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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

Sexually frustrated Husband

988 replies

Brightling · 23/03/2016 20:29

It seems I'm married to one of those men who gets very moody when their intimacy needs aren't being met as often as they would like.

We've been married a significant amount of time. When we first met my sex drive was average and a few years and very young children later it's pretty much dwindled. I'm all touched out by the children. I am very unhappy with my post multiple pregnancies body. I'm tired. All I want is to be able to go to bed and sleep without being propositioned. It's not every night but it happens frequently enough for it to be considered badgering. Actually what I would like also is for the "no I'm not up for it tonight" to be received with "ok let's sleep" rather than him raise his voice tell my I've got a problem, I need to see a therapist, I should stay off those websites (such as MN) and what's he supposed to do about HIS sexual needs as it sounds like he's supposed to have an affair if I'm not interested. He says he can't even cuddle me if I've said no as he finds it too difficult. Whenever I say none turns his back on me and I feel like I'm being punished for saying No.

I get that he is frustrated but I am not prepared to lay back and think of England. Sex is a privilege not a right. It's my body and if I don't want to I don't have to. Even though he says that he doesn't want me to do it for the sake of it I think he's BS'ing me. He tells me he's a nice person, a good partner, a good dad and that other couples are all having sex though he always refers to sex as making love.

When we are having an active sex life he is ridiculously happy and helpful and affectionate.

I can't stand the sulking behaviour when he's frustrated. He is a hands on father and he does pull his weight round the home. It's just the sex pressure pushing me away. It's getting to the point where I don't want to be intimate with him at all as any contact he sees as a green light to progress a cuddle or whatever is then met with a sulk when I say I don't want to continue.

He does make lots of effort making meals but I'm so cynical that All I can think about is that there is an expectancy at the end of the night which puts me on the defensive and then I end up causing an argument simply to avoid the strop that he will pull when I say I don't want to be intimate because it's only when I get cross about it that he will let it drop and quit going on and on and on about it.

I'm know my sex drive isn't what it was but the sulks and date nights are not helping one bit. I dread any meal or date night. I'm not even sure why I'm even posting.

OP posts:
ABetaDad1 · 23/03/2016 22:35

I assume that you used to have sex more often than once every 3 - 4 weeks in the early part of your relationship. I assume you would prefer even less now.

For various reasons your sex drive is now much lower but his has not changed at all. He can see something has changed in your attitude to sex and see it as 'a problem' you need to 'solve'. He doesn't understand what has happened and you haven't explained it to him in the way you have here. He has tried 'date nights' and romantic gestures to get you in the mood but you know he just wants sex. You just keep pushing him away and getting angry. He in turn gets angry and feels rejected. You are both sulking.

The gap that has opened up between your sex drive and his sex drive is not his fault and it isn't your fault. It is causing a problem though. You need to work on it together and counselling together may be a route.

chilledwarmth · 23/03/2016 22:46

Sex is very important in a relationship and if you have very differing sex drives it can cause serious problems. If one partner feels their sexual needs aren't being met, they might see a refusal to see a therapist or at least deeply discuss the issue as that partner not taking their needs seriously. It's a big part of the relationship, you're going to have to talk about this and it needs to all come out.

Whisky2014 · 23/03/2016 22:53

I was the one in your husbands position. When you don't get sex it becomes the only thing on your mind. I need sex to connect just that little bit more with my partner. We had a fantastic sex life then all of a sudden he hardly wanted it any more. I was confused, thought I was ugly and unattractive to him, I became so horny because I wasn't satisfied and a wank just didn't cut it. I'd use my vibrator every day but still could have fucked for England. I told him I didn't know if I could be in a relationship like that any more. He said he just didn't feel horny, that it's normal for sex drive to dwindle, he did still fancy me, he wasn't wanking instead of having sex with me and either I accepted it or we break up. I told him I couldn't live like this and all of a sudden we are having sex every night. He barely touched me in a week noe its the opposite. When you said 3 weeks OP I actually felt a bit sorry for the guy. Communication is key. What about deciding on x day for sex? That way you know and he knows it's a definite, it's once a week and no huffing can happen. Or therapy. I think its a vicious circle but someone needs to start the ball rolling with how to sort it out so even if you are turned off just talk to him and let him know how you feel.

Putty · 23/03/2016 22:53

You have a 10 month old baby. He is lucky that you don’t elbow him in the face frankly.

chilledwarmth · 23/03/2016 23:00

Why is he lucky that she doesn't attack him? Sorry but that whole thing, even if you meant it as a joke, just sounds completely disrespectful towards him.

Putty · 23/03/2016 23:06

Chilledwarmth, I meant in the context of being in a warm bed in a loving relationship. Perhaps that was lost in translation sorry. However, it does bug me that people think it's okay to expect women who have recently (and yes under a year is recent enough) to just jump back into the sack as and when their other half or society expects normality to resume. It's bloody knackering having a small baby, being up all night, feeding them etc. without feeling like you have to cater for everybody else who lines up too.

ladylambkin · 23/03/2016 23:13

To be honest it just seems miserable for both of you and he feeling rejected (rightly so). I would recommend some counselling for you both to work through your issues.

BlueHorizonEyes · 23/03/2016 23:25

Brightling,

I can truly sympathise with your situation. A relationship is such a complex thing, especially when sex is involved.

I may have missed a reply about this but have you discussed 'halfway' encounters? Not full intercourse or sulking and frustration but some measure of accommodation on both sides?

For example, maybe he can cuddle and kiss you and that's as far as it goes with your body, no intercourse or suchlike but maybe you could wank him while he feels your breasts? Have him use a condom so no mess but he has your hand making him cum? Maybe let him wank and come on your tummy? Maybe kiss him and let him touch and feel you nude while he wanks himself and cums on his tummy?

All this is intimacy and being close and loving but you are not pressured into full intercourse and yet he feels close and intimate with you, he can ejaculate and gain some satisfaction yet you are retaining your dignity and self respect.

Marilynsbigsister · 24/03/2016 00:48

The thing is OP, that there is the 'right thing' that should happen at this point in a relationship and 'the actual thing that will happen'

You don't actually feel like having sex.therefore the ' right thing' is that he wait until you are ready.... I have one friend where that hadn't happened for 26 yrs... But then again, this is West Sussex and people are 'very polite'..and very patient..

Reality ? He will have an affair with someone who ' understands ' his frustration and you will become the ex wife he 'never sleeps with .....

The whole scenario is so cliched. Sorry to say but if you want him to stay around then 'fake it till you make it' .. If you couldn't give a toss (and he's a hopeless father) just let him sling his hook.

DioneTheDiabolist · 24/03/2016 01:09

OP, it sounds as though the two of you are out of sync and it's spiralling into a viscious circle where each of you feel resentful and your needs are not being met by the other.Sad

This not uncommon in your circumstances. Therapy can help. Especially if you both love and value eachother and want to stay together.

AyeAmarok · 24/03/2016 03:03

What a thoroughly depressing thread, the comments I mean, not the OP.

Pregnancy and childbirth is a big deal. It takes its toll on your body. A baby and other young children also is hard work, sometimes more for some people than others.

OP feels completely wrecked and pawed at all day from her DC. But she's meant to just let her husband have a go on her body and "fake it till she makes it" even though at the end of the day the last thing she wants is to be pawed at by another overgrown child?

Vile.

AyeAmarok · 24/03/2016 03:07

And FYI, having sex with someone that you know doesn't actually want to be having sex with you has a name.

Rape.

But nevermind, eh. OP owes her husband sex, regardless of what else is going on in their lives. So whether she wants it or not, she should do her wifely duty and allow him to have sex on her so he doesn't have an affair Hmm

chilledwarmth · 24/03/2016 03:34

Of course she doesn't owe him sex. That's not really what anyone was actually saying, at least as far as I can see. Different people have different sex drives, and if one partner feels their sexual needs are not being met, then of course they are going to object to not getting that. It doesn't make the other partner wrong, it means they might have incompatible sex drives. Can they find a solution to that? Maybe, some couples do and some couples don't and actually break up because of it. It just depends.

Lamu · 24/03/2016 04:28

And FYI, having sex with someone that you know doesn't actually want to be having sex with you has a name.

Rape.

This...!

AmIbeingTreasonable · 24/03/2016 04:53

And FYI, having sex with someone that you know doesn't actually want to be having sex with you has a name.

Rape.

This...!

^ Yes this!

Tootsiepops · 24/03/2016 05:20

maybe you could wank him while he feels your breasts? Have him use a condom so no mess but he has your hand making him cum? Maybe let him wank and come on your tummy? Maybe kiss him and let him touch and feel you nude while he wanks himself and cums on his tummy?

...he can ejaculate and gain some satisfaction yet you are retaining your dignity and self respect

Might just be me, but nothing about the above scenarios sounds dignified or respectful.

Nobodyspecialanymore · 24/03/2016 05:24

If there is no sexual attraction maybe the relationship is dead. No one should have sex with someone they don't want to, that's miserable. On the other hand, it's not fair to expect him to live a sexless life with a woman who doesn't want him in that way.

HapShawl · 24/03/2016 05:28

I'm with AyeAmarok

hesterton · 24/03/2016 05:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Jw35 · 24/03/2016 06:32

Yanbu and he needs to grow up and stop being selfish. Sulking is very unattractive and damaging to the relationship. Suggesting he has an affair is cuntish and emotionally abusive. Even if you did feel like having sex his behaviour is going to put you off even more.

Nobodyspecialanymore · 24/03/2016 06:35

Suggesting he should be ok with no sex is very tough on him . If the opposite doesn't find him sexually attractive and doesn't want to work on getting that back, then perhaps they would both be happier apart.
S he absolutely should not make herself have sex with someone she doesn't want to.

Brightling · 24/03/2016 06:44

Breastfeeding has always had a huge impact on my libido and the baby is still BFing.

OP posts:
CauliflowerBalti · 24/03/2016 06:46

The fact you have a 10 month old baby skews everything here. If you didn't, I'd say that sex begets sex. The more you have, the more you want. You can kickstart your own sex drive, if you want to.

But you have a child under two. All bets are off and your husband sounds very selfish and not very understanding. I think counselling would help you both understand each other's point of view.

Threatening an affair is not an aphrodisiac.

dangerrabbit · 24/03/2016 06:53

I'm with AyeAmarok.

curren · 24/03/2016 06:58

OP I was where you were a few weeks ago.

Didn't want it and could quite happily never do it again.

But I also recognised that, that's wasn't what dh wanted. He tried his best to hide disappointment. But it became obvious there was a problem. It was the elephant in the room and was damaging our relationship outside the bedroom.

We talked. I told him honestly I was interested in sex. I love him and fancy him but no inclination to have sex at all. I also told him that way he acted turned me off even more. He told me he felt I didn't love him or fancy him. That he missed me and missed being close. But accepted how I felt. We both wanted it to improve.

The change came because we started thinking about it from each others point of view.

I don't want dh in a sexless marriage as I knew he didn't want that. He didn't want me having sex with him if I really didn't want to. We had got so stuck in our point of view where the other one was the one with the problem, it created resentment. It was a vicious circle.

We took it slowly. Started showing more affection out of the bedroom. Cuddling, holding hands. Then did the no sex touching massages etc and worked our way up. It's far better now. I actually want to have sex now.

I think counselling would be Good idea.

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