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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

What’s missing in my relationship to make it happy again?

4 replies

Abracadabraandgone · 13/01/2024 13:37

This might be a strange post as I’m an adult and should know how to have a relationship and know what I want and don’t want, but I’m struggling to work out what’s missing and what I need.
LTR with baby and I’m feeling a bit lost.
In the start we had sex often and I enjoyed it, he made me feel sexy and wanted (most of the time) We went on amazing dates and had great times together. Roll on to normal life after the honeymoon period ended (3 months in, sadly) and sex dropped because he didn’t want it much. I have a high sex drive and would do it daily whereas he’s happy with once a week/fortnight.
I told him communication needs to improve in general as we’d lost our way and we’re like friends. We worked hard and got in a better place, moved in together and had a baby.
Now I’m just feeling like a spare part in his life. Communication has dropped again, we rarely have sex and when we do there’s no foreplay etc it’s boring missionary every time and he stops once he’s cum even if I haven’t, I don’t feel desired, I feel fat from baby weight and deep down I feel like he’s not into me anymore because of this. He denies it but most men would wouldn’t they.
I feel like there is so much missing that a healthy relationship should have that I broke down crying that I miss the old us. He promised to work on it but nothing has changed. We’re obviously busy with the baby but they sleep well and are no trouble, we have opportunities to talk/ date / have sex he just doesn’t take those chances. I’m fed up being the one to initiate everything and take charge and make effort to get nothing back.
I told him I want to split up and co parent amicably because I want to be with someone who desires me, someone I can connect with emotionally and physically, someone romantic, someone who still dates me and makes time for us, I just don’t feel like he’s that anymore and we’re no longer compatible or it would come naturally.
He begged me to give him another chance and that he’s neglected us while focusing on the baby but it will change and we can be us again.
So now I feel I need to give him an ultimatum over what I actually want from him and us and that if he can’t do it then we’re over for good. I hate that it’s got to this point and that I feel like a teenager when we’re adults with a baby.
Am I asking too much to want to feel loved and special? How do I word this without making demands? I want it to come naturally or it will feel awkward giving him a step by step instruction book of my requests.
I read a great thread on here last week but I forgot which one it was, a poster replied to it with something that really made me wake up and realise what I deserve, now I can’t for the life of me remember what they said but in the moment it gave me the boost I needed.
I’m hoping someone here knows what I’m going through and can advise how I can fix this mess one last time.

OP posts:
Sparklfairy · 13/01/2024 14:01

You could try couples counselling. It doesn't sound like anything you need is 'demanding', and a counsellor can act as a mediator and frame your needs in a non-confrontational way.

I have to warn you though. If it's got this bad and he's still fucking around with the bare minimum, he's unlikely to change long term.

Having a baby is tough on most relationships, but it's up to him to step up, and the impression I get from your OP is he's mostly talk but no action.

SuperMarioMaker · 13/01/2024 14:05

It sounds like you were never compatible in the first place TBH. If things slipped after three months, then that was him showing you the real him. You've made the decision to stay in the relationship and he has shown he will not change.

You have two options to either a) stay and accept him as he is or b) leave if this is not what you want.

Therollinghills · 13/01/2024 14:23

I think this is quite common in men once they've had a child, I know multiple people whose partners just sort of stopped seeing the point of the relationship once a baby had come along, my ex included. He stopped making any effort to spend quality time together, didn't want to have sex, wasn't affectionate at all and would want to spend any spare time he had on his hobby not with me. Unsurprisingly the relationship failed, but he was still saying he wanted to be with me, wanted to have sex etc but then never backed that up with actions and things carried on as they were.
I think he liked being a family and having me on hand to do the bulk of the childcare, tidying, cleaning and thinking but ultimately he didn't want to, and didn't see the point in, making any effort with me as an individual. Sad really.

Opentooffers · 13/01/2024 14:53

3 months is exactly the time when you start seeing people for who they are, the mask slips.

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