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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Sexless Marriage

9 replies

Kimcat1 · 22/06/2024 21:55

Hi

I've been married to my husband for 2 years, together for 7 years. 6 months after we got together he suffered from a stroke. He was very young, fit and healthy so complete shock. He made a great recovery and does not have any deficits as a result of this. He has been on daily medication since this.

Fast forward to now, we have a beautiful baby girl who we both just adore. I love my husband, and he's a great dad but I can't help but feel so much resentment as honestly I think if it was up to him, he'd be happy to never have sex again. This has really just gotten progressively worse since the stroke and I have of course been very sensitive to this. I've put myself out there so many times and been constantly rejected or if we did do it, I just knew he'd rather not. Whilst I was pregnant I was too frightened to have sex as we'd suffered a loss previously, but honestly I think that suited him. Even when trying for a baby it was clear that he didn't love how much sex you have to have to make a baby, and it did happen quickly for us both times so wasn't a long process. After bubs was born I chatted about how I felt ready again and how did he feel about it etc, and he said yeah let's do it. So about a week later I suggested we make up the sofa bed downstairs as baby girl is in our room. After putting her down I got all ready, makeup, underwear etc. I was feeling so vulnerable as not feeling my best 3 months post partum and in addition I'd done this before with underwear etc only to be shot down and told "aw you're killing me, I really wanted to just chill". So I go downstairs and the sofa bed isn't made up and he's watching TV. So there I sit in my underwear and small robe for an hour and nothing, he didn't even kiss me. Eventually I said I was going to bed and he looked so confused and asked why. I burst into tears and explained how I was feeling lonely, unattractive, rejected etc and had been sitting in basically nothing for an hour for nothing to happen. I told him I'm never putting myself in that position again, and now the ball would have to be in his court and since then nothing at all. He doesn't even kiss me apart from a peck on the lips. Whenever I have brought this up in the past he has said he doesn't know why, mentioned his medication or low sex drive and said if he's not enough for me then he doesn't know what we should do. He's not willing to work on it at all with me. I know I may have gone about it wrong and put too much pressure on it but I guess I thought if I dressed up then that may have made him want to more, and to try to boost my own self confidence really, silly I know. I'm just looking for an outsider perspective really as I'm feeling so deflated and my self confidence is in the toilet really. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks so much if you made it this far.

OP posts:
DustyLee123 · 23/06/2024 07:28

It’s a difficult one. On the one hand he’s had a medical problem that has contributed to this, and if you truly love him you should stick by him, but would he if the roles were reversed? And on the other hand you’re a young woman with needs.
If a sexless marriage is not a life you want, you move on, and hopefully he finds a partner who doesn’t want sex.

araiwa · 23/06/2024 07:34

if we did do it, I just knew he'd rather not.

Ugh

Moonlitwalk · 23/06/2024 07:38

A few thoughts- if he was up for sex prior to the stroke I would guess that he's scared (perhaps of his blood pressure going up and it happening again) or its the medication causing ED. I think you need to really talk to him about what is going on here and what's the actual cause of this- he may well be embarrassed about it.

I'd stop with the planning sex too- if there is even a hint of pressure it is making it into this huge thing that "we're doing tonight" (see what I mean?) which will amplify any potential fears he has as he'll be worrying about it all day.

All that said, he does need to recognise that you are hurt by this and it's hurting you and that you understandably want sex. Sex isn't just solely about pleasure, its about closeness and intimacy and comfort and feeling desired which are very, very important in a relationship- if they werent, there would be no distinction between friendship.

Talk to him. If, after attempting to talk to him he still wont open up and still wont even discuss it with you then I think I personally would be having a think about whether I could continue in the marriage. You are young- its one thing to not be able to have sex but its another entirely to just decide on behalf of both of you that its never happening again with no discussion whatsoever- that is just selfish.

If I were to split, at least I would console myself with the fact that I tried everything in my power to be understanding and work with him to fix this. Ultimately, he has to make effort too, this isnt just on you and you cant do that for him.

Good luck x

Didimum · 23/06/2024 07:38

araiwa · 23/06/2024 07:34

if we did do it, I just knew he'd rather not.

Ugh

Grow up

araiwa · 23/06/2024 07:40

Didimum · 23/06/2024 07:38

Grow up

You think it's ok to have sex with someone who doesn't?

I think there's a word for that

Timeforabiscuit · 23/06/2024 07:44

How is your intimacy more generally, do you share things going on in your lives, or are you living in parallel? Can you still laugh together?

Do you still touch, hug, tickle, stroke? Does any physical touch happen?

Do you spend any dedicated time together face to face, without distractions?

Those things are way more important in building an intimate trusting relationship than pure sex (but sex is an important one in my book too!).

Medical issues aside, a new baby does alter the dynamic of relationships - and it can take alot of work of both sides to build.

paasll · 23/06/2024 07:55

Divorce him whilst your child is still young enough not to suffer.

The stroke is a red herring - he has no deficits.

He's smashed your confidence to pieces and seems not to give any shits at all.

Is there any chance he's having an affair?

Didimum · 23/06/2024 08:02

araiwa · 23/06/2024 07:40

You think it's ok to have sex with someone who doesn't?

I think there's a word for that

I’m not going to bother with your naivety. Again, grow up. Or better yet, speak to OP like an adult or get off the thread.

WorthyScroller · 23/06/2024 08:48

I understand how you feel and how hard it is to keep being rejected, especially when you have sexual desires and still love and fancy the pants off your partner.

I am a man in a similar situation to you. My wife suffers from PTSD as a result of a traumatic childbirth 21 years ago and I have been repeatedly rejected in this time. and have found my wife’s behaviour towards me very confusing and hurtful. Needless to say that sex has been maybe one or twice a year, at most, and some years no sex or physical contact apart from a peck on the lips when we go to work, come home or go to bed.

We have had some very difficult times, particularly in the last couple of years where I have considered all sorts of options and we have had some very frank conversations.

It is only in the last few years, since Covid, that she has opened up (a little), as a result of these conversations and considerations of whether we should be together or find sex outside the marriage (which I haven’t), that I have been given some understanding as to why she has shut me out and rejected me most of the time all these years.

On occasions she has felt sexual enough to temporarily overcome her PTSD fears and initiate sex but this has been incredibly rare and is extremely confusing, not knowing why she has been able to be intimate on that occasion but not able on others, followed by more rejection.

Probably, rather selfishly over the years, I have focused on sex and unwittingly put pressure on my wife to have sex. Her PTSD has got worse and she refuses to seek help as it is too painful to face, meaning that she hasn’t initiated any intimacy for as long as I can remember. Like you, when I have stopped trying she seems quite happy with this.

We have done a lot of talking over the last few years, which she also finds really difficult, we both still love each other and she assures me that she still fancies and wants me too, but just can’t do anything about it because of her fears. Maybe your husband has some fears that he is unable to face too?

Although we don’t have any more sex than we used to, my wife and I are trying to focus on having more cuddles and more kisses and enjoy the closeness this brings. I know it is not quite the same as sex and I still find that difficult at times as I would like more, but I do still love and like my wife, enjoy her company and don’t want to be with anyone else.

Who knows what the future holds, whether she will want to change or if I will find that I still need more than kisses, cuddles and sex one or twice a year.

I would urge you to do lots of completely open and honest talking with your husband about your needs, his needs, what’s going on in your worlds, what you both want and whether you both honestly want to stay together. Depending on what these conversations reveal, you can go from there. It is not easy and it won’t be quick either I’m afraid.

Sorry this has been such a long post, but it felt like it needed some explanation.

Good luck.

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