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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

Wife has no interest in sex or even holding hands!

254 replies

Jimbo54 · 31/05/2015 10:37

I am 40 years old. My wife is 8 years younger. We have a four year old and a two year old. Since my wife fell pregnant the first time, we have had sex about eight times (mostly when she, very occasionally, gets drunk). We have had absolutely no other intimacy – kissing, cuddling, anything. This isn’t by any stretch my doing. I love my wife and find her very attractive. But she simply is not interested at all in me, physically. I know what you will say – talk to her about it! I have tried. But she clearly feels uncomfortable talking about sex or intimacy and the closest thing I’ve got is “you don’t you appreciate that I’ve just had two children” with a look to say “you selfish pig, how can you expect me to have any interest in you when I’m so busy with the work/children”. Well, yes, of course I appreciate that, but I don’t see why there should be a complete embargo and for so long. It is destroying our marriage and I just cannot get it out of my mind. She says that I am a good father and I have a great relationship with the boys, but, I have to say, in fairness, she has done more of the heavy lifting with our second child than me. But I am starting to think she simply doesn’t want me in that way (she is objectively more attractive than me) and I find that very upsetting. But then I think back that when we got married, it took two weeks to consummate the marriage, so why am I surprised now? Further that, even now, when we rarely do have sex (and only the most vanilla of activity is allowed (for example, she won’t even allow snogging!)) I just know that she wants it over as quickly as is decent. In fact, now I think about it, she has never, not once, in at least the last eight years, instigated sex or any form of intimacy and I always have to do the running. I am now thinking enough is enough. But I could really do with a second opinion. Am I being selfish? Isn't this madness? What do I do? Help!

OP posts:
purdiepie · 31/05/2015 22:12

Does she sound like a woman who laughs a lot to you? It is not woman-hating to judge the OP as an imperfect but concerned and loving husband who would dearly like some expression of love from his wife. Too many women take what they want from a marriage and give nothing back. Of course men do this too, but this is a plea for help written by a man who, even reading between the lines, is a decent sort who wants his wife's happiness as well as his own.

Newrule · 31/05/2015 22:12

It may be an issue but there was a problem long before.

Newrule · 31/05/2015 22:13

It may be an issue but this was a problem long before.

purdiepie · 31/05/2015 22:13

..and the problem was him presumably Hmm

Newrule · 31/05/2015 22:16

Purdue, I think we are on the same page. My double posting was supposed to be a continuation of my previous post in response to Longtall.

Newrule · 31/05/2015 22:17

I mean Purdiepie. Doing this on my phone is clearly not working out.

vodkanchocolate · 31/05/2015 22:18

Agree with other posters sounds like an underlying issue. No point everyone spectulating we dont know the ins and outs

Good luck jim i really feel for you x

bubblewrapandwine · 31/05/2015 22:18

I would insist on therapy find out what's going on.

If she won't go to therapy I would leave. You deserve affection and you both need to be happy.

LondonRocks · 31/05/2015 22:19

Well, something has changed.

It could be that she's feeling ill, depressed, unworthy, used, self conscious...

Perhaps ask her, OP, lovingly. She sounds shattered from what you say. She certainly doesn't sound happy. And I'll wager she feels your resentment acutely.

HelenaDove · 31/05/2015 22:28

MY toilet! Does your h shit in the garden then purdie Confused

upaladderagain · 31/05/2015 22:30

London, nothing has changed. She's not been interested in sex/physical affection/kissing etc etc since the ink dried on the marriage certificate. Jimbo, I feel for you so much. It must be soul-destroying to be married to someone who won't touch you, even just a hug or squeeze of the hand.

If you can expect these things from friends and family, as signs of affection and friendship surely they should be happily forthcoming from your partner.
Please explain to her how hurtful it is to be so completely rejected and request counselling/therapy. If she won't consider this, it may be that you will have to accept that she doesn't love you, and move on. But please don't start an affair: it will put you so far in the wrong that any self-respect you have will be lost. I truly wish you well.

purdiepie · 31/05/2015 22:34

Helena, toilets.

LondonRocks · 31/05/2015 22:37

Well, I guess I meant it was ok at some point and two children were conceived...

But no hugs, no affection sounds utterly awful. Could be because she's scared OP will expect sex if those things happen.

OP, are you sure there's no reason behind this, like abuse or rape?

Sallystyle · 31/05/2015 22:44

I'm sorry OP you are going through this. You may not like my post but when I was like this with my ex husband, it was because I simply did not love him anymore and had no attraction for him at all. When we had sex at the end I couldn't kiss him because, well... I just didn't find him attractive enough. Before anyone thinks I am shallow I had many reasons to end up the way I did, our marriage was dead.

She didn't want sex with you just after you married? it took two weeks for her to want, or at least have sex with you. I think that says everything.

I still have a low sex drive but we are intimate in other ways. I get the feeling over touched thing as well but really, from everything you have said I just don't think she wants sex with you :( I hope I am wrong, but I don't think any amount of talking will solve this and my ex husband could have wrote your post many years ago.

I hope I am wrong and this is something you can work out, but I couldn't live this way personally.

minkGrundy · 31/05/2015 23:40

OP it seems like none of the suggestins for possible ways to help without leaving work for you.

So, why not leave?

You can both work FT.
You can do half the childcare.
You can both do all your own housework.

And you can both move on and be happy with someone else or on your own.

Why are you staying? Is it the convenience?

Eekaman · 02/06/2015 00:43

Jimbo,

One thing that strikes me is that there's no mention of fun in your relationship; do you do things together as family, movies, meals, days out? None of this is mentioned, but as someone else said upthread, foreplay begins before the bedroom. If you aren't treating each other as a couple, doing coupley / family things, friendly, together type things, then why would she want to have sex later?

It sounds like you aren't connecting as friends, as partners, and Id say that nothing else you try or say to fix the issues will work until you are friends again.

Good luck and ignore those saying 'leave' or how dare you start a thread to discuss your sex life. Theres some odd comments going on here :)

DisgraceToTheYChromosome · 02/06/2015 09:30

Hi OP.

Sorry, but your marriage is over. Sex? Pfft. We went without for so long that it would make everyone go Shock. Not a day went without a kind word, a hug, or a little treat. When matters were sorted, it was an unlooked-for bonus.

Get advice, make preparations, don't be a twat about money. And for the sake of your self - respect, don't go to a club on your first night alone and knob a random.

KittiesInsane · 02/06/2015 09:44

OP, I'm no relationship expert. But it does sound as though you think sex is something she should be doing for your sake, rather than for her own pleasure.

KittiesInsane · 02/06/2015 09:44

Should have been 'her own pleasure too', sorry!

OhGood · 02/06/2015 09:45

Oh FFS 'leave' Horsemad what a completely not useful response. How about trying to fix things first. OP ignore her. Or him.

(Full disclosure I have only read 2 posts.)

OhGood · 02/06/2015 10:04

Can I add another voice to the housework/wifework issue?

After we had the DCs and everything changed, as it does, we went through a looooooong no sex patch. It was because of exactly this: while DH is a good person, great dad, and saw himself as helping out, I was actually doing 99 percent of the work that made our lives run. And I am not talking about taking out the fucking bins. (See? I am still angry in retrospect.) I am talking about playdates, doctor's appointments, worrying, planning Christmas, checking DD's eyesight, making decisions about potty training and nappy brands, choosing holidays, fighting the system for DD's op, packing for the kids every time we went everywhere, remembering extra cuddly toys and nightlights, knowing which stories worked to soothe which child, getting milk to right temperature, singing the right number of songs to each so it's fair, sorting out our pensions and paying the bills and running the budget and visiting schools to decide which is right for DD and making friends with their friend's parents so they would get invited round and calling his mum and my mum and making cards and buying presents for their friends' parties and choosing childcare, finding the right person to look after your baby? That's a big deal to do alone, and working full time, because I earn more and without my full time salary we will not afford rent, and commuting 4 hours a day 3 days a week for months at a time because I can only earn enough while I work in London.

And every time anything went wrong in our lives, I blamed myself, because after all it was all my responsibility. (I was at fault in this too, I know this.)

But taking the fucking bins out does not cut it.

He just didn't see it, just literally could not see what went into running our lives, and why I could not just stop doing this stuff because someone needs to do it and he didn't even know it was there.

I got angrier and angrier and angrier until I could barely look at him, let alone touch him.

OP, is this you?

Horsemad · 02/06/2015 10:20

No point beating about the bush OhGood, it's only an opinion dear - MY opinion. Smile

OhGood · 02/06/2015 10:45

Actually horse have read whole thread now and you may well be right [admits] but I am v glad DH and I didn't take similar advice.

dominogocatgo · 02/06/2015 10:47

OhGood, I expect your post will chime with many, me included - how did you resolve that situation ?

lotsofcheese · 02/06/2015 11:20

Good post, OhGood! Resentment is a killer in relationships.

I genuinely think that many men (sorry to generalise!) just don't "get" the sheer amount of things that need doing, probably as they never have to.

And probably clueless as to why their DW is a seething ball of resentment. They might think she has it "easy", especially if she is SAHM or P/T.

I'd be interested to hear how you got your Mojo back, too.