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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

Unhappy marriage, no intimacy, feeling stuck

5 replies

ThisLemonUser · 03/01/2026 00:25

I’m feeling really stuck and would appreciate some outside perspective.

I’ve been with my husband for 10 years, married for 1, and we have a 2 year old. Before buying a house together about 5 years ago, things were good. We enjoyed each other, went away, and were affectionate. Since having our son, everything has changed and I feel like I’ve resented him ever since.

We are complete opposites. I’m organised and house proud, he’s messy, unorganised and lazy. He would never clean or tidy unless asked, and I end up cleaning up after him constantly. It feels like I have another child rather than a partner. He works shifts, and on his days off he wants to sit around in pyjamas watching TV or on his phone. I take our son out and do things with him while my husband often stays at home because he can’t be bothered.

We haven’t shared a bedroom for 2 years due to his snoring and we haven’t had sex for 11 months. We don’t touch, just peck on the lips, and I don’t feel attracted to him anymore. I don’t even think I want sex, I just want to feel close and connected, and we’re not. We barely talk unless it’s about our son or general chat. All we do of an evening is sit on our phones not saying a word to each other.

We tried therapy once but the therapist was awful and it really put me off. We go through cycles of being ok, then a big argument, and divorce comes back into my head. I feel like a married single mum. I work full time, I’m exhausted, feel so unappreciated, and he never makes me feel loved or desired.

Financially I’d be fine on my own, but the thought of breaking up my son’s family, selling our home and sharing my child keeps me stuck. I was having doubts even before the wedding but went ahead anyway for a few reasons, mainly that I felt it was too late to change my mind.

I feel miserable and resentful most of the time and keep wondering whether this is fixable or whether I’m just delaying the inevitable. Has anyone been here, and what did you do?

OP posts:
PersephoneParlormaid · 03/01/2026 07:49

Yes, I’ve been here for years, stuck like you. You are younger than me, end it now. Resentment is a relationship killer.
Was he as lazy before the child was born?

frozendaisy · 03/01/2026 08:10

If you feel you have nothing to lose can you just sit him down and talk to him?

Explain exactly how you feel and think, what you thought he would be as a role model, your issues around attraction.

NCmuvva · 03/01/2026 08:24

Leave - you have one life!

Try to imagine how you will feel after another 5 or 10 years of this and it getting worse.

Eyesopenwideawake · 03/01/2026 08:27

If you split now your son will be far less affected than in 3/5/8 years time – especially if he continues to grow in a disharmonious atmosphere.

Rip the plaster off now.

Theextraordinaryisintheordinary · 03/01/2026 08:35

You were happy once. Could you both try and fix this?

Tell him exactly how you’re feeling and what would make you feel more appreciated. It might frighten him into getting off his phone and putting in some effort. Could you start small, plan a date to the cinema and build up? Have you tried Relate?

Wouldn’t it be amazing if you could make different choices and save this. Perhaps you’ve already tried a million times. If so, you are young enough to leave before the heavy atmosphere starts to fall on your son.

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