Woman Calls Her Husband A Jerk After He Keeps Joking About Her Pooping During Labor

Postpartum recovery can leave people feeling exposed in ways they never expected. Bodies change, emotions run high, and small comments can carry more weight than usual, especially when they touch on moments tied to pain or loss of dignity.

One woman found herself struggling with this after her husband repeatedly joked about something that happened during childbirth. She had already expressed discomfort and asked him to stop, yet the remarks continued, even in front of others.

What he saw as harmless humor felt to her like humiliation.

 

Giving birth is often described as a transformative, even sacred moment, but the emotional aftermath can be unexpectedly fragile.

In this case, the OP entered early parenthood already navigating the physical challenges of a difficult labor, only to find her husband repeatedly turning an involuntary moment into a punchline.

What began as an embarrassing memory for him quickly became a recurring source of hurt and humiliation for her, compounding the emotional load she already carries in the early weeks postpartum.

The OP’s core issue isn’t about humor per se, but about respect and emotional safety.

Many parents view joking as a way to diffuse tension, yet there is a substantial difference between shared laughter and humor that targets someone’s vulnerability.

Research on hurtful communication shows that even seemingly lighthearted remarks can cause emotional distress, especially when they touch on topics that are sensitive or personally shameful to the recipient.

Hurtful comments, regardless of intent, are more likely to be perceived as damaging within intimate relationships, where emotional exposure and trust are highest.

In the context of new motherhood, emotional responses are already intensified.

The early postpartum period, especially the first 16 weeks after birth, is characterized by hormonal shifts, sleep deprivation, and psychological adjustment as women adapt to the identity and demands of parenthood.

This period sees elevated levels of anxiety, stress, and even guilt or shame, significantly higher than many expect. These emotional patterns are not uncommon and can influence how comments from partners are perceived and internalized.

A mother who is navigating physical recovery, caretaking, and emotional adjustment may be more vulnerable to feeling demeaned or disrespected when humor repeatedly centers on a moment she cannot change.

The literature on postpartum mental health also underscores how negative interpersonal interactions may exacerbate psychological distress.

Although the connection between disrespectful treatment and clinical outcomes like PTSD is more explored in the context of clinical care, the principle holds more broadly: perceived mistreatment during childbirth and its aftermath correlates with heightened emotional burden and worse postpartum outcomes.

Social psychology research also highlights how teasing dynamics vary across genders and relationships.

Some studies suggest that men may experience or deliver teasing differently than women, with men reporting more positive associations with generating teasing remarks.

However, individuals on the receiving end, particularly when the teasing is persistent or directed at a sensitive subject, report more negative emotional impact.

Clinical psychologists studying the transition to parenthood, including stress within relationships during this period, note that supportive communication is foundational to healthy adjustment for both partners.

For example, Darby Saxbe, a clinical psychologist researching relationship stress and the transition to parenthood, highlights how hormonal, behavioral, and psychological changes around this life stage can intensify emotional responsivity and make patterns of interaction more impactful on relational satisfaction.

Taken together, these bodies of research suggest that what the OP is experiencing is not simply overreaction, nor is the husband’s behavior a neutral form of joking.

Repeated comments about an involuntary bodily function, framed humorously, have the potential to undermine emotional safety, especially when the recipient has asked clearly for it to stop.

Both partners would benefit from reframing how they communicate about sensitive topics.

The husband could acknowledge that while humor can be bonding, it becomes hurtful when it consistently targets a moment that the OP finds embarrassing and beyond her control.

Expressing care without sarcasm, especially at gatherings with extended family, would respect her dignity and foster emotional trust.

The OP, in turn, might express to her husband how these comments make her feel in specific terms, linking them to her emotional wellbeing during an already challenging adjustment period.

Professional support, whether through couple’s counseling, postpartum support groups, or facilitated communication exercises, could also help them navigate these patterns more constructively.

Ultimately, this story underscores a broader pattern observed in early parenthood: partners’ interactions matter deeply in shaping emotional experiences and adjustment.

When comments cross into territory that feels dismissive rather than supportive, they risk widening the gap between partners at a time when closeness and collaboration are most valuable.

Check out how the community responded:

These commenters focused on maturity and intimacy, arguing that once a partner uses a vulnerable moment for laughs, trust erodes fast.

This group reminded everyone that pooping during labor is normal, common, and medically expected.

These commenters expanded the blame beyond the husband, calling out the parents for minimizing the OP’s feelings.

This duo suggested flipping the embarrassment back onto him until the behavior stops.

These responses framed the behavior as a serious red flag, with some openly questioning whether this marriage felt emotionally safe long term.

What started as a crude joke quickly turned into a pattern of humiliation, and that’s where many readers drew the line.

Jokes stop being jokes when someone clearly says “this hurts” and gets ignored. Was calling him a jerk overdue, or should the family have shut this down sooner?

How would you respond if your partner kept mocking something you couldn’t control? Drop your honest reactions below.