I am 32 married for 6 years, no kids. But I have been noticing that my partner has changed a lot. He is talking less, I feel less emotional connection, and we have been spending very little time together. I don't know if there was any incident after which his behaviour changed or it is something that happened naturally. Whenever I try to talk about it, it gets ignored. I feel confused, stressed, and worried about my marriage, and this relationship. What should I do?

Ans: Dear Anonymous,
You are right when you worry about the way things are between you and your husband. Obviously sexual intimacy is one of the pillars for a strong marriage (and not the only pillar). And you have noticed that this intimacy has stopped after the birth of your second child.
Now, one way of looking at it is that many couples get drained in responsibilities of raising babies and building the family and this means sex can be off the table for a long long time. Is this the same with the two of you as well?
OR
It can also be that many people use sex simply as means to have children (reproduce) and not as an activity to be indulged in other than for bringing children into the world. Is your husband one of those people?
OR
When you say there is no love and intimacy between the two of you, surely this could be another reason as both of you have not bothered to take out time for yourselves where you brought in the element of trust, care, affection, love...this is the basis for other forms of intimacy as well.
Work on this better...try and become each other's friend first...he need not just assume the role of a provider and take it on so seriously that he forgets that there is a wife that needs his care. At the same time, do not insist on sex till you also make an effort to bring him into a space where he sees you as his friend and starts to trust you...

What happens in the bedroom, starts first outside the bedroom with small gestures like laughing, watching movies together, cooking, holding hands...don't jump into sex instantly...wait...be patient...

All the best!
Anu Krishna
Mind Coach|NLP Trainer|Author
Drop in: www.unfear.io
Reach me: Facebook: anukrish07/ AND LinkedIn: anukrishna-joyofserving/

Ans: Dear Anonymous,
Well, firstly, you were okay with something that you were not okay to start with (him focusing on work mostly) and that has set a stage for your relationship that you are and will be okay with it and he will continue to be that way without addressing his role as a husband.
Now, what is the reason for the change in his behavior, you can just keep guessing by playing games in your mind. The only way to resolve this is: to actually learn how to communicate with each other as adults, as husband and wife. The two of you have never bothered with it, yeah? Then now bother yourself by learning this new skill. Talk, communicate, listen and then take on the role of a wife in the marriage. Do the things that you would have wanted to, small expectations, those little arguments...even these can be communication letting the man know that as a wife you care and you do want your man to fulfill little things for you.
He then will start to feel useful in the marriage which is a big thing for men and once he feels that is being valued, he will tear down his wall and show up as a man and as a husband and not just a father.
So, a lot of work from your end as well for him to reciprocate and then it's a constant momentum from thereon...

All the best!
Anu Krishna
Mind Coach|NLP Trainer|Author
Drop in: www.unfear.io
Reach me: Facebook: anukrish07/ AND LinkedIn: anukrishna-joyofserving/

Ans: Hello mam. Well, mam as time goes by in marriage both partners take each other for granted. That communication slowly fades away and only few things are left. May be your husband must ve feeling the same and is longing for your attention coz when kids are around then us time of couple vanishes. But this communication and spark can be returned by the efforts of both partners. You should take initiative. Plan some dinner out, just both of you. Spend some quality time together. Things will be good in a few weeks.
Take care!
Regards
Dr Upneet Kaur
Follow me on: https://www.instagram.com/dr_upneet

Ans: Dear Shilpi,
The first step is to stop trying to fix everything alone. You’ve been carrying both the emotional and practical load of this marriage, and it’s exhausting you. Instead, create a calm, non-accusatory space to express how you feel — something like, “I know you’re under pressure, and I want to support you, but I’m also struggling with how distant we’ve become. Can we talk about how we can make this work together?” The tone matters — empathy over blame will help him lower his defenses.
If he continues to avoid conversation, you can suggest couples therapy. Framing it as “something that will help us communicate better” rather than “something is wrong with you” might help him agree.
Meanwhile, start prioritizing your own well-being — emotionally and physically. Maintain your work-life balance, social connections, and health routines. Don’t let his withdrawal define your mood or self-worth. The more grounded you stay, the clearer your decisions will become.
If nothing changes even after repeated effort, you’ll need to ask yourself whether this marriage is fulfilling its purpose — companionship, intimacy, emotional partnership. Sometimes love needs space to heal, and sometimes it needs boundaries to protect your peace.