrSbaitso

Off topic, but can you get your shopping delivered? If he hates doing it and you're on crutches?
For sure we can, it would just mean condensing the list a bit because as it stands we use 2 different shops to be able to get everything we need.

(Aldi for the main bulk, then Tesco or Iceland for the rest of it that we can't get there)

Ordering everything online from Tesco would bump the price up but I'm happy to do that. I suggested we did and he came out with some daft excuses as to why he didn't want to do an online shop. He's got an answer for every solution and appears to just want to moan.

OP posts:
BeMoreQueer · 17/10/2021 19:30

Sounds like you need a rota

Everyone believes they are doing more

That can be demonstrated

Aboutreadytopop · 17/10/2021 19:32

He was even moaning and sighing that I wanted to clean the fridge out this evening in preparation for the food shopping tomorrow, as though me cleaning the fridge is an inconvenience to him

Everything is an issue today. It feels very personal.

OP posts:
SpindelWhorl · 17/10/2021 19:32

This is not about a bloody airer. OP's got racks; she said.

He sounds very demanding, unsympathetic and moody. It's draining. All the nit-picking.

What does your mother think, OP? Is she tip toeing around him too?

Treacletoots · 17/10/2021 19:33

Can you get a washer/dryer combo? We've had two now and they've been a lifesaver when we were short on space.

On the other hand, he sounds like he just woke up on the wrong side of the bed, unless this isn't a one off then, he's being an arse..

Aboutreadytopop · 17/10/2021 19:33

@BeMoreQueer

Sounds like you need a rota

Everyone believes they are doing more

That can be demonstrated

I actually think that's a great idea but I guarantee when I mention making one he'll moan about that aswell
OP posts:
Keladrythesaviour · 17/10/2021 19:33

Another vote for hangry, stressed and tired. Or just a classic got out of the bed the wrong side. If it's not in his nature to be arsey on a day to day basis I'd take it with a pinch of salt.
Is it worried about you? My DH has a terrible habit of turning into a right grump when he's concerned about me (I have a chronic health condition). Obviously it's the worst possible reaction as I end up stressed, but it's because he doesn't know what to do with his anxiety so it makes him grotty. Seeing you on crutches and unable to do what you normally do might be making him stressed.
Not that it excuses it at all - you just want him to step up and take on all the stress and anxiety for you as you have enough in your plate, but people don't always react as they should or we wish when in a panic!

Aboutreadytopop · 17/10/2021 19:35

Nit-picking, he definitely is.

He doesn't tend to be a grumpy twat around my mum conveniently enough.

RE a washer dryer combo, the washing machine is part of the inventory of the home (belongs to landlord) so I would need to have a chat with him about replacing it and whether he's happy for me to.

OP posts:
LannieDuck · 17/10/2021 19:35

You've only been a SAHM for the last 3 months... when you're both working FT, how much of the housework/childcare does he do?

hotmeatymilk · 17/10/2021 19:36

Sounds like one thing (the washing machine) set him off and he did that thing of using it to air all grievances. DP does this: saves it all up and tries to make fights about a laundry list of problems instead of the thing at hand.

(Apologies for using “air” and “laundry list” there given your issue.)

He’s got a plateful working nights and hauling bags of wet washing around. You’ve got a plateful being pregnant and having physical issues. Everything’s worse when the weather turns and it gets darker.

I’d just draw a line under today and move on.

Solutions you didn’t ask for but I’ll offer anyway! Draw up a weekly meal plan so you don’t have to have the mundane dinner chats and you (or DM) don’t have to do top-up shops for offending tins of beans, even the night before the big shop. And do less washing/get a heated clothes horse.

mountbattenbergcake · 17/10/2021 19:38

@SpindelWhorl

This is not about a bloody airer. OP's got racks; she said.

He sounds very demanding, unsympathetic and moody. It's draining. All the nit-picking.

What does your mother think, OP? Is she tip toeing around him too?

Can’t believe all the people making excuses for this twat!
Aboutreadytopop · 17/10/2021 19:39

@Keladrythesaviour

Another vote for hangry, stressed and tired. Or just a classic got out of the bed the wrong side. If it's not in his nature to be arsey on a day to day basis I'd take it with a pinch of salt. Is it worried about you? My DH has a terrible habit of turning into a right grump when he's concerned about me (I have a chronic health condition). Obviously it's the worst possible reaction as I end up stressed, but it's because he doesn't know what to do with his anxiety so it makes him grotty. Seeing you on crutches and unable to do what you normally do might be making him stressed. Not that it excuses it at all - you just want him to step up and take on all the stress and anxiety for you as you have enough in your plate, but people don't always react as they should or we wish when in a panic!
Hmm that's pause for thought.

I don't think he's worried about me per se, he may however be worried / nervous about impending newborn and how he'll be expected to do alot more around the place given I'm having a section.

What that means for his ability to "relax' perhaps.

My last birth was traumatic and everything that could go wrong did go wrong. I don't think it affected him that much though (there's reasons I think that, I'm not being deliberately insensitive to what he witnessed) otherwise I'd probably think he was worried about me.

Overall I think it's mostly about him and how he feels put upon that he needs to do anything mundane/adulting when he's not at work as I'm sure he'd rather just relax and play on his game or watch tv.

OP posts:
Aboutreadytopop · 17/10/2021 19:41

Crossed posts I'll be back shortly to respond to the questions, just going to bathe the kids.

OP posts:
Mrstwiddle · 17/10/2021 19:48

Definitely recommend talking to your LL about a washer/dryer combo. As to the rest of it, if he’s not normally like that I’d cut him some slack but if this is his norm that’s a whole other matter, you shouldn’t have to bear moody behaviour all the time.

toocold54 · 17/10/2021 19:49

He sounds really overwhelmed.
You are the SAHP so you should be doing the majority of the housework, cooking, childcare etc - do you think this is happening or do you expect him to do a lot whilst also working full time?

You both need to sit down and talk.
You seem jealous of his life (getting 7 hours sleep etc) and he seems jealous of your life (staying home all day).
You both need to say what you are finding difficult/stressful so that you can try and compromise and go back to being a team instead of being snippy with each other.

hotmeatymilk · 17/10/2021 19:57

You are the SAHP so you should be doing the majority of the housework, cooking, childcare etc
She’s on crutches and has limited mobility. She also should only be doing the majority of those things during the equivalent to DH’s work hours and sleep hours. When he’s home (and not sleeping off a night shift), it’s 50/50, though right now HE should be doing the majority, because he’s not pregnant and on fucking crutches.

Embroidery · 17/10/2021 20:00

ao.com/product/dtlce70051w-beko-condenser-tumble-dryer-white-76378-18.aspx

If you can afford simply cook you can afford this.
Put it in bedroom, kitchen, bathroom or lounge.
I wouldnt be without one.

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