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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Furious with husband. AIBU?

276 replies

TS45 · 24/08/2023 15:56

I’m so upset.
My husband and I have been TTC for 16 months with no success. After a very late period, I felt so hopeful, but it turned out to just be another negative test. My husband’s brother, who’s 2 years younger, is expecting a baby with his girlfriend, which they have been very open about in how easy they were to convince. I’m absolutely thrilled for them but I can’t help but feel heartbroken that it isn’t me, and it feels so unfair to hear all about an accidental pregnancy when I’m doing everything I can to get pregnant. So many close friends are also pregnant, and last night was a particularly heavy night of hearing, ‘we weren’t even trying, I’m so shocked’, from so many different people. Once home, I broke down. My husband asked what was wrong (he was out with me), and after I explained, he put his arm around me for about 2 minutes then got up and went on his Xbox. I was still crying and asked him if we could do something together, and he responded by saying he wants to play Xbox by himself. I reacted by getting up and telling him I’m going to bed then, and then he got annoyed and said I was ruining his evening by making him feel like he can’t play on his Xbox. I told him he can play on his Xbox, but that I thought he would have wanted to do something together. He said that I shouldn’t use my heartache to guilt him into getting my own way. He then put his Xbox back on and I went upstairs to bed. I sobbed because I just felt like he didn’t care about me and I felt sad because of the complete lack of comfort. He could hear me crying but didn’t come up to bed until 2am (he started his game at 9.30pm).
when he finally came to bed, he asked me why I was upset, so I had to re-explain how down I feel about not being able to get pregnant. I told him I feel so alone when most women in my life are currently pregnant, and I feel like my life is on standstill. He then asked why I’m so upset with him because ‘it’s not my (his) fault you can’t get pregnant’. I explained I’m upset with him because he didn’t comfort me, and chose to sit there and play Xbox knowing his wife was in tears. He said he did comfort me because he put his arm around me. That was for 2 minutes and he stopped doing it to play even though I was still crying. He said he wanted to play Xbox and it’s selfish of me to expect him to not do what he wants to do.
This morning, he got up early to take our puppy out for the toilet. He then got ready and went out with his friends for a few hours. During this time, I watched our puppy, took our older dog out for an hour long walk, then took our puppy out for a 20 minute walk (our older dog pulls so much it’s impossible to walk them together by yourself). I then did work in our garden, cleaned the downstairs of our house, and made us both lunch. He came home and had his lunch then proceeded to lie on the floor with the dogs whilst all the plates, pans, and bowls were in the sink. I asked if he could help me with the dishes which he did. He then followed up by telling me to put all the dishes away because he’s washed them and it’s not fair if he washes and dries. I then pointed out all of the things I’d done whilst he was out and he said, ‘well I got up early with the puppy and you didn’t’. I normally get up early with the puppy. He also said I should have done the dishes because I made the lunch and therefore used the dishes and he didn’t. I’m now sat upstairs really upset whilst he’s sat downstairs. I just feel like he’s been so selfish yesterday and today. But I’m still really sensitive from last night. He also hasn’t asked me once how I am today.

am I being unreasonable or has he been quite selfish?

OP posts:
TomatoSandwiches · 24/08/2023 18:07

Sounds like he doesn't even like you, why would you want to be with someone like that let alone bring a poor baby into this dysfunction?

ImNotWorthy · 24/08/2023 18:07

Get rid. Now. I had DC with mine. The kids, adults now, are lovely but Ex is still a dick.

elm26 · 24/08/2023 18:09

Janieforever · 24/08/2023 16:09

I’m going to differ a bit, both of you are going through infertility. Both of you have different ways of handling it. If his is to switch off mentally and play Xbox , that’s ok, yours is to cry and want comfort time together, that’s also ok. It’s just incompatible.

you need to listen to each other, and try to compromise. He was telling uou what he wished or needed to do to switch off, he also sat through the chat. You were telling him your needs were more important.

then today you’ve agrued again. You need to learn to respect each others needs during this difficult time, and your differences , as it’s now become a petty war.

I was going to write similar, agree with all of this.

I went through 13 miscarriages, but my DH did too. I went through 9 years of infertility, but my DH did too. We all have different ways of dealing with things.

IpsyUpsyDaisyDoos · 24/08/2023 18:09

TS45 · 24/08/2023 16:14

He didn’t recognise that I was upset because of the conversations we heard. He had no idea why I was sobbing when we got home so I had to explain why the conversations hurt me. I asked how he felt about it and he said he’s fine, and it doesn’t upset him seeing pregnancy announcements. It genuinely doesn’t upset him.
I’ve got lots of tests coming up. He’s been asked to schedule a blood test to see his hormone levels but he hasn’t done it yet because, in his words, ‘my hormones are obviously fine’.

I know of two couples struggling where it's turned out to be him that has the medical reason for not being able to conceive. Unless he's got a bunch of kids from other relationships, it's not obvious that he's fine.

Everything you've described sounds to me like the husbands/partners of my friends who ended up single mothers because the dads disappeared out of their lives once the reality of life with children kicked in. They didn't really want it, because they weren't ready to grow up in the ways they needed to.

Ponderingwindow · 24/08/2023 18:11

Female fertility tests are more invasive (and more expensive) than the male tests. My doctor only scheduled my tests once my husband had scheduled and started his. Of course, my husband wasn’t a man-child so he did his tests promptly and without complaint.

your husband reminds me more of my XH. He and I struggled with infertility. Towards the end, I became a bit blinded by my desire to have a child and didn’t want to see that I needed to leave. I’m not saying that you are in the same situation. I can’t tell from your posts what is really going on in your marriage. I just wanted to share that to this day I am grateful that I got out before we had a child. I moved on and found someone much better and we tackled infertility together in a way that definitely set the tone for our future parenting.

CollagenQueen · 24/08/2023 18:12

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

TS45 If your DH was really upset, and crying about something, are you honestly saying, that you would ignore him and immerse yourself in a game?

Come on now.....

VeridicalVagabond · 24/08/2023 18:13

Please don't have a child with this man.

He should have been supporting you, comforting you, experiencing this difficult time with you, not buggering off to sit on his Xbox like a child while you sobbed upstairs! Christ it's made me fuming for you, even my dog would snuggle up to me if I was that upset. My dog has greater emotional capacity than your husband.

He's emotionally bankrupt OP, he's a terrible husband and would be an appalling father. Please don't do this to yourself or your future children.

Tribblesarelovely · 24/08/2023 18:15

On no account have children with this man child. He will not be supportive and will always put his feelings first.

Fireroselily · 24/08/2023 18:16

Are there any medical reasons why you're not getting pregnant? Maybe it's the universe telling you he isn't the one cause he sounds like a dick tbh. My sister couldn't get pregnant for her ex and started the IVF process, they broke up just as they were accepted and she went on to have 3 children with current partner, getting pregnant very quickly each time. Hang on in there OP, and maybe ditch the husband and find a new one

Welshpancake · 24/08/2023 18:17

Janieforever · 24/08/2023 16:09

I’m going to differ a bit, both of you are going through infertility. Both of you have different ways of handling it. If his is to switch off mentally and play Xbox , that’s ok, yours is to cry and want comfort time together, that’s also ok. It’s just incompatible.

you need to listen to each other, and try to compromise. He was telling uou what he wished or needed to do to switch off, he also sat through the chat. You were telling him your needs were more important.

then today you’ve agrued again. You need to learn to respect each others needs during this difficult time, and your differences , as it’s now become a petty war.

This is a good way to think on.

You are both affected - step back and regroup - Just because he is a male doesn’t mean he is not emotionally impacted or that he has endless reserves to support your emotional needs.

He will have his own head challenges - have you asked him how he is?

You need some support but maybe from an outside professional source, you are losing wood for trees - totally understandable and wottnot .

You crushed and grieving - I can only imagine your heartache, but this tit for tat is not the way.

you need to find routes to deal with things effectively.

pinkyredrose · 24/08/2023 18:19

He sounds like an immature wanker. He's got no empathy and that is a seriously awful trait.

He's a crap husband and he'll be a crap father.

In the nicest possibly way, maybe you should think about leaving him and either hopefully meet a decent guy or have a baby solo.

DiddyHeck · 24/08/2023 18:20

TS45 · 24/08/2023 17:16

He knew I was crying upstairs because he shouted up ‘what now?’ and I didn’t reply. I didn’t put on a performance. telling someone struggling with infertility that their heartache is manipulation and a guilt tactic shows a total lack of understanding to how hard it is

He shouted up 'what now?' because you were upstairs and crying loud enough for him to hear you downstairs.

That can come across as performative.

I'm not saying the fact you were crying was performative in itself, just the fact you were doing loud enough for him to hear you on another floor of the house.

Cardboardcup · 24/08/2023 18:21

Honestly you both sound too immature for a baby.

CollagenQueen · 24/08/2023 18:21

Sorry that question was to Seryse

Whattodo112222 · 24/08/2023 18:21

EVHead · 24/08/2023 15:59

Your relationship isn’t ready for children. He sounds very immature.

All this in the first comment. You need to be solid and emotionally capable to bring a child into a relationship. This relationship ain't it.

pinkyredrose · 24/08/2023 18:24

How does he know he's the reason you're not pregnant, has he had his sperm tested?

Mamma2017 · 24/08/2023 18:26

FloweryName · 24/08/2023 16:41

I don’t think the xbox criticisms are fair, especially coming from people that are sat on social media discussing other peoples problems. We all have our guilty pleasure and can’t just dismiss someone because they like gaming.

I don’t think he’s done anything wrong tbh, at least no worse than you. You were as petty and immature as each other with the dog walking/saucepans saga. When you were upset he comforted you but that wasn’t enough for you. He didn’t want to indulge in a whole pity party just because you did. That doesn’t make him selfish.

It does actually. His wife was crying about something so sensitive to her, he comforted her for all of 2 minutes then played on his Xbox all night while she was still crying, telling her he can do what he wants like some defiant teenager. He’s a fucking selfish arse hole.

whybotheratall · 24/08/2023 18:30

An adult man plays videogames and the lady bickers with him who is doing what and why....

DiddyHeck · 24/08/2023 18:31

Mamma2017 · 24/08/2023 18:26

It does actually. His wife was crying about something so sensitive to her, he comforted her for all of 2 minutes then played on his Xbox all night while she was still crying, telling her he can do what he wants like some defiant teenager. He’s a fucking selfish arse hole.

Unless it turns out the OP does this every time one of her friends/family gets pregnant?

If that's the case (and I'm aware it might not be), then it's going to wear thin after a while - hence the 2 minute cuddle.

Mind you he doesn't really sound fussed about having kids anyway, and if he's not splitting chores 50/50 now, the OP would be mad to have a baby with him.

Xrays · 24/08/2023 18:32

God no, you really don’t want children with him. He will be the type of selfish arsehole you’ll be on here writing threads about how he ignores or shouts at the kids and expects you to do everything. Total waste of time and energy.

My ex was exactly like this. Including the whole saying he wanted a baby / not really participating in ivf and yet saying he was. In the end we split up and I was absolutely heartbroken thinking I’d never have children etc. Then met dh and here we are 15 years later with dc - and ironically we found out I was pregnant naturally on the day our first appointment for ivf came through 😆😳

Honestly you can do better.

bigalt · 24/08/2023 18:33

This guy sounds so immature it's unbelievable. He isn't grown up enough to see when his partner needs his support so doesn't deserve to walk away and do his own thing.

On the Xbox note though (not that this guy deserves it), it's peaked my interest. What do you suggest a man does to decompress after a long hard day? I work a fairly high pressure job and maybe 2 days a week I will switch the Xbox on in the spare room for a bit whilst my partner does a bit of crochet next to me. Am I a child?

Like if your husband spend an hour or 2 on a games console once in a while but was a real top bloke otherwise, is that so bad?

IpsyUpsyDaisyDoos · 24/08/2023 18:39

bigalt · 24/08/2023 18:33

This guy sounds so immature it's unbelievable. He isn't grown up enough to see when his partner needs his support so doesn't deserve to walk away and do his own thing.

On the Xbox note though (not that this guy deserves it), it's peaked my interest. What do you suggest a man does to decompress after a long hard day? I work a fairly high pressure job and maybe 2 days a week I will switch the Xbox on in the spare room for a bit whilst my partner does a bit of crochet next to me. Am I a child?

Like if your husband spend an hour or 2 on a games console once in a while but was a real top bloke otherwise, is that so bad?

An hour or two a couple of days a week to decompress is absolutely fine. Everyone deserves that time for themselves at the very least. But, that's not what's happening here. 930pm til 2am isn't a couple of hours, and to do that while your wife is noticeably in need of emotional support is inconsiderate.

Riapia · 24/08/2023 18:42

He sounds very immature.
Still wanting to play on x box.
I think you need someone with a bit more between the ears than someone who still plays x box.
Definitely not mature enough to become a parent.

MMUmum · 24/08/2023 18:45

If he won't cooperate with testing how do you know the problem is not with him, you may never have a child with this man. His immature pride stops him testing because he's afraid of what he might find out. I appreciate how much you long for a child but does it have to be with him? he's not father material

NotQuiteHere · 24/08/2023 18:46

IpsyUpsyDaisyDoos · 24/08/2023 18:39

An hour or two a couple of days a week to decompress is absolutely fine. Everyone deserves that time for themselves at the very least. But, that's not what's happening here. 930pm til 2am isn't a couple of hours, and to do that while your wife is noticeably in need of emotional support is inconsiderate.

The difference between a kind request for emotional support and emotional blackmail is pretty subtle.

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