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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

DP never seems to want sex :-( feel like I'm begging all the time

21 replies

HayFear · 19/06/2013 14:12

That's just it really, my DP never seems to want to have sex. He's affectionate in other ways, hugs me, kisses me, holds my hand etc but he never touches my boobs or caresses me or seems interested in anything sexual unless he's pushed. We've been together about a year and a half and he hasn't always been like this, in the beginning he was constantly wanting sex, often more than once a night and then got less and less to the point where we were only having sex 3 times a week. After a while, he stopped instigating and of those 3 times, he'd only instigate it maybe once. Then he stopped instigating altogether and we'd only have sex at all if I instigated it.

We've just bought a new house together, our first and it's lovely - we both love it and are very happy. Getting on great - but it's been two weeks in the new house and we've had sex once. And that was only because I physically instigated it. I put it down to him being tired (stressful job, moving house etc) but he goes to bed so late that surely he could make an effort and come to bed earlier? In our first night in the house we had planned a romantic bottle of wine and an early night - it didn't happen - we collapsed into bed around midnight after spending hours putting furniture together. Fair enough - I can laugh at that one - things don't tend to work out like a Barclays mortgage advert so I let it go ... 2nd night in the house his teenage kids were spending their first night here and I went to bed before everyone else to give them some "dad space" - fair enough. But the next night - I was looking forward to some intimacy with no real excuse not to - so he was faffing about on the computer and I said to him "are we going to spend some time together tonight?" and he said "yeah, give me until 9pm and I'll come and watch TV with you and we can have a cuddle on the sofa before bed." so 9pm comes and goes - no sign of him. 10pm arrives and I say "DP, are you coming to watch a bit of TV?" and he replies "yep, give me 2 minutes and I'll be with you." 10.30pm comes and goes and it's 11pm. I go into the computer room and say "I'm getting tired, will you be long?" and he says "no, nearly finished - 2 minutes". I go back into the living room. 11.30pm - I nod off on the sofa and am awoken by a loud advert. I go into the computer room and say "I'm off to bed, I'm knackered" and he says "I'm coming too, I'll follow you up." 1am - he wakes me up getting into bed and promptly falls asleep.

Repeat this scenario for the next week or so and that brings us up to a couple of nights a go. I say to DP "we've not spent much quality time together since we moved. Fancy watching a movie with me tonight?" and he says "yes I was going to suggest that myself". 9pm comes and goes and it's 10pm. Recognising the pattern I say "right, we either watch TV or a movie now or it will get too late". He agrees and sits next to me on the sofa. We sit there for 15 minutes and he gets up and goes into the computer room saying "I have a lot of faffing to do on ebay and I really want us to go to bed at the same time tonight so do you mind if I get on with it?" Hmm whatever. 11pm - I say "I'm going to bed soon" and he says "I know, I'm coming". 11.40pm I say "right, I'm off to bed" to which he replies "aww you're always going to bed early these days" and I remind him that 20 to midnight is not early. He agrees and says he'll follow me up. Needless to say I'm awoken much later by him coming to bed. He falls asleep within minutes.

Last night I'm feeling rather sexually frustrated and say outright "Can we have an early night tonight? it's been a while ... " I say this whilst kissing his neck - surely no mistake what I'm getting at. He twigs on and says "oo yeah, definiately! I'll look forward to it. 9pm / 10pm / 11pm - me "we going to bed then?" him - "yep I'll follow you up" He didn't.

What else can I do other than outright ask him to shag me!? The relationship is fine otherwise. I'm feeling rather undesirable :-(

OP posts:
CrowsLanding · 19/06/2013 14:19

It sounds very frustrating for you op.

How old is your dp? Is there a chance he is at an age where things are not waoking 'as well' down there as they used to be?

The only other thing I can think of is what is he actually doing online to want to spend so much time in his computer room?

CrowsLanding · 19/06/2013 14:19

*working not waoking and he is embarressed to discuss it with you?

Dahlen · 19/06/2013 14:20

I think you need to be much more direct about it. Say that you've noticed a pattern of him avoiding opportunities to have sex. Tell him that you miss the intimacy, it's a problem for you, and you'd like to know what's going on.

After that, it's down to you.

If it's an ED problem, whether physical or psychological in origin, I'd advise being sympathetic and supportive and suggesting you go to the Dr together.

If it's just that he doesn't want sex, or is to lazy to instigate it, you need to decide if it's a deal-breaker and/or what you want done about it.

HayFear · 19/06/2013 14:22

There is a 9 year age difference but that still only makes him 41 - not old. He has no erectile problems and I can guarantee that if I touch him he will get an erection but I'm sick of instigating it all the time, it makes me feel desperate and unattractive and plus, if he's not coming to bed until gone midnight I can't be arsed anyway.

I've checked his online history (after having the same suspicions CrowsLanding) and all that's it there is bloody movie download sites and ebay. He's obsessed with ebay to the point where he just buys random crap and resells it again when it arrives. He spends hours doing it.

OP posts:
Dahlen · 19/06/2013 14:40

What would he say if you told him it makes you feel unattractive, undesirable and unloved and it's giving you serious concerns about the long-term health of your relationship?

CogitoErgoSometimes · 19/06/2013 14:41

"less and less to the point where we were only having sex 3 times a week"

Three times a week isn't exactly 'only'... although I realise it's less now. I think you have resist putting the guy under pressure or it's only going to get worse. If you're affectionate, tactile and physically close to each other in other respects it's not like you're dealing with a completely cold fish. I'd suggest therefore that you hold back, stop instigating, keep up with the affectionate stuff, learn to feel appreciated and to appreciate him without it necessarily ending up as sex. "Absence makes the heart grow fonder" as a first step.

Dahlen · 19/06/2013 14:45

Fair point Cogito, hadn't considered it from that POV.

That said, though, his stalling behaviour is very passive aggressive (in the proper sense) - agreeing to something and then doing something completely different.

Someone in this relationship needs to start a to-the-point discussion about this, rather than dropping hints or practising avoidance behaviour.

Hullygully · 19/06/2013 14:55

Just say:

ME OR EBAY?

He sounds very er, dull

CogitoErgoSometimes · 19/06/2013 14:57

I agree to a point. He clearly isn't up for it and the OP is. She's left him in no doubt and he prevaricates his way to watching TV at 1am. No real mystery what's going on there. Yes, a conversation would probably cut to the chase but sex is a funny thing.... if what you're after is spontaneity, having a heavy discussion rather defeats the object.

The answer will probably end up here.... What else can I do other than outright ask him to shag me!?... Ask a straight question and if he says a flat 'no' then the relationship is not as happy as the OP thinks.

HayFear · 19/06/2013 14:57

I don't put him under pressure, I've completely stopped instigating (hence why we've not had sex for two weeks now) and have only mentioned having an early night once since we moved into our new house. I don't see that as pressurising. I've not even discussed the lack of sex with him. All I said was that it's been a while - which I've said once since we've lived in this house.

OP posts:
HayFear · 19/06/2013 14:59

See without drip feeding he must have some kind of a sex drive as he has been looking at porn on his phone (not often but it's on there)

OP posts:
Hullygully · 19/06/2013 15:05

If I were you I would be saying WHAT IS GOING ON? by now.

Boosterseat · 19/06/2013 15:58

He is obviously getting his without giving a rats ass that you're practically climbing the walls! What a twat.

He is seriously disrepecting you and is coming across as a selfish partner and lover.

Porn Losers always prefer the 5 finger shuffle until the real life woman is gone for good.

Is it a dealbreaker - sex? If so tell him to sharpen up or ship out.

hellsbellsmelons · 19/06/2013 16:02

The relationship is fine otherwise
Really????
Doesn't sound fine to me.
He doesn't want to spend time with you.
He doesn't want to go to bed with you.
He's on the computer all night, every night.
I'd be mightily pissed off and having serious words by now.
Do you do anything together?

NotDead · 19/06/2013 16:24

From what you describe as your initiation technique it is still a bit 'asking for permission' rather than stimulating as such which is still asking him to decide. It may be better to tell him what you would like to do.. you want him to not be able to resist..

Have you tried more direct/I want you to... approaches? or telling him you are hot for him?

it can be wearing for a man to hear 'I am ready' because it can sound dutiful/testing, but hearing someone say I really wanna do x (his fave thing) to you/with you etc..

If he has been using porn you could use that as a springboard of scenarios to talk about.. you are not nec saying you want to do them but sharing fantasies and talking about them before/during sex can pep things up.

I can?t give an example because I'll get all the usual hassle but an ex of mine used to tell me she wanted
tus to do something we both would never actually do and whisper it to me it made me so turned that I could still be instigator in one regard but it was because I was turned on not helpibg out as such.

You have to turn him on, not just point out his failing (which is what he is hearing I'm sure).

qme · 19/06/2013 16:34

so what would have happened if internet went down for a night?
(not that difficult perhaps to do - change fes settings in the computer and he can go online)

would he go on ebay on his phone for the whole night?

How long were you living together before you got this house?

is he perhaps addicted to ebay?

NotDead · 19/06/2013 16:35

Also when he says yeah definitely is there anything you can do to turn him on right then and there? the 'appointment in the bedroom' obv isnt working for him.

The other gentle point to raise is the amount of venom on this site that would be thrown about if it was a man saying his woman doesn't have sex with him enough.. There would be all sorts of anger about entitlement etc

Personally I think its right to raise it if you aren't getting near what you want. In my experience once you have had some good sex together again ask him what was holding him back. There might be some fears there or something untalked about between you that is making him withdraw a little..but normally a bit of unheavy pleasure only sex will help build things up again.

Also could you go somewhere in public where there are lots of people in the sun? flirting with someone when there are other people around often works well.. have u tried texts when he is on pc??

CalamityGin · 20/06/2013 11:59

yeah, it's all you OP, you're just not doing enough to turn him on Hmm

OneMoreChap · 20/06/2013 15:00

CalamityGin
yeah, it's all you OP, you're just not doing enough to turn him on

I understood the usual line was "Well, are you doing enough to help around the new house. If you did a bit more he might be more in the mood if he wasn't so tired... "

alternatively "Well, he has to want to too; why should you be expected to be allowed to have sex on him whenever you want".

Honestly, you need to have the difficult conversation.

DW and I had to have the honest conversation: I felt I was always being rejected, so didn't bother; she felt I wasn't interested in her, so didn't feel like it.

Now sorted.

CalamityGin · 20/06/2013 16:29

My comment was directed at NotDead who seems to think that the lack of sex is the OPs fault. I'm surprised he didn't suggest that she got herself a see through negligee and draping herself over the sofa.

Fwiw OP I think 2 weeks is nothing! My husband is a little older than me and I'm in my 40s and we go for Much longer than that but I guess the difference is we don't mind and obv you do. onechap is right tho you do need to talk to him

paperlantern · 20/06/2013 20:57

If you are concerned about porn and all you have done is look at the history he may well have hidden it well. E.g. Some internet providers if you are logged on as an administrator allow you to delete selected web pages from the history, in private browsing.

More interesting can be searching for a specific file type on the main file system

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