“AITA For Banning My Husband From All Doctor Appointments After He Repeatedly Messes With Me?”

Annoying your partner is a time-honored tradition, but it’s always good to know the time and place. An eye-rolling inside joke at dinner? Perfect. A physical prank involving a car and your pregnant wife? Questionable. Importantly, any good comedian knows that you can’t just keep doing the same joke over and over again.

A woman asked if she was wrong to “ban” her husband from her pregnancy appointments after he would not stop “pranking” her in the parking lot. We reached out to the author of the post via private message and will update the article when she gets back to us.

Being pregnant often means needing a bit more help

Man arguing with his pregnant wife in a kitchen setting.

Image credits: Prostock-studio / envatoelements (not the actual photo)

Which is why one woman demanded her husband stop annoying her during her pregnancy appointments

Text discussing a husband's behavior at pregnancy appointments, questioning if banning him due to repeated issues is justified.

Text describes frustration with husband at pregnancy appointments.

Text from frustrated wife about husband bothering her at pregnancy appointments.

Text describing emotional discussion over pregnancy-related stress and boundaries.

Text expressing frustration over husband's behavior at pregnancy appointment.

Pregnant woman at doctor's appointment, discussing notes with physician.

Image credits: DC Studio / freepik (not the actual photo)

Text about a man being furious about missing a crucial pregnancy appointment.

Text discussing a man's frustration over pregnancy appointment boundaries.

Image credits: KnownPerception7676

Irritating your spouse is an underrated way to have fun, if done correctly

Image credits: boggy / freepik (not the actual photo)

Annoying your partner is one of those little joys in life, indeed, some would argue that it’s a sign of a successful relationship. After all, if you feel confident enough to bother your partner, it means you know they like you enough to stay. It’s hard to imagine a relationship that lasts a few more days if neither partner feels comfortable with each other.

Some see it as a good way to “test” their relationship. It’s basically an open secret that many of us put on a bit of a show when we start dating. Just like in a job interview, you tend to put your best foot forward. However, the longer you are with someone, the more likely that your real self will come out.

This can and often does mean little jokes, phrases and behaviors that your partner might find annoying, just as they probably do something that can seem bothersome. So by “testing the waters” here and there, you can see how your partner reacts to something that might inconvenience them. If you don’t think this happens, consider the fact that your partner has probably done it to you.

But this man is way too defensive when called out

Image credits: tetyanaafshar / freepik (not the actual photo)

There are always limits, as this story shows. Some folks just love to do things for their own amusement, for example, this man. As we can see, he’ll repeat the gag on his pregnant wife and still find it funny long after she is absolutely sick of it. Importantly, after being asked to stop he gets very defensive. This is a surefire way to damage your relationship.

Couples therapist John Gottman described the relationship equivalent of the four horses of the apocalypse as criticism, contempt, stonewalling, and defensiveness. There is not enough information here to suddenly speculate about exactly how this relationship works, but it should be understandable to feel frustrated if you ask a partner not to do something and they keep doing it.

Even worse, he throws a fit and gets angry, which seems pretty dumb given the fact that pranks exist to inconvenience someone. This is more concerning, we all probably annoy our partners or even roommates more often than not, but not to the extent that they have to ban us from important events. Some commenters note that perhaps she was a bit harsh, but this also raises the question of why he didn’t stop when she asked the first time.

Some folks needed more context

Reddit comments discussing a man's behavior at pregnancy appointments, labeled "NTA".

Reddit conversation about a man bothering his wife at pregnancy appointments, involving advice and discussion on behavior.

Most thought she was being reasonable

Confusing relationship advice discussion on pregnancy appointments.

Reddit comment criticizing a man bothering his wife at pregnancy appointments, emphasizing boundaries and emotional intelligence.

Comment criticizing a man for being immature and disrespectful at pregnancy appointments.

User comment criticizing husband's behavior during wife's pregnancy appointments.

Comment criticizing a man for prioritizing fun over wife's safety at pregnancy appointments.

Reddit comment advises moving in with parents, describing husband as bully and cruel.

Comment criticizing a husband bothering his wife at pregnancy appointments, advising exclusion for safety.

Comment questioning a woman's relationship with her husband during pregnancy appointments.

Reddit comment questioning humor, with user stating "NTA" regarding man at pregnancy appointments.

Text post discussing a furious man who won't stop bothering his wife at pregnancy appointments.

Comment advises confronting man at pregnancy appointment for his behavior.

Text exchange discussing a man bothering his wife during pregnancy appointments, described as selfish and attention-seeking.

Text conversation about a man bothering his wife at pregnancy appointments, emphasizing emotional impact.

Comment expressing frustration about a man bothering his wife at pregnancy appointments.

Reddit comment discussing a man bothering his wife at pregnancy appointments.

Text response discussing a man's behavior at pregnancy appointments, emphasizing stress and disruption concerns.

Reddit comment discussing husband's behavior at pregnancy appointments and consequences for disrespect.

Comment text discussing pregnancy appointment safety concerns.

User expressing disbelief and frustration over a man who bothers his wife during pregnancy appointments.

Comment on internet forum discussing man bothering wife during pregnancy appointments.

Text from online forum discussing a husband's behavior at pregnancy appointments.

Reddit comment reacting to a husband bothering his wife at pregnancy appointments, calling him an annoying child.

Comment discussing frustration with a man bothering his wife during pregnancy appointments.

Some thought her “punishment” was too much

Comment criticizing a man's behavior at pregnancy appointments, advising maturity and shared responsibility.

Comment discussing fathers' involvement in kids' lives during pregnancy appointments.

Comment discussing a husband interrupting his wife's pregnancy appointments and suggestions for better communication.

Reddit comment by PA_Archer reads, "You're both being immature, but 'He started it!

Comment on Reddit discussing a husband's involvement in pregnancy appointments.

Text expressing frustration over criticism of a man attending pregnancy appointments.

Text post about a dad joke and a suggestion to mimic actions for humor at pregnancy appointments.

Comment discussing a husband attending pregnancy appointments, with a user suggesting it's a light joke.

Poll Question

Total votes ·

Thanks! Check out the results:

Total votes ·

Newsletter

Subscribe to Access
Exclusive Polls

Subscribe

By entering your email and clicking Subscribe, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Privacy Policy.

Thank you! You've successfully subscribed to newsletters!

Anyone can write on Bored Panda. Start writing!

Follow Bored Panda on Google News!

Follow us on Flipboard.com/@boredpanda!