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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Pregnant again and said no to sex - who’s being unreasonable?

55 replies

IslandGirl5 · 31/10/2022 21:17

So when me and DH first got together we had a great sex life. Both had high sex drives and it was a lot of fun. We now have a DD who has just turned 2 and I’m 22 weeks pregnant with the next. Since being pregnant with DD number 1 I just lost interest in sex. We still did it during that pregnancy I’d just sometimes say I didn’t feel like it and it was never an issue. Then I EBF, DH would sleep in another room to make sure he got enough sleep for work etc, I ended up bedsharing with her for the sake of getting as much sleep as possible for everyone. So through hormones and the situation we never got back to a crazy busy sex life but we would still do it. It never went past less than once a month, more around once a week or 2 weeks. We were just so tired and busy.

So roll on to now. Pregnant again and similar is happening, I just don’t want it but know how much and how often he does. I say I don’t feel like it when I can’t even muster any enthusiasm for it but when I feel like I could, or a compromise we have is that I don’t have to have sex but he would be happy with me pleasuring him and having that connection, then I say yes. We’ve got into a more consistent rhythm with it these recent weeks/months and he’s been a lot more attentive and caring etc. But this last weekend I’ve had bad hip pain, definitely got bigger, feel generally achy and absolutely exhausted so I’ve said no all weekend and again tonight with these reasons. He clearly wasn’t thrilled even though he said he understood so we talked about it and it ended up in a raging argument. He works 45 hours a week and I work 30 and have DD all the other time and then weekends are usually spent together apart from the odd day he might have to work. He basically said we’re “back to square one” when it’s only been a week since we last had sex! He said he’s been getting what he needs so he’s been happier and that’s why he’s been more attentive etc but when he doesn’t get it he doesn’t see the point in giving me what I need. I’m absolutely raging tbh and feel like when your other half is pregnant at least you should be more understanding than this?? He said he’s just sick and tired of it and we’ve had these arguments plenty before today and tbh so am I. He said that because we had so much sex to start with that set the expectation and the compromise is always him not getting what he needs. But take sex out of it I still don’t get half as much rest as I need, or time to myself, or much else, but I know to just kind of expect that while I have small kids and it won’t be forever but I just feel spread so thin when he expects me to “service” him before I even get chance to put my feet up on a night.

im just at a loss I guess. Am I being unreasonable or is he?? I honestly don’t know anymore. Thanks if you got this far, I feel like I’ve just ranted and ranted.

OP posts:
Minimalme · 31/10/2022 21:49

So if he doesn't get regular sex, he won't be caring towards you?

That's not sustainable op. Worse than that, it's coercive behaviour - he is looking to control and dominate you.

AegonT · 31/10/2022 21:50

The hormones from breastfeeding killed my sex drive both times for a year. I explained how I was feeling to my husband and he waited till I was ready again. He never complained. Your husband sounds awful - you are pregnant, can't he see you are tired and uncomfortable; why would he pressure you for sex?

pinkpotatoez · 31/10/2022 21:50

His comment is outrageous and I think it's worth you asking what he meant by that once everything's calmed down. If by saying that he meant it's not worth making you happy if he doesn't get something in return then I personally couldn't continue being in that relationship with a person who think that way.

C8H10N4O2 · 31/10/2022 21:51

IslandGirl5 · 31/10/2022 21:47

Yep, that was the money shot for me. I saw red. But he has shown me love and affection in the past when we’ve not really had any so I feel like it was said out of anger but that doesn’t exactly make it better. I just genuinely don’t even know how to approach that to even talk about it

He's not a "great dad" and contributing to the running of his own home is not "helping".

"great dads" don't treat their wives and the mothers of their children as some king of sex on demand machine and happily take pleasure in unwanted sex with a woman in pain and exhausted and play emotional blackmail to break down any objections.

Honestly if one of your friends said their husband was doing this what would you say to them?

WorkCleanRepeat · 31/10/2022 21:51

I have no words! (For a change) I'd be bed sharing with the kids for a very long time.

ToFindNewWays · 31/10/2022 21:52

Selfish sex pest. Incapable of thinking of anyone but himself. Ugh.

Coerced sex against your partners wishes is abuse.

SarahAndQuack · 31/10/2022 21:52

I cannot fathom wanting to have sex with the pregnant mother of my children when I know it might cause her pain at worst, and would be unwanted at best. That's just disgusting. No wonder you're raging.

FWIW DP and I also had a lovely sex life before children; then she got pregnant and it nosedived. That's life; that's a known risk of having children. Sure, some people are merrily shagging up to week 40 and sneaking off for a quickie while the newborn naps peacefully, but most are not!

BlackeyedGruesome · 31/10/2022 21:53

The rapey bastard.

EVHead · 31/10/2022 21:54

MarigoldMoonStone · 31/10/2022 21:28

I fukin hate men for shit like this honestly.
Boo fukin hoo you can’t get your end away as much as you want just now…they have no idea how exhausting growing a human is! Guilt tripping about sex is the ultimate ICK!!!

^ This.

VeronicaFranklin · 31/10/2022 21:56

Another husband who gets to sleep in the spare room because his wife EBF, this annoys me so much. It's such a lame excuse to not have to deal with the sleep deprivation and most exhausting part of being a parent.

Why do women let men get away with this old chestnut.

He should be in the room with you and the baby and helping with the night wakes, not getting a full nights sleep next door while you struggle on, then let him demand sex. I thought we'd got past the 1950s, clearly not!

Puppers · 31/10/2022 21:56

he’s usually so lovely and genuinely one of the good ones

He's really, really not.

He's also not a great dad when he's putting such a strain on their mum when she's already feeling exhausted and sick, and putting his "need" for coerced sex ahead of the happiness and security of their family unit.

I've always had horrendous pregnancies and each time we've ended up not having sex for over a year during pregnancy/after birth. My DH works much longer hours than yours and in a stressful job. He also does the appropriate amount of housework for an adult. And despite all of this, he managed to remain a loving, affectionate, supportive and caring partner even when sex was off the table for very extended periods. His love for me was not conditional upon me providing orgasms. He didn't put any pressure on me whatsoever or even bring it up, because he knew that if I was ready then I would let him know and he would never want to have sex that I had felt remotely pressured into. And he doesn't deserve a medal for any of this because it's just how a husband should behave. It's how a human being should behave.

IslandGirl5 · 31/10/2022 21:56

So many comments to reply to I don’t mean to ignore anything if I do! But yes I agree, he’s being a selfish sex pest. I do often tell him how I’m feeling, even with proof about hormones and breastfeeding etc and he is understanding like 90% of the time then others he can do this. I’ll definitely be questioning his comment once we’ve calmed down, I’m not here for conditional love and controlling behaviour. I do not lie down and take this sh*t trust me but with there being no other issues anywhere else and generally a good relationship (he does show care and affection regardless of his comment) I don’t know how far to take it because of how mad I am right now

OP posts:
SheepDance · 31/10/2022 22:01

He's massively unreasonable.

Herejustforthisone · 31/10/2022 22:01

He is despicable.

I don’t care how ‘good’ he is in other ways, all of that is erased when he actually verbalises what a selfish cunt he is.

EscapeRoomToTheSun · 31/10/2022 22:01

So he's punishing you by withholding support? While you're pregnant. That is coercion. Coerced sex is rape. YANBU this is factually a crime.

God I'd never want him near me again.

C1N1C · 31/10/2022 22:02

By the way, this is NOT my view... but throwing another angle into this (devil's advocate).

You meet someone and they like activity x. It is common ground. You marry thinking activity x will continue, it doesn't... who is at fault?... person who doesn't feel like activity x, or person who was mislead into believing x would continue?

I know sex is different, to most people at least... some see it as a casual emotionless activity, for others it is incredibly serious. I know this could easily lead to the "he's forcing you emotionally into it" train of thought, but for this argument, let's consider it as just "common interest".

You like travelling and meet a man that lives travelling, but he loses interest in it after you're married, and you cannot live without travelling... would you stay? He has money and goes poor, he has good looks and goes ugly, he is nice and gets mean, he is smart and 'deteriorates'...

It shouldn't be transactional but subconsciously, many of these things are, and people will disagree, but there isn't a human around that would stay after enough of that person (and that initial expectation) has changed.

As for my opinion, he is being unreasonable... your body has gone through a lot and you need rest. Don't be forced into anything, if he is only happy when he gets it, it doesn't bode well. I'm hoping you have enough other common interests to see you through this...

Darkstar4855 · 31/10/2022 22:03

I struggled with not wanting sex with pregnant and during the newborn stage. My partner was completely supportive and never once put pressure on me even though he went without for months on end. That is what being one of the “good ones” is.

YADNBU

redbigbananafeet · 31/10/2022 22:04

He doesn't see the point in being kind, caring and attentive to the mother of his child who is also 22 weeks pregnant unless he's getting laid? Yeah, that wouldn't work for me.'

SarahAndQuack · 31/10/2022 22:08

C1N1C · 31/10/2022 22:02

By the way, this is NOT my view... but throwing another angle into this (devil's advocate).

You meet someone and they like activity x. It is common ground. You marry thinking activity x will continue, it doesn't... who is at fault?... person who doesn't feel like activity x, or person who was mislead into believing x would continue?

I know sex is different, to most people at least... some see it as a casual emotionless activity, for others it is incredibly serious. I know this could easily lead to the "he's forcing you emotionally into it" train of thought, but for this argument, let's consider it as just "common interest".

You like travelling and meet a man that lives travelling, but he loses interest in it after you're married, and you cannot live without travelling... would you stay? He has money and goes poor, he has good looks and goes ugly, he is nice and gets mean, he is smart and 'deteriorates'...

It shouldn't be transactional but subconsciously, many of these things are, and people will disagree, but there isn't a human around that would stay after enough of that person (and that initial expectation) has changed.

As for my opinion, he is being unreasonable... your body has gone through a lot and you need rest. Don't be forced into anything, if he is only happy when he gets it, it doesn't bode well. I'm hoping you have enough other common interests to see you through this...

There is nothing (legal) to stop the OP's husband from saying the marriage isn't working and he's leaving (ethically, it's a different matter). But that is a very different kettle of fish from him trying to coerce her into sex. You cannot enter into a relationship with someone and require them to continue in the same habits and activities they always did. You can choose whether or not to leave them, but forcing them to do something they no longer want to do is not ok.

IslandGirl5 · 31/10/2022 22:10

I know that’s all I keep hearing now and I know I need to talk to him more calmly about it. I do need to reiterate that he is caring and affectionate and gives a lot when we don’t have sex still, it’s more the fact that he said what he said and is that how he really feels deep down and is he just doing those things because he feels he should or because he actually cares. The answer there will tell me all I need to know. He needs to understand how despicable he has been or I’m not interested in mansplaining it to him

OP posts:
momtoj · 31/10/2022 22:11

I actually just joined mumsnet because I was so astounded by this post I had to leave a comment!

compromise we have is that I don’t have to have sex but he would be happy with me pleasuring him and having that connection,

What the fuck is this? (Are we allowed to swear on here!) ‘I don’t want sex’ ‘oh comprise then by pleasuring me.’

No is a complete sentence. There is no comprise when someone doesn’t want to have sex. You don’t have it.

I am honestly astounded by this post. The AUDACITY!!!!

And as for this part….

He said he’s been getting what he needs so he’s been happier and that’s why he’s been more attentive etc

I could honestly not be in the same room as this man, let alone contemplate sex with him.

Cw112 · 31/10/2022 22:13

I'm just going to be super honest... we weren't allowed to have sex for the first 4 months I was pregnant due to bleeding. We tried once when we got the all clear and I was so worried the whole time I couldn't relax at all and it wasn't great for either one of us. Then I developed pgp which made it really difficult to get into any comfortable position. So we've had sex about 3 times in the last 35 weeks. I do feel really guilty about it but equally my dh is the most understanding and would never ever say anything like that to me, he's clearly not super happy about it but he is very supportive and understands why it is the way it is. So your dh needs to grow up and accept that this is temporary and there are men out there with much bluer balls than his. This is a phase in your lives and phases end but how he treats you at this time will be what you remember.

IslandGirl5 · 31/10/2022 22:14

@momtoj totally get that! It really does sound awful. Just want to be clear that I don’t do that if I 100% don’t feel like doing something. Sometimes I don’t feel like sex but would be up to something less vigorous which is where this compromise came in. Not something I do out of feeling forced! This is not a “poor me” post because I do stand my ground! The second part; yep, I’m just as outraged

OP posts:
OhIdoLike2bBesideTheSeaside · 31/10/2022 22:14

IslandGirl5 · 31/10/2022 22:10

I know that’s all I keep hearing now and I know I need to talk to him more calmly about it. I do need to reiterate that he is caring and affectionate and gives a lot when we don’t have sex still, it’s more the fact that he said what he said and is that how he really feels deep down and is he just doing those things because he feels he should or because he actually cares. The answer there will tell me all I need to know. He needs to understand how despicable he has been or I’m not interested in mansplaining it to him

Your letting him make you a
Victim here by apologising for this awful man and making excuses for him????
I feel very sorry for you - your obviously scared to be on your own and desperate to be with this horrible excuse for a man

Life is too short you'll look back and regret it

Hawkins001 · 31/10/2022 22:17

He helped with the creation of the baby, therefore he should also understand the side effects from that.

All the best op

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