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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

Cannot see how to fix marriage- have 1yr old and am pregnant

56 replies

rydell · 28/04/2019 13:03

I am posting in the hope someone can offer some advice. I really don't know what to do.

There is a lot to this so I'll outline the main bits and can give more info as needed.

I've been with DH 7.5 yrs, married 2.5, 1 year old and in early stages of unplanned second pregnancy.

DH works away, he is only here 12 days per month. When we met he did so much, I felt very special to him and we grew serious quickly. I was not wholly satisfied sexually but he was such a nice man I really fell for him.

As time went by he communicated less when he was away for work. I suppose the honeymoon phase wore off but I felt less special and often had to say I wanted more kisses, hugs, affection . He was falling into the pattern of being affectionate only when it was leading to sex. Although i have a higher sex drive so was initiating before he did. In the past, whenever I had an issue I would always say, he would apologisr for being complacent and thungs would improve for a few months then same issues.

He always wanted children and was over the moon when I fell pregnant after 1 yr 3 months trying. We had a blip before this He kbows I cannot abide liars, partly due to an earlier abusive relationship with man who turned out to be a compulsive liar. DH has always known lying is a dealbreaker for me. Trying to conceive took a while and he had a couple of big nights out away from home. I asked him not to drink (knowing he cannot have just a couple, would get very drunk) as this kills sperm. He told me he wouldn't drink then I read a message from his friend where they were laughing at how drunk they'd been. When confronted, and I did apologise for reading his message, he was pissed off with me for invading his privacy. He did apologise for lying but that chipped away at my feelings for him. Eapecially as he knew I was worried conception was not happening.

He was so caring during the pregnanxy and post birth. It was a very traumatic birth, I had PTSD until recently, my child and I had a week in hospital inc NICU and I have lasting physical damage and an ongoing clinical negligence case. He had 6 weeks at home and did everything. He was amazing. I felt so in love with him.

Over the course of last year, he did less in home and I tried to recover physically and mentally, attending 2-5 hospital appointments monthly, care for our baby and run house. I had all the mental load. Whilst he is a great dad, I felt like I had 2 children as I was always picking up after him. I felt like the mum of the house. He would do jobs but only if asked, he did a bit on own initiative but not loads. I brought it up so many times, he was annoyed but then would improve then back to square one. It really impacted my love for hom. MIL was awful last year too and he didnt believe me for ages, said he did but not convincingly, things were said to me when he was out of room. Eventually he saw begaviour himaelf and cgallenged her then she changed overnight Hmm Finally this Jan he was like a new man doing equal share of housework etc and trying to take on household responsibility. I asked him what changed, he referenced the last year, what I'd told him and he said what could he really say? that I had been right. This all slipped, the renewed efgirt, and I felt like communication getting worse. I asked him to go to marriage counselling last year he eventually agreed to go this March. It was really cathartic for me. The counsellor told him she thought I had mentally left the relationship and I said nothing, as at points I had. After the sesdion he was upset and I also told him I was not enjoying sex with him. I thought we would get through and be stronger with help of counsellor. I apologised for hurtful comments even if true .

When we met he had a motorbike. I used to ride wuth him, very fast. He has terrible speeding record. He had an accident and bike was written off. Before trying to conceive, I asked if he had plans to get another one he said no. I asked as he has a dangerous job and I didnt want children with someone with a dangerous hobby too. Ive known too many people seriouslu injured or dead on bikes.He said no. After baby born he got a flashy car and said he'd not get a motorbike as the car satisfied the urge. Recently he began mentioning getting a bike I thought he was joking. Then he said he was getting one. He said he wasnt lying before that he had changed his mind and now wanted one. I asked him not to, suggested he took up gym , sport team or roadbiking, old hobbies when we met. He said no. I asked to at least delay the decision as the timing was awul my PTSD was crippling and we were beginning marriage counselling. Marriage counsellor could see both sides. After first counselling session, we cuddled up and spokeloads, we both said we hadnt spoken as much in over a year. I felt hopeful and told him I still caredforhim. I asked on two nights if he was going to get a motorbike and he said he didnt know. He dropped the bombshelk that he had already bought it as we were taking dd to a class the bext day, I cried so much and he just said come on we'll be late. He had lied by omission the previoys two nights as he had already bought the bike. He said he bought it w
as he thought he didnt have me anymore. He woulnt cancel purchase as hed lose deposit. I felt backed into a corner. He has told more lies since, he was only going to do track days not take out on road (came home one day to house a mess and he had pissed off out on bike) he told me he would get life insurance and do a refresher bike course. Nothing done but he has spent lits of ti.e orderimg thungs for his bike.

He says I am controlling, he never does anything right.

The marriage counsellor told him to tighten up and that she cpuld shake him for getting bike at that moment and talked about the lying. After session he initially said I mustve spoken to her privately so she would take my side!

He has been aggressively shouting at me recently but then apolgetic eventually.

He thinks its just a bike but so many issues hes in denial of
He keepstrying to justify lies but says it was unacceptable. Ive asked him to move out so I have space but he says hes done nothing to warrant that.

He keeps saying he doesnt wa t to loseme and asking what he can do but Ive told him he needs to thinkhimselfim not telling him

I should point out he is a high earner and Ive been financially dependent on him since early. I am a SAHM now and earn a wage from his conpany but he's paid it less often in recent months due to big tax bill and buying his bike , imo.

OP posts:
rydell · 28/04/2019 13:20

Sorry it's so long

OP posts:
rydell · 28/04/2019 13:57

Anyone please?

OP posts:
babbi · 28/04/2019 14:05

I suggest you see your GP ASAP .... you sound very fragile .... mention your PTSD and ask for support...
your mental health is very important when PG with a young child already ...
You need help to think clearly x

rydell · 28/04/2019 14:07

Hi babbj.
I am thinking clearly. Friends and family agree with me re husband and the marriage counsellor.

My mental health is great. I had a high intensity therapy for my PTSD in March and its gone . No nightmarrs, no flashbacks nothing for weeks

You wrote off my whole post....

OP posts:
rydell · 28/04/2019 14:09

I am not fragile, quite the opposite.

OP posts:
MayFayner · 28/04/2019 14:16

Ive asked him to move out so I have space but he says hes done nothing to warrant that.

But he has, he went back on his word about getting a motorbike.

If a trial separation is what you want, it’s not up to him to decide whether that’s justified.

Sounds like he thinks he can just do what he wants and you’ll have to suck it up.

MynameisJune · 28/04/2019 14:22

To be honest you do sound controlling, my DH has a dangerous job and he had motorbikes since we met 16 years ago. Just like he wouldn’t dream of telling me what I can/can’t do neither would I to him.

You don’t sound mentally robust as you claim to be. And it seems like you expect him to put a lot of effort in to making you ‘feel special’ when long term relationships are very rarely like that. What do you do to make him feel special? It goes both ways.

rydell · 28/04/2019 14:30

I used to do loads to make him feel special. Leaving him notes etc, helping him, helping his younger siblings, buying all presents for hia family Showering him with love and affectiob

Of course I know ltrs arent the same the whole way but never being kissed or hugged unless in sex is not what I want

If he wanted a motorbike he should have said so before we began trying for a baby. We could have just split. He keeps contradicting himself he has also said he was always going to buy another one but was waiting until we had a garage.

OP posts:
rydell · 28/04/2019 14:32

Mynameiajune I am happy, confident and outgoing My child is happy, confident and advanced. I have a wide circle of friends.

Being shouted at, lied to by my husband and kept short of money, all while pregnant. Now that is stressful yes. But when DH is away things are peaceful.

OP posts:
kmammamalto · 28/04/2019 14:45

I agree with PP. I think you sound like hard work. Nothing you've said is unforgivable and worth turning your back on a marriage in my opinion. Why do you want him to do half the housework if you're at home? If he works away alot I don't think it's fair, and you can't control his hobbies. Maybe he could be better but you probably could be as well.

MynameisJune · 28/04/2019 14:45

So leave? He isn’t going to change after this long and you obviously aren’t happy anymore.

rydell · 28/04/2019 14:50

kmamamalto

Becauae I care for our daughter 247 for 2/3 of the month?

When he is home he has no work to do. So you think I should continue picking up his pants off the floor, washing all his clothes, clean his skids off loo, cleaning a massive house on my own, doing all the night wake ups with our child? Because thata was was happening before I told him.

All he did before was cook and thats because he loves it, its his hobby

Mynameisjune thinga uaed to be good, I still care about him and he is a good dad. Your posts are spectacularly unhelpful

OP posts:
rydell · 28/04/2019 14:53

I dont try to control his hobbies its just the motorbike was a dealbreaker he knew this and lied

He could do literally any other hobby I dont care

OP posts:
lunabody · 28/04/2019 14:54

Fault on both sides.

He shouldn't have lied to you about drinking, but banning him from drinking was over the top - if he was generally not, then a couple of nights were not going to kill all his sperm.

His timing around the bike was bad, and not being open with you about having bought it, but you're unreasonable to stop him. You can't control his hobbies, that's just not fair. He's tried to compromise with going for a car instead, but it's not been enough for him. At a certain point you need to accept that.

I can understand why he's cagey around you when you're so demanding. He shouldn't be shouting at you, but your behaviour isn't peachy either.

You say you shower him with affection and buy his family presents - is that his love language? You're not coming across as being open to admitting you may be at fault, and you're now both taking entrenched positions - where's the middle ground?

rydell · 28/04/2019 14:58

kmamalto hr is home for 12 consecuive days holiday a month wih no work

OP posts:
MynameisJune · 28/04/2019 14:59

So what do you want from this thread? No one here can tell you how to change him because he won’t change, he has shown you that. You moan at him, he makes and effort and then stops again until you moan. Stop washing his clothes and whatever else you do for him, you’re enabling his behaviour.

My DH works away, most weeks mon-fri. I do all the childcare, house work and work as well. Yes it’s hard, but I knew that before we had kids because his job has never changed. Also when he is home he does more than his fair share, because I don’t pander to him. I’ve told him before if he wants a maid he can employ one but it won’t be me.

You don’t seem to know what you actually want from him. You don’t want to leave but you don’t seem to want to put any effort into staying.

CyclingMumKingston · 28/04/2019 15:03

I m sorry you are having a tough time OP
I dont think that it helps any marriage to suggest a husband which hobbies to take up
My husband s hobby is also dangerous but it makes him very happy
It s a big passion of his and asking him not to pursue his hobby would make him probably depressed or upset.
i think the only way forward is to accept husbands, with their hobbies and with their personal preferences, if we want the marriage to prosper
Otherwise resentment builds up

Good luck x

Nnnnnineteen · 28/04/2019 15:03

I don't think anyone could maintain the high standards you demand. I don't think he has been lying to you, you just haven't been communicating as a couple.

lovinglifexo · 28/04/2019 15:04

you don’t sound that open to criticism on ur part. you do sound quite controlling - if motorbikes is a passion of his, you really don’t have a right to tell him that your cant do that. He shouldn’t have lied to you about drinking but then why would u BAN drinking. Your his wife not his mother.

Ur relationship sounds far too much effort- you’d probably be better splitting up and co parenting

rydell · 28/04/2019 15:05

lunabody what does love language mean?

I have flaws too, of course. But I wanted to improve things Thats why I suggested marriage counselling so we could resolve issues and get back to how we used to be

OP posts:
rydell · 28/04/2019 15:06

nnnineteen what high standards do you think I hold which are not standard in an lyr?

OP posts:
rydell · 28/04/2019 15:08

Mynameisjune i tried not picking up after him or washing his clothes but it stays there for weeks and weeks so eventually I clean up after him because its disgusting and embarassin g if guests see. MIL always did everything for him.

OP posts:
kmammamalto · 28/04/2019 15:16

@mynameisjune me too! My DP is away Mon to Fri and I do all everything basically and am sen teacher three days a week! He's away working hard he knows I work hard. And like you said we knew the deal. But it is bloody hard though isn't it!?

FuriousVexation · 28/04/2019 15:30

PTSD is not "gone" in one month

MynameisJune · 28/04/2019 15:31

@kmammamalto it’s hard, at the end of last year I went down to 3 days from 5 because full time just wasn’t working for our family. I like working, it gives me adult time, a sense of self and financial security. I’m currently 37 weeks pregnant with Dc2 and have taken over most of the housework since going on mat leave but even now DH still does things he knows I’ll struggle with.

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