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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To expect husband to come home with me

161 replies

Pickledprawn · 19/11/2023 08:16

I am pregnant and having morning sickness. We went out with our group of friends last night for dinner. He was drinking and smoking (I didn't complain I am happy for him to enjoy himself). It came to the time we needed to leave for the babysitter but he didn't want to come home with me. Normally I wouldn't mind but I feel like he could at least offer some moral support with me being pregnant. It's not like he has to give anything up at all. For context, he doesn't go out much and I trust him but I know he would have gotten really drunk and been hungover all day today too. Should I have been ok with him staying out?

OP posts:
Forgotmylogindetails · 19/11/2023 09:18

You mentioned a few times “he doesn’t have to give anything up”

Are you resentful of him ?

if you were out with your friends would you go home alone ?

Milkybarsareonmeeeee · 19/11/2023 09:18

Whataretheodds · 19/11/2023 08:25

No, not "help me tomorrow with DC" but "parent"

Drives me bonkers when a father looking after his children is "helping" as though it's inherently the mother's responsibility (assuming you're both working M-F and this is weekend for both of you)

This is what I was thinking.
“help” no not help
Parent and OP has time off/ time out

Torganer · 19/11/2023 09:19

crumblingschools · 19/11/2023 09:15

@SweetFemaleAttitude so again we expect her to be the default parent as DH will be too drunk to parent

Yes, I would expect to take it in turns if they don’t get to go out often and see friends. I would go home early if pregnant or was out with mostly his friends. My husband would go home early if it was after the baby was born, or we were out with mostly my friends. As long as it’s equal, what’s the problem? I wouldn’t want to cut both our nights short, we don’t get nights out often!

diddl · 19/11/2023 09:20

I also think it's unusual to go home separately unless say everyone else is going onto a club & one of you just doesn't want to.

I'm guessing he did go home with you though?

Flamingbow · 19/11/2023 09:20

Did you ask him if he'd go home with you? Or did you expect him to know you wanted him to offer and was hoping he'd be a mindreader?

widowtwankywashroom · 19/11/2023 09:21

crumblingschools · 19/11/2023 09:05

Why are so many posters happy for the DH to stay out and OP be the default parent to relieve the babysitter?

The OP is pregnant and not drinking
Makes sense for her to come home

Boysnme · 19/11/2023 09:21

I think you being pregnant is not relevant. You have a DC already and had an agreed time to be back for a babysitter so he knew that’s when he’d be going home, you are not wrong to expect him to go home with you then.

That said, if he doesn’t do it often and he was having a good time and is generally an all round good partner and dad I’d not have been bothered as a one off about going home myself.

pictoosh · 19/11/2023 09:23

Janeandme · 19/11/2023 08:19

Why do you need moral support to go home after a night out?

This.

Pickledprawn · 19/11/2023 09:24

@Ellie1015 if you read up thread she made some snarky comments because I said I have given up my body for the pregnancy which is true. She has sarcastically asked me if I am doing it solely for him and if I don't want to be pregnant. I haven't responded to all those disagreeing because I am happy to take their advice on board but I won't tolerate sarky comments masked as "advice".

OP posts:
crumblingschools · 19/11/2023 09:27

@widowtwankywashroom and have to be the parent the next day as he is too hungover to parent DC, even though the OP may actually feel worse with morning sickness

Pickledprawn · 19/11/2023 09:28

Thanks for all the genuine advice. Will take it on board. Too busy to respond to further posts as watching a toddler while husband is in bed with a hangover!

OP posts:
widowtwankywashroom · 19/11/2023 09:31

Pickledprawn · 19/11/2023 09:28

Thanks for all the genuine advice. Will take it on board. Too busy to respond to further posts as watching a toddler while husband is in bed with a hangover!

Play the martyr then.
Hope your husband has a nice lie in.

Nonplusultra · 19/11/2023 09:33

It’s not that I would expect my dh to come home with me in those circumstances, but I really appreciate that he’s the kind of man who does. He wants to be with me and his dc, he wants to holiday with us. He’s very family oriented.

There are occasions where I would push him to stay out, or stay longer to spend time with family or friends. He doesn’t take it for granted and he would absolutely check in with me that I was ok first.

I was just lucky to get a dh like that because it wasn’t something I would have looked for. In my twenties I was the one who was last home, and wouldn’t have been inclined towards someone who left the party early.

On MN people are always encouraged to let their dh go out drinking, on holidays with mates etc, and take an equal amount of time for themselves, preferably when he’s hungover. But that’s not in the interests of the dc. And ime friends who have had that kind of marriage have broken up. Another friend is coping with an alcoholic dh - the other evening she was loading sleeping dc in the car to drive around searching bus stops after he’d missed the last bus home. (Apparently he’s a great dad.) But he was always a bit of a selfish prick. Great craic in the early days but he’s not a family man.

I don’t think you can change what a person fundamentally is, op, but there’s nothing wrong with having high standards and boundaries. In this day and age, you don’t have to put up and shut up. Every relationship has a few downsides but if you aren’t happy overall, or something is a step too far for you, you don’t need the MN group consensus to challenge it.

Shelby2010 · 19/11/2023 09:33

If we go out as a couple, then we go home as a couple. I would mightily resent being the default option to relieve the babysitter, pregnant or not.

There may be occasional exceptions, but they would have been planned in advance.

crumblingschools · 19/11/2023 09:35

@widowtwankywashroom you said it made sense that she should go home as she was pregnant, so why is she now being a martyr as her DH is in bed with a hangover.

Allfur · 19/11/2023 09:35

It would be much nicer hor him to return home with his pregnant partner and quit smoking. Just be a decent bloke

Vinrouge4 · 19/11/2023 09:36

MyLadyTheKingsMother · 19/11/2023 08:18

Your pregnant not dying. Of course he can stay out!

What a cold comment. He was there when the baby was conceived so why shouldn’t he suffer a bit of hardship. Nothing worse than suffering from morning sickness and having a hungover, smelling of booze and fags husband.

19lottie82 · 19/11/2023 09:38

As a one off, fine. I wouldn’t have a problem with this.

JFDIYOLO · 19/11/2023 09:43

He was being selfish and adolescent.

You were out on a date with your husband who was happy to let you go home alone, spend twice the taxi fare etc.

How's he feeling this morning? Rather under the weather, I hope.

I hope today he will be doing his shared parenting duties with you - not 'helping' you. Never say that.

The parenting needs doing. Time for him to get up and participate. Perhaps it's his turn to clean the toilet? Please keep us posted 😁

pictoosh · 19/11/2023 09:44

Shelby2010 · 19/11/2023 09:33

If we go out as a couple, then we go home as a couple. I would mightily resent being the default option to relieve the babysitter, pregnant or not.

There may be occasional exceptions, but they would have been planned in advance.

Gosh. That sounds...firm. A no spontaneity zone.
What if you want to stay out?

pinkyredrose · 19/11/2023 09:44

Pickledprawn · 19/11/2023 08:40

@Muchof moral support means "support or help whose effect is psychological rather than physical". I have given up my whole body for the pregnancy, I hoped that he would offer some moral support by not getting absolutely shit faced drunk. I think that's pretty obvious that I don't need moral support to go home alone.

Sorry but i think YABU. It's not like he goes out all the time. As for 'giving up your whole body'. 🙄 That's biology, there's not much either of you can do about that is there.

Happytimes123456 · 19/11/2023 09:46

I do not understand why you couldn't go home alone... you don't need moral support.

willWillSmithsmith · 19/11/2023 09:46

I would have liked to think he’d want to come home with me because I know if the tables were turned I would want to go home with my partner if they were pregnant. It’s not to do with not being ill or anything it’s just a nice, selfless, loving gesture imho.

Mikimoto · 19/11/2023 09:47

Sounds like he's "given up" having a whinge-free existence at home!!

pictoosh · 19/11/2023 09:48

Giving up your whole body.
Heh...I just had a little swoon at my own sacrifice there.