LifeStyle of 2026-11-06

Dear GhanaWeb: My husband keeps forcing me to have sex after CS

Dear GhanaWeb, I gave birth to my baby seven months ago, but instead of enjoying motherhood and recovering peacefully, I have spent most of this period going in and out of the hospital. My biggest problem is my husband, and I honestly fear that something terrible may happen to me if things continue this way. I delivered through a Caesarean section (CS) because my baby was quite big. After the surgery, the doctors advised me to give my body enough time to heal before having sex or carrying heavy things. Unfortunately, my husband could not wait. Barely nine days after I returned home from the hospital, he started demanding sex. When I refused, we had a serious misunderstanding. He claimed he did not necessarily want to have sex but only wanted to rub his private part against mine. He said he could not wait for as long as the doctors had advised. I stood my ground because I was still recovering from surgery. However, he became upset and stopped helping me with household chores. He also stopped giving me money for my personal needs. My sister initially came around to help me, but things were financially difficult for her too, especially with transportation costs. I eventually asked her to stop coming because I did not want to keep burdening her. With no one to help me and no money to take care of myself, I eventually gave in to my husband’s demands. I was practically starving and needed his support. He had promised that he would only rub, but he ended up penetrating me. Shortly afterwards, I started bleeding. I thought it would stop on its own, but the bleeding continued for three days. I became dizzy and had to return to the hospital, where I was stitched up again. I was warned to be careful and allow myself to heal properly. However, barely a week after returning home, my husband made the same request. Again, he promised not to penetrate me, but he did, and I started bleeding. I had to return to the hospital once more. Since then, I have experienced intermittent bleeding, and I am worried because I should have recovered by now. What hurts me most is that my husband does not seem concerned about my condition. He continues demanding sex, and whenever I refuse, it turns into an argument. Sometimes, I eventually give in just to avoid another misunderstanding. He also expects me to carry heavy things and handle household responsibilities despite the doctors’ advice against it. I am a housewife, and my husband is financially comfortable. I believe I should not have to struggle to get basic support from him, especially when I am recovering from childbirth. Unfortunately, he makes everything conditional. Unless things go his way, he withholds the money and assistance I need. I have been bleeding since I gave birth, and I genuinely fear that I could develop serious complications. I want my husband to understand that I am not rejecting him or trying to deny him his marital rights. I am simply asking him to allow my body to heal. He needs to understand that intimacy should not come at the expense of my health. He should help me with the household chores, support me financially and give me the time I need to recover. How do I make my husband understand that I need his care and support more than sex at this point? Must I risk my life just to keep my marriage? What do I do now? FG/EB Black Star Experience to Publish Annual Creative Industry Report – Rex Omar