Poly Curious?

moose

New member
Hi All,

I'm brand new to the forums. So far, it seems like a great place you all have created, with fantastic info.

Anyway, a little background on me. My wife and I have been together for 8 years and married for 5 years. For the longest time I've had curiosity and wanted more, not just physical relationships, but emotional as well. Now, don't get me wrong. I love my wife to death!

We actually just had our firstborn 3 weeks ago, but I want/need more out of life. About a week ago i saw a show on polyamory, and click, it was like they were talking about exactly what i was thinking.

We do have one particular friend i would love to bring into our relationship, as we are already very emotionally attached to her, but i don't know how to approach my wife. In the past she has expressed some bi-curiousness, but never gone through with anything. She's pretty traditional. I'm just not sure how to start the conversation with her.

And then, how would i put a feeler out to our friend?

Thank you all so much in advance for any advice you can send my way!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I would say to get everthing settled with your wife first. Make sure your wife is good with the concept. Then you should talk about who to approach.

For example, your wife may worry about ruining a friendship. Or she may be ok with being in a V relationship with you dating the friend.

As for bringing it up to your wife, you could do something from playing "what if" or you could email her the wikipedia article on polyamory and ask what she thinks about it. Ultiimately, you will need to be able to answer questions on jealousy and boundaries to her.

Good luck.
 
Well, my thoughts were to be in a relationship with all 3 of us, where my wife and I would date someone, but not live together, so it would still give us plenty of time together.
 
well my thoughts were to be in a relationship with all 3 of us were my wife and i would date someone but not live together so it would still give us plenty of time together.

You should mention this to her when you explain it to her.

I agree with other posters that it's good to start with explaining polyamory as a general and then going from there.

nim
 
My thoughts were to be in a relationship with all 3 of us, where my wife and i would date someone, but not live together, so it would still give us plenty of time together.

The First Rule of All Loving Relationships:

Empathize, empathize, empathize....

....

Consider that she may not want to have an arrangement where she's a secondary. Some folks like that, and want that, but others are seriously put off by the whole notion. There's nothing wrong with being a secondary, but being offered the position can come off as the ultimate insult.

It can sound like, "Won't you be our toy when we want and need you and won't you please go away, quietly and quickly, when we don't?"

Empathize, empathize, empathize!
 
There's nothing wrong with being a "secondary," but being offered the position can come off as the ultimate insult.

It can sound like, "Won't you be our toy when we want and need you and won't you please go away, quietly and quickly, when we don't?"

Empathize, empathize, empathize!

THIS!

One thing that I've noticed is that many couples who are new to poly start out by seeking a third to be their girlfriend. Usually, they want that third to be available to only them and they expect the third to have a romantic sexual relationship with both members of the couple. Oftentimes, that third is there in order to enhance the primary relationship and is often treated as such. Also, the third is expected to follow the script of the primary relationship and rarely has an equal say in how the relationship works or moves forward.


I've known many many bi women who have been burned by such couples, so be sure to have some awareness, that's all.

And it's always worth posting my friend's HBB Flowchart :D

http://www.obsidianfields.com/lj/hotbibabe-flowchart-large.gif
 
This is absolutely the wrong time period! The most trying time for a woman is right after childbirth. You are talking about someone with hormones going insane. She is exhausted, and is likely feeling unhappy and insecure in her post-pregnancy body! Now add in the conversation of what you're thinking about and the most likely thing to come to mind is probably, "I am not good enough anymore."

That being said, Quath is right about mentioning the show or an article and saying you found it intriguing and ask her opinion. The key is conversation, honest straightforward talk, and lots of it. Most people I have met in any kind of alternate lifestyle started out with "What if?" or a fantasy-type conversation. You will both need to ask and answer questions on boundaries and jealousy, etc. Then you talk about how and who to approach and go on from there.

Who knows, your wife may surprise you and be thinking the same way!

I wish you luck.

Congrats on the new baby!
 
All right, after thinking it over a lot this weekend, I decided to just go for it and talk about it. I will admit i was very nervous, as my wife is semi-conservative, plus the hormonal fact that sea brought up.

Anyhow, i figured in any great strong relationship you should be able to talk about anything at anytime. (What doesn't hurt you will make you stronger.)

So, at first it was very awkward, as we never talk about things of this nature, or even things of a sexual nature. I was trying to explain the whole concept to her and she just didn't understand it, so i took some of your advice and pulled up the Wikipedia article and it was a lot clearer than.

She is not sold on it yet, but i must say, we haven't talked this openly in a LONG TIME. We probably talked about this for 3-4 hrs. It was actually pretty amazing. I think her whole pitfall is society's standards and and how society views a married couple should live or act which I personally think is total BS.

Anyhow, i think if we creep very slowly into this, it may be possible. Do any of you have anymore Wikipedia-type articles i can show her??
Thanks again for all your input.
 
Now, don't get me wrong, i love my wife to death! She actually just had our firstborn 3 weeks ago, but i want/need more out of life.

I'm not sure if this is your first child or not, but there is a serious concern here. The introduction of a baby will tend to strain even the best of relationships, due to less time for each other and certainly a lot less physical intimacy.

I would strongly recommend putting your own needs on hold for a while in this area. Seriously, suck it up and let your family settle in. Now is not the time to start asking to explore your wife's bi-curiosity. She will almost definitely not have the energy, time, or sexual desire to want to pursue this. More than likely this will be viewed as you looking for a way to satisfy yourself physically and will put a severe damper on what might be better received in the future when your family is secured. I highly doubt she will see any benefit in this for her.

Family first in this case, self second. You’re a husband and a new father and you should be supporting your wife and child before anything at this point.

If I seem a little harsh in my response it's because broaching the topic of poly is a tender thing in any case, but in this case it just seems insensitive and self serving.
 
we do have one particular friend i would love to bring into our relationship but i don't know how to approach my wife.

The introduction of a baby will tend to strain even the best of relationships due to less time for each other and certainly a lot less physical intimacy.

I would strongly recommend putting your own needs on hold for a while in this area. Seriously, suck it up and let your family settle in.

Excellent advice from Mono, which is true whether you're interested in "exploring poly" or not. I have noticed that the best advice is not only timely, but versatile.

Having said that, warning bells and fanfare always go off for me when I hear of someone in a hitherto monogamous couple (or "closed dyad" if you prefer) speak of "bringing someone else into our relationship" or "finding a third to complete us". Language is a very precise and subtle thing and is as much a part of our social/cultural conditioning as monogamism or aversion to cannibalism. When trying to frame things in "polyamorous" context, it speaks volumes about what's going on in someone's subconscious when they say they want to "ADD someone to OUR relationship", rather than saying "My partner and I would like to PURSUE or EXPLORE a relationship WITH this other person."
 
Last edited:
When trying to frame things in "polyamorous" context, it speaks volumes about what's going on in someone's subconscious when they say they want to "ADD someone to OUR relationship", rather than saying "My partner and I would like to PURSUE or EXPLORE a relationship WITH this other person."

THIS THIS THIS! Such terminology makes that third person seem like a tool or accessory to the couple and it's extremely unappealing to most prospective partners, because it's not implying partnership at all.
 
Be it a couple or single person approaching someone for the first time, it is person and situation specific. While one may respond to innuendos another may respond to a blunt 'wanna fuck?' To say that this first approach is implying partnership is rather premature, a first date is still a first date! It is a starting point and up to each individual person to express their needs and wants as well as what will or will not work for them. Lots of discussion in the start may save a load of hurt and heartache later.

Moose, it's fantastic that you say you have already had a 3-4 hour open discussion! Keep it up, open honest talk is a great thing!
 
I agree 110% with Mono also. If you WANT this to fail, and your wife to reject the idea, sure, go ahead and broach the subject when she is feeling tired, flabby, over-emotional, her nipples are raw from learning to have a baby feed off them.

If you want her to really be open to the idea, wait until it's a better time.
 
Moose-- WAIT!

Your wife just had a baby. Your first baby. Now is not the time. She is going to need you to support her physically and emotionally for a while, until the dust settles.

I've already had a poly V relationship. I am currently in my eighth month of pregnancy. I miss having a female partner around, as I was the one who was at the center of our former V.

But my husband brought up going to poly events, for me to seek a female partner, and even exploring some of the swinger clubs as soon as the baby was born. Even half considering it, I started crying. I honestly just can't imagine all that while adapting to a second child! Also, I felt like my husband wanted me to have a second relationship to take some of the pressure of support off of him.

Pregnant women/new mothers are not rational.

Now is not the time to bring up YOUR needs. My husband wants me to find a second relationship and it upset me enough. If HE wanted another woman in the near future, I think I'd kill him for even suggesting it. And, as I said, we've ALREADY accepted our relationship as poly.
 
I do agree with some of your points, that this is a touchy time period for her, but I don't see where I would be less supportive for her. I don't want just a gf for me or a bf for her, I want someone for us together. (I guess the term is triad).

On the other topic, coming off sounding selfish about my needs, my rebuttal is that my theory on life for any single person is that if you are not happy and don't put yourself first, how can you help or satisfy others in your life?

Also, last night it just so happened that the MTV true life "I'm in a polyamory relationship" aired again and we watched it together. She was quiet and didn't say too much, which I expected, but at the same time, usually if she doesn't like something or is disgusted by something, she will turn it off or speak up.

For now, I'm just going to give her time and let her think about it. I think she needs time to grasp the concept or principles behind it. I also found some clips on YouTube I'm going to show her.

Keep the feedback coming!!
 
Here's the point, Moose. Bringing someone into your relationship under the guise that she would be for you and for her is probably not being honest with yourself. She is a new mother with all the physical and emotional stresses that are the norm, and very overwhelming. This is an immense change, with great responsibility entailed for both of you.

The baby is first for now, not you, not her. Because of her physical and emotional place, as well as the sheer lack of time you will both experience, if your parenting is balanced, there is probably little benefit to this, except possibly to you.

Yes it is important to take care of yourself, but it is also important to know when being a supportive husband and father take precedent over your own needs.

I'm a dad too. I've been through all the new dad stuff.

Take care,
Mono
 
Moose, I don't understand why you're in such a rush to find someone else. You have a new baby. If this is a happy thing (as it should be), you should still be enjoying the NRE of having a new family member. Having kids means you are supposed to put THEM first, which sometimes means putting YOUR stuff on the back burner for a while. You have your whole life ahead of you to watch your child grow up and to pursue your other involvements. Don't miss the forest for the trees.

To me it sounds like you're asking the members of this forum to give you "permission" to keep pressuring your wife about this. The answers folks are giving you are obviously not the ones you seem to have been looking for. If you want to get "permission" from MTV and YouTube, that's your prerogative.

I recommend that you read the threads here about "being poly with kids".

This is the general one:

http://www.polyamory.com/forum/showthread.php?t=487



This is the one that focuses on legal and custody issues but it might have links or tangents that are useful:

http://www.polyamory.com/forum/showthread.php?t=655

ETA: It might not be such a terrible idea to have your wife read this forum to learn about poly instead of watching the Frat Boy Network I mean MTV.
 
Last edited:
Let up

I am not a parent myself, so I can't come from that angle, and I'm sure you are all coming from a good place there, but did you hear what Moose said? He just recently identified his own feelings, already talked to her, and they had a good conversation.

I do agree that now might not be the right time to act on those feelings, but I never got anywhere by protecting someone from my feelings, so that's where I'm coming from.

I think that Moose respects his wife enough to tell her what he is thinking, and did so- with a positive outcome from what's been written.

Sure, Moose you're going to be really busy adjusting to life with your new child, and these are all good thoughts I'm sure you will take under advisement, but I respect the fact that you didn't patronize your wife by waiting to tell her and all along hiding something that is happening in your mind and needs to be addressed.

Communication should not be put on hold for pregnancy, childbirth, or anything else.
 
Sorry, Rarechild. I can't agree with this. It's almost unfathomable in the timing, from a parent's perspective. I could be wrong, but his focus has got to be on adjusting to this already huge change his wife and he are undergoing.

Babies change everything, shift priorities and deserve focussed parenting. I cannot stress the need to not be selfish in his impatience. Sometimes you have to put others ahead of yourself. A father and mother should be prepared for that before they bring a child into their lives. Balance gets restored and then you can shift focus, but this is way too soon, in my opinion.
 
Back
Top