Working MoM

staceymack

Hi ladies, DH and I are looking for advice on what to do when I return to work. I work days and leave at 6am for work. He works long hours 3p to 1a or so. How do you handle nighttime feedings when you have to be up early for work? Any tips on juggling this would be great. I think we're both too exhausted to think logically.

ks3pink

Honestly you do the best you can and your body will adapt. MH works 24 hour shifts. When I went back to work I was only getting about 4 hours of sleep a night and they were not consecutive. It was tough and now that they are sleeping more I feel like I am bouncing off the walls at work and have trouble sleeping. I totally got used to that lack of sleep. Not that I want to go back! I like my sleep!

anakah

maybe DH can feed them when he gets home from work before he goes to bed and then you can feed them again when you wake up to get ready for work.

kgs0505

You take shifts.  You take all feedings while DH is at work, then when he gets home he takes over until you get up for work.  Is there daycare involved or are you planning on keeping them home?  If so, you may have to switch days or schedule the shifts so that each of you gets at least 4 hours consecutive sleep.  That was the most helpful for us is getting consecutive sleep.

CaliCarly77

wow - that is an awful schedule. I think I would get a live in nanny or a night nanny who could watch them until dad gets home, so I could sleep. But I am not sure if you will also be getting day care from 3 pm until you get home. 

Can either of you change your shifts so you are more in sync? Yikes. Horrible. 

staceymack

Neither of us can change schedules. I think we'll have a nanny from 6am- noon so DH can sleep. Hopefully soon after I return to work they'll start sleeping longer. I could feed them around 9p and 10p, go to bed, and hopefully they'll sleep until he gets home. I know that won't always happen.