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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To get annoyed at DH having a poo during our morning routine?

370 replies

doggiemum247 · 21/09/2022 09:34

We have a 9mo dd. Since she was born, I've gotten up an hour before she does so I can do everything I need to in the shower, blow dry my hair if needed, get dressed, pump milk etc. my husband sleeps in while I do this. If dd wakes in this time, dh takes her into bed with him for a cuddle until I'm ready to take her for breakfast and we all eat together- important for her development but also if I don't have someone helping me with breakfast, I almost never get to eat because she gets very whiny and upset in the high chair if she's not actually eating. This morning, he announced as I was going downstairs that he was going for a poo and shower (he usually does this in the evening once she's gone to bed).

I suppose for most people this wouldn't be a problem. But I rely on his support in the morning (by which I mean him holding her and then coming to breakfast with us, it's not like I'm asking that much of him) and it took me by surprise. I got annoyed. I said "if you knew you needed 20 minutes in the morning to get ready, you should have told me and I would have gotten up 20 minutes earlier so I could have played with her while you did that".

He got annoyed at me back saying "it's only 20 minutes" and "it's no big deal, it's not like you do anything or need to be anywhere". I study from home while looking after dd during the day.

I explained that if he'd just told me, I wouldn't need to try and juggle dd on my own for 20 minutes when it could have easily been factored in. He wouldn't even have had to get up early! I would have gotten up 20 mins earlier to allow him that time!!!

Needless to say, I didn't get my breakfast and probably won't get a chance to until later now because I have things to get done this morning while also watching dd. Currently BFing her.

To add insult to injury, when I came upstairs with dd, dh had left his stinky dirty pants on the office chair I sit at all day to work. Didn't seem to think this was a problem either.

The main problem though is that even though I've asked him to let me know if he needs 20 minutes in the morning to get ready and I'll factor that into my routine, he's point blank refusing, saying it's unnecessary and I need to ease up. It's not a make or break thing but to me it seems like such an easy thing to just let me know the night before and I'll get up early, rather than having to struggle for those 20 minutes. It's just be a lot less stress al around.

Am I being too rigid and type A, or would others expect their partners to let them know if they needed extra time in the morning to get ready, rather than just taking it out of time that is already very busy?

OP posts:
Armadillidium · 21/09/2022 11:47

Yabu.

Right now this all seems like stress to you but in a year from now your child would have changed so much and you wouldn’t have enjoyed it properly due to the rigid routine and expectations.

Talk to your dh and maybe he can do breakfast a few times a week so life can be a bit more enjoyable. Hide his dirty clothes he leaves lying around so he stops being untidy.

TheOrigRights · 21/09/2022 11:47

Maybe see your GP?

Eugh...I find this so patronising when it's trotted out here.
It's a brick wall to any conversation or discussion, just a "there's something wrong with you, see your doctor".

BatshitBanshee · 21/09/2022 11:49

I was fully expecting this to end in "because I need to get her to nursery and then I go to work by Xam" but no - you're at home studying. Christ alive OP, I mean this from one SAHM to another, grow up and get over yourself. You're going to have some shock when little one goes through a regression and the precious morning routine is turned on its head. So she wakes up - grand, change her, put her in a bouncer. Toast in one hand, bottle or spoon in the other. It's not actually that complicated, but your rigid routine has done your own legs in. Just drop it, life will get easier.

Captinplanit · 21/09/2022 11:51

I think you need to learn to be a bit more independent. It will be good for you if you have more DC and need to divide and conquer. What do you do about lunch? Dinner? Surely he’s not there for all mealtimes. Is he working while you are a SAHM?

I rarely eat breakfast with my kids as I work early shifts. It doesn’t seem to have affected their development. I agree that families should eat together if they can but it isn’t the be all and end all.

AryaStarkWolf · 21/09/2022 11:51

RiftGibbon · 21/09/2022 11:35

YABU about the routine and his bodily functions needing to fit around it
YANBU about the pants
HiBU about needing 20 minutes for a shit and shower.

20 minutes seems pretty reasonable for a shower and shit imo

Realitea · 21/09/2022 11:52

You need to relax a bit and not make everything so structured it’s not necessary. A baby will cope if you eat just as a baby will cope if you need to go to the loo.

berksandbeyond · 21/09/2022 11:53

The dirty pants are rank but YABU for expecting a grown adult to make an appointment to have a shit.
Your routine sounds far too rigid. Unclench, seriously, before you drive yourself (and everyone around you!) mental

CatsandFish · 21/09/2022 11:59

But...What do you mean by dirty pants? Just he shit in them or something? Or not wipe himself properly? If they are truly like that I wouldn't want to be married to a man who had such bad hygiene. They shouldn't be 'dirty' even if he's worn them all day. I've never had a man who had 'dirty pants'.

berksandbeyond · 21/09/2022 12:00

CatsandFish · 21/09/2022 11:59

But...What do you mean by dirty pants? Just he shit in them or something? Or not wipe himself properly? If they are truly like that I wouldn't want to be married to a man who had such bad hygiene. They shouldn't be 'dirty' even if he's worn them all day. I've never had a man who had 'dirty pants'.

Maybe they have shit in them because his mummy.. sorry wife, wouldn't let him use the toilet because he hadn't booked an appointment? 😉

Cantbebotheredwithchores · 21/09/2022 12:05

Why can't you eat your breakfast with your child? I always make our breakfast together and eat together. Usually it's some type of cereal, porridge or something eaten with a spoon.
When she was little I would give her a spoon to hold, then I had the other spoon and then ate mine with the other hand.
Are you both working from home? Where does baby go after yous have breakfast?
Theses answers may help us understand more and be able to advise better xx

rainbowandglitter · 21/09/2022 12:14

CatsandFish · 21/09/2022 11:59

But...What do you mean by dirty pants? Just he shit in them or something? Or not wipe himself properly? If they are truly like that I wouldn't want to be married to a man who had such bad hygiene. They shouldn't be 'dirty' even if he's worn them all day. I've never had a man who had 'dirty pants'.

I thought that too. I've never known anyone to have dirty pants.

Funkyblues101 · 21/09/2022 12:17

I don't understand why you can't eat breakfast without your husband being there? Mine spent half their lives inspecting the kitchen floor.

SudocremOnEverything · 21/09/2022 12:32

You need more finger foods at breakfast. That way you can eat while the baby licks a slice of toast.

autienotnaughty · 21/09/2022 12:33

It really bugs me that dh forgets to factor ds into his routine unless I'm not there. So I get why your annoyed. Maybe do similar to him, leave him and baby to do breakfast and if he complains point it out

ZeroFuchsGiven · 21/09/2022 12:34

SudocremOnEverything · 21/09/2022 11:31

one of the more bizarre aspects of this seems to be that the DH appears to time his showering around his bowel habits. Usually he shits and showers in the evening. But this morning he needed to poo, so that meant he needed to shower then too.

My DDs ex could not shit without the shower running maybe its a 'thing' Grin

babyjellyfish · 21/09/2022 12:51

Why does it take 20 minutes to have a poo?

ZeroFuchsGiven · 21/09/2022 12:53

babyjellyfish · 21/09/2022 12:51

Why does it take 20 minutes to have a poo?

IT DOESNT!

Why do people not read? 😂

Its ;like cancel the cheque all over again.

babyjellyfish · 21/09/2022 12:57

ZeroFuchsGiven · 21/09/2022 12:53

IT DOESNT!

Why do people not read? 😂

Its ;like cancel the cheque all over again.

Well if it doesn't take 20 minutes to have a poo then the OP's DH is being unreasonable by taking 20 minutes.

If he thinks he needs to have a shower just because he's done a poo then clearly he needs to learn to wipe his own arse properly instead.

RiftGibbon · 21/09/2022 12:57

It takes 5 minutes to have a shower unless you're Rapunzel.
If it takes 15 minutes to poo, medical advice may be useful.

Barneysma2 · 21/09/2022 12:57

You don't need to micromanage when your husband takes a dump. If he needs to go he needs to go. In the kindest way just try to chill out a bit and stop being so regimented with your routine.

babyjellyfish · 21/09/2022 12:59

Barneysma2 · 21/09/2022 12:57

You don't need to micromanage when your husband takes a dump. If he needs to go he needs to go. In the kindest way just try to chill out a bit and stop being so regimented with your routine.

If he needs to go but can't do it in well under 5 minutes he should see a doctor about that.

Kanaloa · 21/09/2022 13:00

RiftGibbon · 21/09/2022 12:57

It takes 5 minutes to have a shower unless you're Rapunzel.
If it takes 15 minutes to poo, medical advice may be useful.

No it doesn’t. Undressing, using the toilet, fully showering and presumably brushing teeth, then drying and dressing for a day at work does not take 5 minutes. Nonsense.

Kanaloa · 21/09/2022 13:00

Case in point - it takes op an hour. So how on earth is it a 5 minute job?

ZeroFuchsGiven · 21/09/2022 13:09

babyjellyfish · 21/09/2022 12:57

Well if it doesn't take 20 minutes to have a poo then the OP's DH is being unreasonable by taking 20 minutes.

If he thinks he needs to have a shower just because he's done a poo then clearly he needs to learn to wipe his own arse properly instead.

What on earth are you talking about, it took him 20 minutes to get undressed, go for a shit, probably a shave, shower, get dried and then get dressed ready for work. 20 minutes is totally acceptable.

Whereas it takes op an hour to do those things......

loislovesstewie · 21/09/2022 13:09

Actually I like to have a shower after I've done a poo. I don't find that odd at all. Which is why I said the OP was being unreasonable.