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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

Give me your best tips for reviving our sex life

14 replies

calypsogogo · 30/06/2014 15:05

Namechanged for this. Quick history: married 10 yrs, together 14yrs. One DC (18mo). When we first got together sex was great, we're compatible and DH is a generous lover (possibly to a fault, but that's another thread). I've probably always been a bit more self-conscious, although we were more adventurous back in the early days. Sex life gradually dwindled. It used to make me very sad about 8 years ago, but I've got used to it and I don't really miss it that much.

We've had sex once since DC was born Sad, about three months ago. It was good for me, not so great for DH (he said he felt self-conscious, which isn't something he's suffered from before). We haven't bothered since. We used to be very cuddly and affectionate. Less so over the past few months (it feels as if all our cuddles are used up on DC, if that makes sense). We love each other deeply and while the lack of sex isn't much of an issue for either of us I don't think either of us want to become chronically sexless. I would like to have sex again before I die!

So, please someone tell me how to do it? (Or recommend me a how-to book or website.) Whenever we talk about it, it ends up either with sheepish shoulder-shrugging agreement that we're a bit crap, or it becomes jokey very quickly. We've never been into flirty texts (I cannot flirt, I'm just incapable of it, it makes me feel like a fool) or role playing (see previous comment about feeling like a fool), or anything like that. I know the real answer is 'just do it'. But how? It's like we know each other too well - it's almost too awkward...

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Xcountry · 30/06/2014 15:12

DH and I married 11 years and together 15 years - how strange is that right?? We have 4 and the best thing we do is let MiL keep them overnight sometimes.

When she does we revert back to being the people we used to be before DC (just with more wrinkles and fatty bits), we eat junk food, we watch really shit 80s and 90s films, we have a drink (this is a grown up way of saying we drink too much) and we talk about crap like we used to.

We just do the things we used to do before, this does include raunchy texts or dressing up or christening the new car etc but that was the kind of people we were before. I think you have to find whats right for you. Did he say what he felt self conscious about?

calypsogogo · 30/06/2014 15:22

I think he was worried DC would wake up (although they've slept through for ages, so that would be very unusual). I think he could also possibly feel my diaphragm (but we used that as contraception before DC too) - he did say something about it feeling 'different'. But I wonder if he doesn't view me/ my body differently, having seen me squeeze out a baby and then bf (I'm still bf, but only twice a day - morning and bedtime).

The thing is, I'm not sure what is 'right' for us anymore. It's been so long since we've had a very active sex life... And now it feels like we're too familiar with each other to rediscover what turns each other on.

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CogitoErgoSometimes · 30/06/2014 15:26

I agree with the PP that a good way to rekindle old feelings is to recreate the environment when you first met. Work out what it was that attracted you to each other etc. Self-consciousness is something that you feel with someone you don't know very well... so it's self-fulfilling if you do nothing to address it.

As for waking up the DCs... the risk is part of the fun, surely? :) IME little kids a) go to bed early, b) have no idea what sex sounds like and c) sleep through anything. When you have a far too well informed about sexual matters teenager in the next room with ears like a freaking bat, you reach whole new levels of embarrassment!

calypsogogo · 30/06/2014 15:35

I'm not in anyway worried about waking DC up - you could march a brass band through their bedroom and they would hardly stir. That's just the excuse DH gave.

Ok - good advice on recreating the early environment but what if that involved taking recreational drugs and going clubbing? If we did that now we'd be those weird old people I sometimes used to see in clubs!

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CogitoErgoSometimes · 30/06/2014 15:38

I think you have to have an honest conversation with your DH about this - maybe with a counsellor if you can't talk without it ending up with the sheepish stuff. In the meantime, keep initiating physical contact as often as possible. The loss of affection in the form of cuddles and kisses IMHO is far more worrying than a temporary lull in sex per se

Trooperslane · 30/06/2014 15:41

Calypso I've got a 10 month old and my DM has just died Confused

So hope you don't mind me piggy backing your thread.

DH is a total legend and is giving me loads of space, but I'm missing the intimacy and looking for suggestions too.

I'm just too knackered and emotional.

If I find the silver bullet I'll pm you Smile

EhricLovesTheBhrothers · 30/06/2014 15:45

Calypso, funny suggestion but could you get away to a little festival? No worries about feeling fogeyish since all ages go and just have fun. You could dance all night, connect and remember how to fancy each other and take recreationals if you want

calypsogogo · 30/06/2014 15:46

Hi Troopers - sorry to hear about your DM. My MiL is terminally ill, so that is naturally impacting both of us, DH more so obviously, and how much time/ emotional energy we have.

Cogito The thing about talking about it is that all that ever gets us is agreeing that, yes, we don't have sex as often as we should/ would like to, but we don't really know what to do about it. Or maybe that's just an excuse...

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Trooperslane · 30/06/2014 15:47

Calypso, thank you and so sorry about your DMIL

Don't under estimate how much of an impact that's having too.

I know it has for me.

calypsogogo · 30/06/2014 15:48

That's a great idea Ehric and I think that's something we'd both love (we spent a lot of this weekend watching Glastonbury), but unfortunately there's no one who can look after DC for us overnight.

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calypsogogo · 30/06/2014 15:49

Watching Glastonbury on the TV, I should clarify...

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CogitoErgoSometimes · 30/06/2014 15:53

It's not an excuse but it's too vague to be effective. Like saying to a friend 'we must meet up more often'.... but nothing goes in the diary so it never happens. You have to have list of things you're going to do to revive the intimacy and be specific about it. Nothing as passion-killing as 'we are going to have sex a week on Friday' but something more definite than 'we should do it more often'.

Could be something as simple as getting back into the cuddling groove by designating one evening a week when kids go to bed early, you have a nice meal together and snuggle on the sofa in front of a soothing movie. (And there are cuddles spare even if you have DCs.... that's definitely an excuse) But you have to schedule it if its not coming naturally.

calypsogogo · 30/06/2014 16:13

That's a good analogy cogito (re. the 'we must meet up...')

Troopers I just watched this - much of it really resonated with me

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Virgosoul22 · 28/02/2019 17:13

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