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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

Everything is great apart from our sex life

174 replies

Andyls · 04/11/2024 19:33

Please don't flame me!

First of all I love my partner very much but the lack of sex life is eating away at me inside. We have 2 children one just turned 2 the other is 6.

Since we have had our 1st ive really struggled with our sex life, at first it was oh it must just be hormones while pregnant, then it was it must be hormones while breastfeeding and it can take 2 years for a woman to feel semi normal again after birth and breastfeeding. The problem now is my youngest is more than 2 years old we are past the (2 year for a woman's hormones to get to normal stage)

We've tried so much, she's stopped taking the pill and few months ago to see if it would help her get more in the mood. It didn't work. I track her cycle (she's knows this) so I know when her "sex" hormones are at the highest still doesn't work. How it normally goes it i don't mention sex to her until she is the best time in her cycle. But every night after shes had her period we go bed I always think maybe tonight and it never happens until I get sexually frustrated I end up asking her if we can have sex week or at the weekend which I know is pathetic to even. She often says ok but she's just fobbing me off to stop me asking her. Then nothing happens on the days we are supposed to. I know she sees sex as just a physical act but to me it's so much more than that. It shows me I can trust her and that she actually cares abouts me and our relationship and everything we have. I havnt said this to her because she'll just think I'm talking about sex again but I genuinely feel I've been waiting since the birth of our first 6 years for things to get better and its just not.

We usually manage once a month and I feel I'm compromising at that and the longer I go without the more insecure I feel about everything in our relationship and weather we even have a future. It's a real deal breaker for me but I genuinely think she doesn't know how I feel about it and it's just another job for her to do. I can't go on forever this way and always thought there would be light at the end of the tunnel but we're just going backwards. We haven't had sex in over a month yet I've been fully supportive of her . She says she just doesn't feel like it, she has said this before but she enjoys it once we get going but it's the getting going part that's the problem. Any thoughts? I don't want to be pushed into the position of accept a sexless relationship or breakup my family and start again.

OP posts:
RomeoRivers · 05/11/2024 12:53

They say a woman’s libido is based on how well her partner treats her…

frecklejuice · 05/11/2024 13:07

Op you will just get a whole load of women on here telling you that you aren't doing enough around the house and calling you a sex pest! The truth is that you need to decide if you can be in a sexless/once a month relationship or if you need to have a conversation with your wife about how this makes you feel. Sex is a natural urge and quite important in a relationship unless both people are in agreement that there won't be any.

I think you need a sit down honest and frank conversation and see if there is anything you can do to bring the physical part of your relationship back, your wife making promises she doesn't intend to keep isn't on either.

My husbands best friends wife told him 7 years ago that she didn't like sex and she didn't want to do it anymore, he loved her so agreed. Last weekend he told my husband that they are divorcing because it's like living with a friend or his sister.

housemaus · 05/11/2024 13:19

Ignore the people here who think it's some kind of war crime to want to have sex with your romantic partner. Classic mumsnet.

She never discusses her feelings about anything and doesn't give me any signs things aren't OK.

This is your problem: she's not giving you a clear "I'm not interested in sex more than this/at all right now, and I can't give you a timeline on when that will be/can we shelve this and talk in 12 months." She's just fobbing you off. And maybe she's doing that because you asking about it is upsetting her, but she's not communicating about that either and just pretending it's all fine. At least if she were honest about how she was feeling you could make a decision one way or the other. Obviously you need to be as objective as possible too: does she shoulder the majority of the planning and organising of the home, of the kids? Do you do your fair share - actually, not just 'yeah probably'? Do you show affection and encourage intimacy and connection without trying to have sex? Does she get time to herself to not have a small child hanging off her? Do you make her feel valued? If you think the answer to these is yes, I'd ask her to double check: those things can make a huge huge difference. But if all of those things are fine and she's just lost interest then she needs to be honest with you about that. I'd be very unlikely to stay in a relationship where my husband didn't want to have sex with me because it's important to me, and I'd expect him to tell me the truth about it.

housemaus · 05/11/2024 13:21

RomeoRivers · 05/11/2024 12:53

They say a woman’s libido is based on how well her partner treats her…

Do 'they'? Who are they, exactly? This absolutely can be the case but can we not assume that every man who's miserable about not feeling valued as a sexual partner BY their sexual partner is a shithouse? There are absolutely dozens of reasons why OP's wife might not want to have sex that have nothing at all to do with how well he treats her.

Christmasfairy3 · 05/11/2024 13:21

I got as far as ...you track her cycle...
Yuk yuk yuk
Instant ick
No I wouldn't want to sleep with someone,who was tracking mine either .
Can't say I blame her

Christmasfairy3 · 05/11/2024 13:31

The domestic duties are overwhelming her ,the kids cling and paw her
Her body doesn't feel like it belongs to her because the kids touch her constantly.
Her life has changed with motherhood beyond recognition
The house and housework are her responsibility.
It's all stress and overwhelming
Then to top it off ,is the pressure from you op
The pressure to give even more of herself for her man child ..
because bless him,
he needs to have sex to feel he can trust her ,to feel the relationship will last
..so she gives in
,has sex when she doesn't want to
,to keep him happy .
but it's not enough,
it's never enough
,he wants more sex
,he doesn't understand how touched out she is
,he thinks only of getting his dick wet .
In a year you will be back on here surprised and wondering why she left you .
Man up

Andyls · 05/11/2024 13:33

BriannaCranston · 05/11/2024 12:49

So you're tracking her cycle, asking her for sex and it reads like you're sulking when she says no to you. And in your head this is you making an effort in your relationship? Give me a bloody break.

When was the last time you took her on a date? Made her a nice meal? Had a day out? Gave her a massage (without expecting it to lead to sex)? Do you do your fair share of the housework? Have you ever taken the kids out for the day so she can fully relax? Do you share the admin load? I will bet my hat you do not do most if any of the above. And you still expect her to "give" you sex. Sex is not a bargaining chip. It's not a plaster for problems.

Your wife has carried your children, given birth, is I'm betting the primary caregiver as well. She is already showing you how invested she is in your relationship and your family. She has done her part. Now you need to do yours.

She never shows any interest in me at all even asking about my day at work etc. Never says love you first as one of us is leaving the house or on a phone call. I just feel like I'm compromising over and over again and not getting anything in return emotionally. I don't feel I can depend on her or that she cares about me\us. She just doesn't give me enough of anything. It's always me who instigates everything from a hug to a kiss goodbye. It's just a one way street. It's at the point we're before I could justify it in been pregnancy or breastfeeding hormones or just tiredness like people have said but it's getting to the point where's its not of these things. I've spent 2 years in a happy relationship with her and the other 6 have been just getting by hoping for better days. It's not a rash decision its been 6 years . How many people would stay in a relationship for 6 years feeling this way thinking one day things will be better then that day never comes. When she says she's too tired or just doesn't want it I think great it's me that missing out again. I've even thought what can I cut out of the relationship if she just can't be bothered about making time for me once a month. Even once a month isn't enough for me but like I've said I can compromise to once a month but I can't compromise to nothing and feeling been in a fake relationship with someone who isn't committed. It's stressful everyday thinking do we have a future or not and can't do any sort of planning . Even xmas day I plans I think if we're even still together.

The first thing to go in a troubled relationship is sex. If we didnt have kids i would have ended it years ago.
.

OP posts:
Christmasfairy3 · 05/11/2024 13:36

Andyls · 05/11/2024 13:33

She never shows any interest in me at all even asking about my day at work etc. Never says love you first as one of us is leaving the house or on a phone call. I just feel like I'm compromising over and over again and not getting anything in return emotionally. I don't feel I can depend on her or that she cares about me\us. She just doesn't give me enough of anything. It's always me who instigates everything from a hug to a kiss goodbye. It's just a one way street. It's at the point we're before I could justify it in been pregnancy or breastfeeding hormones or just tiredness like people have said but it's getting to the point where's its not of these things. I've spent 2 years in a happy relationship with her and the other 6 have been just getting by hoping for better days. It's not a rash decision its been 6 years . How many people would stay in a relationship for 6 years feeling this way thinking one day things will be better then that day never comes. When she says she's too tired or just doesn't want it I think great it's me that missing out again. I've even thought what can I cut out of the relationship if she just can't be bothered about making time for me once a month. Even once a month isn't enough for me but like I've said I can compromise to once a month but I can't compromise to nothing and feeling been in a fake relationship with someone who isn't committed. It's stressful everyday thinking do we have a future or not and can't do any sort of planning . Even xmas day I plans I think if we're even still together.

The first thing to go in a troubled relationship is sex. If we didnt have kids i would have ended it years ago.
.

Do you understand
You are not ENTITLED to sex from your wife ...the 1960s are long gone mate .
Stop with the woe is me routine, no one gives
It is her body .. marriage did not entitle you to to it
End of

BriannaCranston · 05/11/2024 13:41

@Andyls you still have not answered any of my questions, just focused on how you feel. And if you feel you have been in a failing relationship then why bring another child into it?

What do YOU do FOR your wife and for your family? Without expecting sex in return?

Circe7 · 05/11/2024 13:44

I think you’ve received some really unhelpful replies.

It is completely legitimate to want a sexual relationship with your wife, at least after you’ve through with the initial intense period of pregnancy and having babies. Lack of sex will kill most marriages in the long term.

It’s not wrong of your wife not to want sex but in my opinion it is wrong for her not to discuss this with you. I think, if you haven’t already, you should try to get her to have a serious conversation about it - maybe away from home where there’s no possibility of having sex and somewhere private- describe how it’s affecting you, ask for honesty even if she thinks you might be offended, ask open questions and listen. You might do better having the conversation with a counsellor if she’ll agree.

Mumsnet responses tend to focus on whether you are doing enough housework etc. Of course if your wife is exhausted and touched out and resentful she might not feel like sex (and I’ve been there myself with hormonal factors also in play). But we don’t know if it’s the case and it could be any number of other things or nothing she can put her finger on.

For me my ex putting on weight was a significant contributing factor. I never said it to him (perhaps I should have) and knew it was unreasonable on some level but my thought process was that I had worked hard to get my body back after pregnancy etc and he couldn’t be bothered to maintain his, despite having more time to do so.

I personally wouldn’t be bothered by the cycle tracking though wouldn’t want to know you are doing it. I have a far higher sex drive around ovulation and would prefer my partner be aware of that. It doesn’t sound like that applies to your wife at the moment though.

Female desire is mostly responsive. That is not well understood but it means that women rarely (as a generalisation) want sex spontaneously. It’s why some touch throughout the day and gradual build up is important for many women. It also means that if women wait to feel like they’re in the mood sex won’t happen often. Emily Nagoski has written about this in “Come as you are”. If you could get your wife to read that it might be helpful. There are also various podcasts about it.

Sex drive can also be “use it or lose it”. You get out of the habit and feel less need.

I’m not suggesting your wife should force herself if she doesn’t want to. But you could maybe suggest some intimacy without full sex to see how she feels or with a promise you will stop no questions asked and no pressure if she’s not enjoying it.

Also Esther Perell’s “Mating in captivity” is very good on these issues I.e children and domesticity killing desire. It has some stories of couples getting a good sex life back after very long dry spells.

But ultimately there may be nothing either of you can do - this isn’t necessarily anyone’s fault - and you then need to make a decision about whether to continue with a sexless marriage. I think the most people who want sex that isn’t sustainable long-term and even if you think you can make that sacrifice it probably won’t work long-term.

anotherdayanotherissue · 05/11/2024 13:46

I feel for you op, sex is very important to me, im struggling at compromising for once a week!
Tbh it doesnt sound like shes interested in you from any angle, id be looking at ending it and moving on if i was you, this kind of set up is soul destroying.

YRGAM · 05/11/2024 13:47

Christmasfairy3 · 05/11/2024 13:36

Do you understand
You are not ENTITLED to sex from your wife ...the 1960s are long gone mate .
Stop with the woe is me routine, no one gives
It is her body .. marriage did not entitle you to to it
End of

No he isn't, but he is also not obliged to remain in the marriage

crostini · 05/11/2024 13:50

Of course you want to have sex with your wife! It's not creepy. It's a natural and wonderful part of life. The relationship between husband and wife is SO important to the family. It's not just about having an orgasm, it's about a meaningful connection with your partner that sets your relationship apart from anybody else.
Don't feel guilty for that. Fair enough if it was the first 6 months or so and she was knee deep in hormones, breast feeding and sleepless nights. But your youngest is not a baby any more.
Have you had, a proper, honest conversation about this? Telling her how you feel about her and why you want to have sex with her? And asked her to honestly tell her how she feels?
I feel sorry for you because if you've talked and she still won't try and engage, then she's putting you in a very difficult position, as breaking a family up is a huge deal.

Having said all that, I would HATE it if I'm husband tracked my cycle Hmm it's just icky.

YRGAM · 05/11/2024 13:51

OP, it's horrible ending a relationship when children are involved and it will be hard on them. But bear in mind you are showing them a template for their relationships when they are older, and wittingly or not you are training your kids to think cold, loveless and passionless relationships are normal and to be expected. That's not a good thing for them to learn

Krumblina · 05/11/2024 13:53

When you do have sex is she enjoying it? Do you focus on her pleasure?
Is it always about penetration?

Neurodiversitydoctor · 05/11/2024 13:56

So obviously a personal view, but with children planning and asking for sex kind of comes with the territory. But again only IMO that is more likely to lead to regular sex, if that is what you both want.

BriannaCranston · 05/11/2024 14:03

frecklejuice · 05/11/2024 13:07

Op you will just get a whole load of women on here telling you that you aren't doing enough around the house and calling you a sex pest! The truth is that you need to decide if you can be in a sexless/once a month relationship or if you need to have a conversation with your wife about how this makes you feel. Sex is a natural urge and quite important in a relationship unless both people are in agreement that there won't be any.

I think you need a sit down honest and frank conversation and see if there is anything you can do to bring the physical part of your relationship back, your wife making promises she doesn't intend to keep isn't on either.

My husbands best friends wife told him 7 years ago that she didn't like sex and she didn't want to do it anymore, he loved her so agreed. Last weekend he told my husband that they are divorcing because it's like living with a friend or his sister.

What a misogynistic post.

SnowflakeSmasher86 · 05/11/2024 14:07

Why are you rewriting the story?

Your title is “Everything is great apart from our sex life”

Your most recent post says “I've felt this way for years, the sex we did have once a month made up for all the other things I don't like in our relationship”

So you’ve got your eye on someone else, now you need to discredit and discard your marriage to justify you shagging around?

frecklejuice · 05/11/2024 14:10

BriannaCranston · 05/11/2024 14:03

What a misogynistic post.

Why?

BriannaCranston · 05/11/2024 14:13

"Op you will just get a whole load of women on here telling you that you aren't doing enough around the house and calling you a sex pest!"

That's why @frecklejuice

Andyls · 05/11/2024 14:14

SnowflakeSmasher86 · 05/11/2024 14:07

Why are you rewriting the story?

Your title is “Everything is great apart from our sex life”

Your most recent post says “I've felt this way for years, the sex we did have once a month made up for all the other things I don't like in our relationship”

So you’ve got your eye on someone else, now you need to discredit and discard your marriage to justify you shagging around?

I haven't got my eye on anyone else, i really don't want to start again with anyone else. It's a absolute last resort but i can't go on forever feeling irrelevant to my partner. It's a awful awful feeling been insecure in a relationship. It's made me question everything about our future. I've basically been constantly lied too for years by the person who I should feel I can depend on most and who would back me no matter what. i don't know how this wouldn't have a impact on anyone. It just feels like I'm not worth her time given she can't find half an hour in a month for me . Yet she still wants all the other parts of a relationship and all the compromises I make for her.

It's feel like there are hundreds or reasons for her not to want sex and only one reason to have sex and I'm simply not worth it to her despite everything we have. Maybe she just thinks ill never leave and put up with it

OP posts:
Christmasfairy3 · 05/11/2024 14:27

Andyls · 05/11/2024 14:14

I haven't got my eye on anyone else, i really don't want to start again with anyone else. It's a absolute last resort but i can't go on forever feeling irrelevant to my partner. It's a awful awful feeling been insecure in a relationship. It's made me question everything about our future. I've basically been constantly lied too for years by the person who I should feel I can depend on most and who would back me no matter what. i don't know how this wouldn't have a impact on anyone. It just feels like I'm not worth her time given she can't find half an hour in a month for me . Yet she still wants all the other parts of a relationship and all the compromises I make for her.

It's feel like there are hundreds or reasons for her not to want sex and only one reason to have sex and I'm simply not worth it to her despite everything we have. Maybe she just thinks ill never leave and put up with it

Edited

I hate to say this
And I swear I'm not being nasty
But maybe she is hoping you will leave .
You haven't taken on board anything people are saying,your just winging and moaning life is not fair .
Talking to her about this
Is just going to add more pressure on to her
Trust me ,she knows how you feel ,she knows you want sex .
Ask yourself this
Do you want her to have sex with you ,if she doesn't want to ???
What worked at the start of your relationship together??
How were you different with her ,
Did you go on dates ..meals out ?
Get a babysitter organised and book a restaurant,,give her time alone to get ready..
And enjoy her company,with no expectations of her repaying you with sex at the end of the evening.
Think back to how it was at first ,what rocked her boat ,how were things different,..she was more carefree ,how can you take away some of that responsibility she feels for everything..
Or just carry on ,woe is me ..

Neurodiversitydoctor · 05/11/2024 14:27

Andyls · 05/11/2024 14:14

I haven't got my eye on anyone else, i really don't want to start again with anyone else. It's a absolute last resort but i can't go on forever feeling irrelevant to my partner. It's a awful awful feeling been insecure in a relationship. It's made me question everything about our future. I've basically been constantly lied too for years by the person who I should feel I can depend on most and who would back me no matter what. i don't know how this wouldn't have a impact on anyone. It just feels like I'm not worth her time given she can't find half an hour in a month for me . Yet she still wants all the other parts of a relationship and all the compromises I make for her.

It's feel like there are hundreds or reasons for her not to want sex and only one reason to have sex and I'm simply not worth it to her despite everything we have. Maybe she just thinks ill never leave and put up with it

Edited

Op can you answer some PPs questions ?
Does she enjoy it when you do have sex ?
Do you pull your weight at home not just but including tea/bath/bed ?
Have you discussed this with her ?

frecklejuice · 05/11/2024 14:32

BriannaCranston · 05/11/2024 14:13

"Op you will just get a whole load of women on here telling you that you aren't doing enough around the house and calling you a sex pest!"

That's why @frecklejuice

But that’s true and I’m not the only one who has said it, some women on here just assume the woman is never at fault and it must be the man being a lazy arsehole. If it was the other way around and a woman was saying her husband was refusing to have sex with her then she would be told to leave him because life is too short for a sexless relationship.

Newsenmum · 05/11/2024 14:33

Catseyes88 · 05/11/2024 12:20

We can agree to disagree then.

I can be friends with anyone I want, but I can only be intimate with my partner/wife/Husband. That's the difference between a marriage and a friendship.

But a true marriage goes through all sorts of ups and downs. Even without sex, the intimacy will be very, very different to somebody you’re not married to!

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