cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/30568522

I’ve heard several stories about couples that suddenly stop having sex, start snapping at each other for stupid bs, your girlfriend who was so sweet and supporting becomes her mother, a raging, yelling psychopath, looking for excuses to be passive aggressive, inviting her friends back home when all you want to do is rest after your workday, your boyfriend, so passionate about you is suddenly cold towards you and wants to be left alone. Before having a child you were inseparable, now it’s like you hate each other and rant about your loved one with your friends…

I couldn’t survive such a radical personality change.

Does this phase eventually runs its course?

How do you find the mental fortitude to ignore the stupid bs your partner does or says?

How would you describe love to your partner a year after having a baby?

Is there any way to know if you and your partner are going to make it and remain a couple after having a child?

  • conditional_soup@lemm.ee
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    5
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    edit-2
    1 day ago

    Well, the biggest change in our case was that she basically did not want to be touched for the whole pregnancy plus a full year afterwards. To provide some context and what I mean, she’d get annoyed with holding hands, and really frustrated with hugging. Physical contact is big for me, so that was really rough. Then, she convinced me that every pregnancy is different and that probably wouldn’t happen the next time (it did). It’s been over a decade, and I’ve basically just come to terms with the fact that sex really isn’t a part of our relationship anymore. That was a really, really difficult thing to adjust to, but I did adjust to it. I eventually saw that it had to be a choice, and had to ask myself what was more important. I decided that I liked my relationship with my wife and my kids better than I liked sex. I’m not going to try and convince you that it’s better; it’s not, it’s just different, and I’m good with that. Definitely not everyone would be, YMMV.

    I don’t want to frighten you, OP, I’m just telling you my lived experience. It really is different for every person, and having kids is not an easy thing, so it’s going to change you. You can’t say how your partner may change any more than you can know how much you’ll change in five years. Only you and your partner can decide what you’re both willing to put up with. If you want to stay with them, do it. If not, don’t.

      • conditional_soup@lemm.ee
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        7
        ·
        1 day ago

        We think it’s probably PCOS, but the death panel insurance won’t pay for the test, so we’re treating empirically. It improved some of her symptoms, but not that one, and I’m cool with it. I’ve accepted that this is our relationship.

      • rabber@lemmy.ca
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        arrow-down
        5
        ·
        edit-2
        24 hours ago

        No it’s very normal for dead bedroom after having kids. For some women the sexual drive is purely an instinctual thing to reproduce, nothing to do with enjoyment

        Go on deadbedrooms subreddit and there are thousands of identical scenarios to this

        • misteloct@lemmy.dbzer0.com
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          3
          ·
          edit-2
          20 hours ago

          That’s a very negative and unproductive subreddit, one of the reasons I left Reddit. I also felt that way at one point.

          Your statement is verifiably false. Women’s hormones shift during and after pregnancy, and reduction (or sometimes increase) in libido is natural. Breastfeeding is well known for reducing, it also acts like birth control. OTC Birth control also commonly reduces libido. Physically sex is difficult during pregnancy.

          My pregnant wife and I have dealt with this by learning other ways to show affection, a lot of communication, and setting clear boundaries. It’s a challenge we were ready to tackle, so no regrets or incel/deadbedroom feelings here, just wholesome family love. But yes the shift is difficult at times. I had a very high libido before and it dropped off a cliff for the first time in my life. Actually it’s been a relief.