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A burden to DH

7 replies

Gifgaf · 29/06/2026 11:00

Together with DH (both early 30's) for 15 years (4 kids together). What initially attracted me to DH was that I thought he would a good humble family man. We spoke about kids and family like a lot when we were younger. However, fast forward he's a complete different person. He doesn't say it directly but his words imply that our family is a burden to him so much that he's had two episodes where he acts really "sick" and says he's stressed at the thought of this life i.e. kids basically and blames me for absolutely everything. I am freshly postpartum and he did not show up once for me during the whole period of my pregnancy and caused me so much emotional hurt that I have seemed external support to help me manage. I am now postpartum (1 week) and I have spent at least 4-5 of those days crying because of the bs he comes out with. There's just so much to put down that one post is not in enough. I have tried so hard to keep this family together because I do not want a broken home for my kids (DH comes from one) and my kids don't handle it well when we are not all together. I am riddled with guilt at this point. I have made numerous remarks to DH that I can't cope like this anymore and if he doesn't want this family then we should go out own ways but he is very quick to say "yes you tie me down and now you say this but won't do it bla bla". It's like anything I say is not good enough. He's made remarks that I would be so bad off without him and making reference because I am a mother of 4 no one would basically want me. Just to put into context, I have a stable corporate job that pays me well. I think he low key doesn't like that actually I can manage without him but he wants me to need him. I am sat here in a already stressed environment trying to tackle postpartum and he walks into the house and doesn't acknowledge me at all. However, his family come over and he's all happy again (not so sick anymore).

Honestly I am hurt deep and I am being punished for basically existing and having children and a marriage.

OP posts:
chirrupybird · 29/06/2026 11:08

Don't have any more children and I think perhaps you should have stopped at two if he can't cope with a big family. Just concentrate on your baby and getting fit again, making big decisions while you are so hormonal is probably not a good idea. Do his family know how he behaves when they are not there? I might have a word with his mum she may have some influence on him.

But he is actually being abusive and you do need to consider whether you can continue to live like this if it carries on.

Gifgaf · 29/06/2026 11:20

chirrupybird · 29/06/2026 11:08

Don't have any more children and I think perhaps you should have stopped at two if he can't cope with a big family. Just concentrate on your baby and getting fit again, making big decisions while you are so hormonal is probably not a good idea. Do his family know how he behaves when they are not there? I might have a word with his mum she may have some influence on him.

But he is actually being abusive and you do need to consider whether you can continue to live like this if it carries on.

Yes no more children anyway but he can't cope with anything TBH and it's a new behaviour because he wasn't like this before. I do absolutely everything which for most guys would be a dream but I actually think he just wants to be free of us and doesn't have the balls to say it directly to my face but belittles me and makes me question myself and blames me for everything with 0 accountability. Even with the kids, I take the full load of everything anyway so I cant see what he even is so stressed about, doing the bare minimum is an issue.

OP posts:
whippersnapper55 · 29/06/2026 16:30

Tell him if he feels like his family is such a burden he should just leave. It doesn't sound like he does much anyway in terms of looking after the home and parenting, plus he's unpleasant to you, so would you actually miss him if he went?

WeatherOrNothing · 29/06/2026 16:34

Sounds like he wants out. To be honest you are both only mid 30s with 4 kids. That is a lot of children and being together for so long and being young, you both probably missed your youth as well. The children are here now and he should be stepping up but sounds like he is desperately unhappy. So do you. Maybe splitting would be better than you both being unhappy

AttilaTheMeerkat · 29/06/2026 16:36

Better to be from a so called broken home than to remain in one. Your kids are likely acting up also because they are picking up on all the tension between you two. If you’re carrying the load too what is the point of him?. Your guilt is misplaced, do you think he feels guilty?. Not a bit of it. He does not want to be the bad guy by suggesting a separation, he’d rather you did it so he can they go around to people moaning that you left him.

Itshotinherebutainttakingoffmyclothes · 29/06/2026 16:46

Your baby is only a week old. You will be
both be exhausted and your hormones are all
over the place. You know the first few weeks are survival after then you can consider your options.

AnonymityAnonymity · 29/06/2026 22:41

It makes really quite angry that he wasn't there for you during your pregnancy and now after you so very recently gave birth he is effectively punishing you for the children he is responsible for creating with you.

If you have family support I think you would be better off asking him to leave. You don't need his unpleasant behaviour making your life even more difficult at the moment . You can decide what is the best for you and your children when you get over the initial period post partum.

I dont understand why you should feel guilty when it's his behaviour that is causing the issues. This is down to him.

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