Dad tells mom that he felt sick to his stomach when she turned away from their 4-month old baby for 5 minutes to check her phone: 'Caring for my mental health by taking breaks is sickening?'

Emmy Pratt • Writer and Editor

Jun 18, 2026 7:45 AM EDT

Why can't he let his wife have a five-minute break from engaging with their baby?

There's no way of knowing how crazy it is to have a baby until you actually have one. Everyone talks about how stressful it is to feed them, hold them constantly, and wake up every 2-3 hours at night to do both. Having the life of a totally helpless person in your hands is stressful enough, but if you're doing it all alone, all day, you can start to get a little batty. It's harder to stay grounded, and in reality, when you barely ever leave your house because you are constantly consumed with the responsibility of changing diapers and soothing tears. The toddler years can be a relief to those parents who aren't necessarily "baby people."

At the same time, it is very stressful to be the sole provider for you, your partner, and your children. Both parents must share in their child's care, but working outside the home for more than half the day can also take a toll. It doesn't matter that you get bathroom breaks and are permitted to have adult conversations at work: the thought of how much your precious baby relies on you to do this job and bring home the bacon is always on your mind.

The parents in this story are both trying to balance caring for their precious bundle of joy. The dad refuses to do anything for himself when the baby is in his care, while the mom is more willing to take a little break when the baby's needs are all met. She has to be that way because she's the one who's a stay-at-home parent, while he works half the time.

via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

_{A model representing a mom looking at her phone after trying to feed her baby}
My partner said he felt sick when I turned my back on our 4 month old for 5 minutes to look at my phone.

via u/M0D_Mum15525
via u/M0D_Mum15525
via u/M0D_Mum15525
via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

_{A man pretending to be a dad, feeling sick to his stomach after seeing his wife turn his back on their baby.}
via u/M0D_Mum15525
via u/M0D_Mum15525
via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

_{Models depicting a baby sleeping on his dad's stomach.}
via u/M0D_Mum15525
via u/M0D_Mum15525
via u/M0D_Mum15525
via u/ManagementFinal3345
via u/Iplaythebaboon
via u/Sweet_Livin
via u/Culture-Extension
via u/GBOC80
via u/Feeling_Affect5225
via u/Lollipopwalrus
via u/justforme31