AITA for telling my husband I find him disgusting and I want us to sleep in separate beds?

How do personal habits strain a marriage? A 31-year-old new mother, grappling with OCPD, asked her husband to shower before bed to keep their sheets clean for their baby. His refusal led her to call him “disgusting” and demand separate beds. This social media story explores the clash between hygiene expectations and personal comfort in a high-stress parenting phase.

Her actions divided online opinions. Some saw her request as reasonable, while others viewed it as controlling. The debate raises questions about compromise and mental health. How do couples navigate differing cleanliness standards?

‘AITA for telling my husband I find him disgusting and I want us to sleep in separate beds?’

The woman’s concerns arose after having a baby.

My husband (43M) and I (31F) welcomed our second child four months ago. With having a new baby I’m extra cautious about germs and cleaning. This got me thinking about...

Her husband’s habits clashed with her standards.

He will take a shower in the morning and go off to work (he’s a chemist so mostly desk job but sometimes he walks outside from one building to the...

We live in humid hot Florida so that adds to the equation some inevitable perspiration. He’s also a manager so he deals with people all day long.

She pushed for a second shower, escalating tension.

I have tried to bring up the subject of him taking a quick shower when he gets home from work or even just before bed. He says that he does...

I try to explain that I don’t feel comfortable with him laying in the bed because I lay our baby there sometimes and I feel like the bedsheets are dirty...

(note: baby sleeps in a bassinet safely next to me but during the day I will lay him in the bed while I do chores around him like folding laundry,...

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The conflict led to a harsh demand.

I realize everybody has their own routines but I have washed my hair in the morning, showered and gone through the day. At end of it I’m feeling dirty, grimy...

How can he be okay with having gone through the whole day and not feel like he should shower? I finally told him I’m not comfortable with him laying in...

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I have OCPD so it’s really hard for me to not have things be the way I feel they should be in my mind. In my mind it’s disgusting for...

Edit: Ok, ITA. I am in therapy with a licensed psychologist and have regular appointments with my psychiatrist which diagnosed me with OCPD (earlier typo, sorry!) and generalized anxiety so...

I apologized to my husband who was understanding of my anxiety to overprotect our baby. He accepted my apology and he’ll be sleeping next to me tonight having only showered...

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The woman’s OCPD and new-mother anxiety amplified her hygiene concerns. Her husband’s single daily shower is typical for his low-exertion job. Her demand for a second shower reflects her mental health challenges, not objective dirtiness.

Over-cleanliness can harm infants’ immune development. Germ exposure helps build resilience. Her request for separate beds was extreme and likely fueled by anxiety.“OCPD can drive rigid expectations, straining relationships.” — Dr. Steven Tsao (psychologist), American Psychological Association, 2021.

Her apology and therapy plan show self-awareness. Couples counseling could help align their perspectives. Compromise, like evening showers or clean blankets, might ease tensions.

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This situation highlights mental health’s impact on relationships. How do couples balance personal standards with mutual comfort? The answer lies in empathy and communication.

Here’s the feedback from the Reddit community:

Social media users were split on the woman’s actions. Many criticized her, while others supported her perspective.

Most felt her demands were unreasonable, citing her OCPD.

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stroppo − Gentle YTA. I think you're overreacting to how "dirty" he is. If he's only going to and from work and not doing manual labor I don't see how...

Seems it would be smarter to not have the baby in the bed. If you're too overcautious about germs, that can actually be bad for a child. Nor do you...

And doing so more than once a day can be bad for you. From WebMD: What Happens When You Shower Too Much? Normal skin has a protective layer of oil...

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If you clean it too often, especially with harsh soaps and lots of scrubbing, you can strip away this layer, leading to dry, irritated, itchy skin. This can cause cracks...

In addition, your body’s immune system needs some stimulation from germs, including those that live on your skin. If you scrub them away too quickly, your body doesn’t have a...

Antibacterial soaps can actually add to this by k__ling off the natural bacterial protection against more infectious germs on the skin that are harder to treat.

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This can make an even bigger difference in kids as their bodies develop. That’s why some pediatricians and skin doctors recommend against bathing children every day.

GreekAmericanDom − YTA This is a you problem, not a him problem. In terms of hygiene, if you shower in the morning, all you really need to do when you...

That's it. In fact, being over protective of newborns in terms of cleanliness and germs is a big cause of allergies. Our immune system is actually primed by encountering things...

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Subtract too many of them, and you increase the chances of allergies. Your husband is not disgusting. You are not managing your mental health and you are unfairly taking it...

BurritoBowlw_guac − This may be unpopular, but YTA. He has a desk job, he isn't digging ditches for a living and you demanding that he either shower for the second...

If you're uncomfortable laying your baby down on the bed, then first throw a clean blanket down or put the baby in their bassinet. You need to loosen up, for...

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Misc_Throwaway_2023 − YTA it’s really hard for me to not have things be the way I feel they should be in my mind And this is why its a YOU...

Some linked her behavior to postpartum anxiety or OCD.

whippedcream81 − Yes, YTA but I’m going to go soft on this. I’m not licensed in anything except food safety but I can recognize misplaced anxiety and fear a mile...

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I think it’s time to look within because it may be that your anxiety is starting to affect your personal life. As a new mom I get it. My son...

Again, I’m not a therapist but maybe ask yourself where this may be coming from and if it’s too much for you to process on your own please find a...

It helped me understand how I can’t control anyone in my life under the guise of my own anxiety. I learned my triggers and how to manage them in a...

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I too, lived in Florida so I understand the 2 shower a day thing however it doesn’t sound like he needs one given his working environment. He’s not seemingly a...

[Reddit User] − Hi— Postpartum OCD is a thing. And if you had OCD before the baby was born, being postpartum can trigger an increase in symptoms.

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I would recommend you talk to a psychiatrist or therapist about increasing treatment. It’s really important to get this under control before your child is old enough to really be...

Novel_Engineering_29 − Gently, have you discussed the possibility that you are experiencing post-partum anxiety with your healthcare practitioner?

Others supported her, citing hygiene in humid climates.

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Arillow − As a South American, I'm shocked with most of these comments. What do you guys mean you only shower once and it's in the morning? Over here if...

I think OP is NTA but I might be biased because of cultural differences. OP if your husband insists showering once is enough, maybe suggest he showers at night instead...

chloealwaysmad − NTA. My ex perspired more than he thought and refused to shower at night. I take pride in my clean sheets and he would just ruin them every...

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valdehbee − NTA lol I'm laughing at all the people in the comments that don't practice basic hygiene. If he only wants to shower once a day, do it at...

That's just so n__ty. But also, is this something he just started doing or has he always been doing this?

yuivida − NTA and I can not believe how many people are saying otherwise! !! Wtf! ! Maybe these people don’t live in humid climates but it is gross to...

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Much less with a baby to be on the the bed and cuddled with. This is not OCD, this is not anything but him cleaning his swamp ass before he...

Maybe he can change his bathing routine to the evenings and that can help, but good lord OP, you are most certainly NTA. And also- you’re the mom, you’re uncomfortable,...

[Reddit User] − LMAOOOO REDDITORS DONT F__KING SHOWER EVER HAHAHHA YOU ARE DEFO NTA, CANT BELIEVE IM SEEING YTA YTA YTA CERTIFIED REDDITOR SMELLITOR MOMENT

AKSHUALLY ITS BAD FOR THE SKIN LMAO USE MOISTURISER U WANNA LIE IN A CLEAN BED WITH A CLEAN PARTNER AT NIGHT THAT IS NOT TOO MUCH TO ASK HOLY...

princexxjellyfish − These responses are really alarming to me. NTA, I’m with you OP - my boyfriend used to do the same thing as your husband but I find it...

This story reveals how mental health and differing hygiene standards can strain a marriage. The woman’s OCPD drove her extreme request, but her husband’s refusal to compromise deepened the rift. Her apology and therapy plan are steps toward resolution. Couples must navigate such differences with empathy.How would you handle conflicting hygiene habits in a relationship? What role does mental health play in setting household rules?

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