Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Premature birth

Connect with others and find premature birth support.

Relationships after a prem birth

2 replies

rascal1979 · 04/03/2008 22:46

Did having a prem baby affect your relationship with DH/DP?

DH seems to be struggling to express his feelings about what happened - nothing new he's usually like that.

Just not terribly helpful for him to be being 'distant' when what I need most is his support. I realise he has been through a traumatic time too but he won't talk to me about it and won't entertain listening to me if i need to talk

just wondered if this is normal and if others relationships have come out the otherside better or worse after a prem birth

OP posts:
LiegeAndLief · 05/03/2008 13:24

I think if your dh is normally like this it probably won't help trying to get him to talk about it. I actually didn't talk very much to my dh about how I felt, which wasn't necessarily a good idea... but if I had I don't think he would really have wanted to listen.

My dh is quite typical of many men in that if there is a problem he wants to be able to fix it. So he isn't very good at just listening to a problem that he can't fix. He also seems to have this amazing ability to completely forget things, no matter how traumatic, and never needs or wants to talk about them again. Or if he does he is able to discuss it in quite a matter-of-fact way where I would be a blubbering wreck. I don't think he is heartless or that he keeps it all pent up inside, he just moves on.

You might have to accept that you and your dh are just dealing with this very differently, and it is as difficult for him to listen to you, or talk about it, as it would be for you to just forget it ever happened. (Not sure of course, not knowing your dh, am just going on mine!). If you want to talk, try a good friend, or come on here, or write it all down somewhere, and give your dh a little time. Also your dd is so young, and it is all so new and fresh, and you are probably dealing with sleep deprivation and general shock of parenting. This is probably the one of the hardest times in any couple's relationship, even without a prem baby!

FWIW, I think mine and dh's relationship is stronger now. Like we did this really hard thing, but we did it together, and we got this really wonderful ds out of it that we made together, all by ourselves (well - and a few medical professionals...). Although it probably didn't feel so much like that at the time and I'm sure he has never thought about it like that. Take your time and I'm sure everything will start coming back together.

Tronkmanton · 20/03/2008 16:55

Stick with it rascal! My DH found the whole experience very difficult and handled it differently to me.

Our second child was born at 28 weeks. DH had the burden of not only worrying about new baby in hospital, but juggling childcare and work whilst I stayed in hospital most of the time with DS. He became almost frightened of visiting DS in hospital in case we got bad news.

When DS came home, DH departed to the spare room (something he NEVER did when our first child was born). He also banned all visitors and wouldn't let me go out with DS for 6 weeks in case DS got an infection...it was a nightmare! Very isolating for me as DH could go to work and get out!

But we survived. DH still will not have a rational conversation about DS's time in hospital but we all cope with these things in different ways. He just takes huge pride in the fact that DS is now a strapping 2 yr old and completely "normal"! Time is a great healer.

I found a bit of solace in the Bliss website - sounds awful but realised that DS's problems in SCBU were nothing in comparison to some of the sad stories on there.

Give your DH a few months - things do get better. I think men find it harder as they don't stay in the hospital with the baby so feel out of touch. They also have to carry on with normal life (i.e. paying the mortgage and looking after older children) when all they want to do is sit beside the incubator with you.

My DH wouldn't even hold DS for ages as he was too scared of giving him an infection! It really felt like it was all on my shoulders. But when I look at them now playing together it was all worth it. We are stronger as a couple - we know what eachother's strengths are.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page