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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

He doesn't want sex anymore, I'm pregnant, what to do?

42 replies

Loanna2 · 12/01/2025 18:31

For ages me and dp have had on/off issues in our sex life, where one of us will go off it for a while. We've had counselling and many discussions about this. We've read books, listened to podcasts, done homework set via counsellor, however this time round dp seems to have not simply gone off sex alone but also me. It feels different and much more personal. He rejects me quite abruptly, like he is disgusted by my touch. He doesn't lift an eye if I'm naked anymore. He really couldn't care less about my body. He doesn't get turned on by me. I could try and do anything to him and he will lay there unresponsive.

Things came to head when we had a chat (for the hundredth time) about this. I hate bringing it up as I feel like a pest and pathetic, like I'm begging. What started off as the generic excuses of "oh I'm just tired, I'm stressed, family life is making me feel like this" has now turned into maybe it's his previous usage of porn. He swears he doesn't use it anymore, whether I believe that is another thing. He claims it's "not me it's a him thing" and that the idea of sex doesn't excite him anymore. But how can that just be a him thing when he is having sex with ME and I feel like if I was anyone else this would be a non issue.

I feel like he isn't giving me the full picture, although he says he isn't asexual or gay, something still doesn't add up to me and my gut is telling me it's off. He has kept something massive from me before so I know he is capable of doing this. The problem is I'm heavily pregnant. Our baby is due in less than a month and this is breaking my heart. I can't see myself proceeding in a relationship like this as it's eating away at my self worth, sexuality, and confidence. I am already struggling to feel desirable being pregnant and now becoming a mum again, despite being my 20's I feel used up and completely unattractive.

I can't help but dp is saying these things because he doesn't want us to split, especially with a baby on the way. But I feel like he isn't being honest or genuine and I don't think any amount of prying, pleading or talks is going to get him to be. Maybe he is telling the truth, but regardless I don't want a relationship for the rest of my life where I'm constantly having to do a rain check on my partner to actually want me.

We've gone through so many hardships and for this to be the end of us feels so ridiculous and makes me angry. But I don't know what to do anymore. If I'm to leave I want to do it before the baby comes otherwise I know I will just be trapped in the situation out of convenience and then with a newborn sex will be off the radar for ages anyways so it will distract from the actual issue.

OP posts:
Collette78 · 12/01/2025 18:36

Is it the pregnancy putting him off? Some men just don’t like it during pregnancy … my Ex DH was like that.

I understand it can be infuriating and rejecting, my libido was very high during pregnancy so the rejection didn’t feel great. But neither of you should forced to have sex and if he’s not into it then he just isn’t.

Maybe you are just mismatched in that way … I think for some people it’s just not as important?

Loanna2 · 12/01/2025 18:40

@Collette78 he's a young guy. During the first yr or so of our relationship he was rampant sexually. His libido isn't healthy in correlation to his age. If he claims he is asexual that is one thing, but he isn't. And I really can't help but feel like it's just because it's me. Without porn as his vice it seems he just cant bothered.

I should add if it's just a quicke or BJ he is happy to receive. But when it comes to putting in ANY effort, for example making sure I finish, going down on me, aftercare or foreplay, he just is not interested. I've told him many times it makes me feel like I'm just something he is using to get off on, rather than an actual person that he loves or considers.

OP posts:
Loanna2 · 12/01/2025 18:41

Also he says it's not the pregnancy, so...there's that. When i was pregnant the first time it didn't stop him.

OP posts:
Pinkxmas1997 · 12/01/2025 18:52

I also think it could be pregnancy, especially late on..My DP was the same (I have a 6 month old) however we are now getting back on track!! Don’t worry too much OP and try and enjoy this last little bit of pregnancy🥰

Pinkxmas1997 · 12/01/2025 18:56

Oh sorry OP I didn’t see your next post☹️ is it possible he is just worrying about how things will change with a new baby on the way?

Loanna2 · 12/01/2025 19:14

@Pinkxmas1997 I would agree if it wasn't for the fact that we've had the issues regardless of pregnancy

OP posts:
Collette78 · 12/01/2025 19:15

Loanna2 · 12/01/2025 18:40

@Collette78 he's a young guy. During the first yr or so of our relationship he was rampant sexually. His libido isn't healthy in correlation to his age. If he claims he is asexual that is one thing, but he isn't. And I really can't help but feel like it's just because it's me. Without porn as his vice it seems he just cant bothered.

I should add if it's just a quicke or BJ he is happy to receive. But when it comes to putting in ANY effort, for example making sure I finish, going down on me, aftercare or foreplay, he just is not interested. I've told him many times it makes me feel like I'm just something he is using to get off on, rather than an actual person that he loves or considers.

Ah I see … so he’s basically not up for giving as well as receiving?

In which case I think you need another conversation regarding it and question whether he is aware it is about you as a couple not just him getting pleasure out of it.

I do think once you get into a position where sex becomes a cause of disagreements it does then put pressure on it and makes it uneasy.

Not sure what else to suggest OP.

CosySwan · 12/01/2025 19:18

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This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Loanna2 · 12/01/2025 19:29

@CosySwan this has been an issue for us before pregnancy I'm afraid

OP posts:
Deebee90 · 12/01/2025 19:37

So both of you go through periods of not wanting sex. I’d say that’s normal. It’s ok to not want sex all the time. However if you can’t handle it then you need to split it isn’t fair on either of you .

Custardslices · 12/01/2025 19:37

Maybe he's gay who knows its a guessing game

He could be trying to control you too. Only way to find out is talking to him but given he's kept a secret from you before I wouldn't expect the truth.

I'd take a long hard look at this relationship and think is this how you want your life to always be? Feeling rejected? Second guessing?

Loanna2 · 12/01/2025 19:39

@Deebee90 that was years ago. Since then we've both agreed sex life is a big priority and important to us so I've been trying really hard the past couple of years but he just hasn't been showing up or putting in any effort

OP posts:
Bionicman · 12/01/2025 19:41

Hi OP;

i’m sorry you’re going through this, you are far too young to have a sexless relationship for the rest of your life.

I too was initially thinking it must be the bump, but if you are having quickies then he can’t be that bothered about it.

likewise, if he’ll accept a BJ or a quickie , along with the fact that you’ll soon have two children, I think it’s unlikely he’s gay or asexual.

He is clearly selfish in the bedroom, only wanting to receive and not give , typically a man who is selfish in the bedroom tends to be selfish in other areas as well. Is he generous, does he help around the house, does he show any empathy?

Has there been a moment where he struggled to get hard, or has he lost it mid flow, or has he suffered with PE? These are all factors which would have a psychological effect and may put him off sex.

does he find you physically attractive? Have you asked him?

Its often mentioned on here how men can be sex pests and the they are obsessed with sex, but that’s really not true. Some men just have low libidos, does he have any health problems, is he overweight?

The issue as far as I see it, isn’t that you and your DP aren’t regularly sexually active, but instead it’s that he doesn’t seem to want to fix things. Assuming he is the same age as you, I would suggest he gets his testosterone levels checked, you can by test by kits online and medication can increase it pretty rapidly.

little things like diet: exercise and decreasing alcohol intake can also help.

I would look to try a different approach, and instead of hey, I’m naked and want you to fuck me, run a bath with some candles and beckon him upstairs and ask him to jump in. Or a nice massage evening where you both give each other massages; take sex out of the equation and replace it with sensual intimacy and let him be in the driving seat,

MyNewLife2025 · 12/01/2025 20:07

If I'm to leave I want to do it before the baby comes otherwise I know I will just be trapped in the situation out of convenience and then with a newborn sex will be off the radar for ages anyways so it will distract from the actual issue.

I’m not saying that there isn’t an issue that needs to be dealt with or that you shouldn’t leave.
But the last month of your pg is probably not the best time to make such big decision. (And as you’re rightly say, nor will the first few months after the birth).

I get how claustrophobic this can feel though.

Loanna2 · 12/01/2025 20:30

@Bionicman one of the first things I asked him was do you still find me sexually attractive, and he said yes.

But he also says he doesn't want our sex life to be non existent and then proceeds to do nothing about it. So people can say alot and have it mean nothing. At this point I think he tells me what I want to hear because he assumes it's what is the right thing to do and also because it comes from a place of defense/denial

OP posts:
Loanna2 · 12/01/2025 20:31

@MyNewLife2025 if not now when? Surely leaving with a newborn/baby is going to be much harder when that child adjusts and the routine is set here, rather than getting out beforehand?

I just feel like I'm too young to be wasted like this. Surely my life matters as much as my kids

OP posts:
flippinnorrra · 12/01/2025 20:41

Loanna2 · 12/01/2025 20:31

@MyNewLife2025 if not now when? Surely leaving with a newborn/baby is going to be much harder when that child adjusts and the routine is set here, rather than getting out beforehand?

I just feel like I'm too young to be wasted like this. Surely my life matters as much as my kids

Do you have somewhere you can go? Do you have an exit plan? Some time apart sounds like it might do you both some good, but with a baby just about to arrive this isn't 'business as usual' - perhaps give it four - six months to get through the new born stage and reevaluate?

You say he's kept big things from you in the past. What kind of thing do you think he might be keeping from you in relation to this? It sounds like trust is an issue for you with him?

CosySwan · 12/01/2025 20:47

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This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Loanna2 · 12/01/2025 20:50

@flippinnorrra I just feel like he isn't giving me the full picture. He claims he has no idea himself and when I press him for answers it really sounds like he is grasping at straws. It baffles me how one person can have no clue of themselves and why they do/don't do something. So yes I struggle to believe that he is completely ignorant as to why things are the way they are. My gut tells me he is gay, or that there is something else that has desensitized him from being attracted to me. For example, when we first got together his porn usage was mostly anal. I'm wondering if that is the case still but he is ashamed to admit it. He likes doing it from behind the most and his lack of interest in my female anatomy and pleasure makes me seriously question things.

I really don't know, my head is in a swirl and feels a mess as I try to fill in the blanks

OP posts:
TipsyJoker · 12/01/2025 21:01

What is your relationship like otherwise? Are you emotionally close? Are you friends? Do you have common interests, world views, do your moral compasses align? Is he a good Dad to your eldest child? Has he been supportive of you in your pregnancies, in your goals and in domestic life? These things also matter and if they are also in the toilet then maybe he’s just a selfish guy who only cares about himself. Maybe he is gay. Maybe he’s still using porn and can’t get excited about a real woman. Porn is all about make sexual gratification. It’s about using women for men’s pleasure. I’d be willing to bet that he’s addicted to porn.

Loanna2 · 13/01/2025 11:09

@TipsyJoker yh he is good at the over departments, but it doesn't negate this issue. I can't live my life like this and feel it is a deal breaker for me. Maybe others can over look lack of sex/no sex. But for me it's really important and something that I can't just let go because the other things "make up for it"

OP posts:
Haroldwilson · 13/01/2025 12:12

How many other kids have you got and is he good with them? Are you dependent on him financially?

He sounds like a crap lay and lazy partner. It's not going to last forever. If you can get on, I'd have him stick around while your new baby is tiny then make a plan from there.

Your commitment to each other is a bigger problem than your sex life. It sounds like he's just not very warm or committed.

TipsyJoker · 13/01/2025 12:55

Loanna2 · 13/01/2025 11:09

@TipsyJoker yh he is good at the over departments, but it doesn't negate this issue. I can't live my life like this and feel it is a deal breaker for me. Maybe others can over look lack of sex/no sex. But for me it's really important and something that I can't just let go because the other things "make up for it"

That’s not what I was asking for. I was asking to get a better understanding of his overall character and if he was abusive or not. Don’t nip at me. I’m trying to help you. If it’s a deal breaker for you then you’ve answered your own question. I wouldn’t be surprised if this is a porn addiction issue. If it is, even if he went for help, it would be a long haul and he wouldn’t be guaranteed to get better. Just move on and co-parent effectively.

Pamspeople · 13/01/2025 13:03

What are the things about him that led you to want to have this baby with him? Presumably you saw a happy future with him at that point

Loanna2 · 13/01/2025 13:21

@TipsyJoker I'm not nipping back, not too sure how it read that way? I was just trying to answer your question

OP posts: