DH going back to work

tinylittlechef · November 2013

Hi ladies. So, my DH is going back to work tomorrow, and to be honest, it stresses me out. He has gone in for a few hours for a couple of times, but that's it. Julian is 12 days old. I wanted to know what you ladies did as far as sleeping/ baby duties, etc. on MTW DH will be gone from 7a-1030 PM. (work and grad school) and Sat my DH is gone from 7-6. He has been wonderful and primarily taken night duty from midnight to 6 am, but that obviously can not continue. What do you ladies do and how does it seem to be working out? I know everyone says sleep when the baby sleeps, but baby J coos and cas and makes a lot if noise while sleeping, making it virtually impossible for me to nap. Any advice/ ideas are welcome! Hope everyone and their precious LOs are doing well.

ashleymarie512 · November 2013

MH has been back to work for a couple weeks now and since I'm still off I take the MOTN duty every time. Since LO still sleeps quite a bit I just sleep in with her. Up until now he's been awesome at taking night time duty with or for me, but I don't feel right making him get up with her when he has to be up and to work early. Once I go back well share duties again. As far as having a noisy sleeper, I do too. Can you put baby in another room to nap while you nap?

SnoopyLuv · November 2013

DH went to work today. We slept in different rooms last night and I bedshare with the baby. She was up every 2 hours last night, so I was grateful to sleep while she nursed. DH knows chores will not be getting done much until we get into our groove, and dinner is going to consist of easy/crock pot meals. He knows when he gets home he gets baby duty so if I haven't showered, I can and maybe I can run a load of laundry or play with DD1.

Turn on some white noise on your phone to mask baby noises, that's my only solution to that. This LO is a crazy loud sleeper. I swore she was awake in the MOTN but she was fast asleep, grunting.

LittleLeahBee · November 2013

It does suck when DH is at work, but you will adjust. Promise! And my LO coos and makes noises while he sleeps too--but you get used to it, and your body/brain will eventually be tired enough that it'll allow you to sleep through it and only wake up when LO cries for attention, rather than just for each noise. Just remember to TRY and get some rest each time he does. Every time you try, you'll be closer and closer to actually getting some.

The hardest thing for me was trying to nap through the adrenaline rush I would get from being awake as long as I was (you know that point where you're SO tired you can't sleep? LOL!) but it will happen. Listen to yourself breathe, and it will hypnotize the adrenaline out of you and eventually allow you to fall asleep. Good luck!

MangoMama82 · November 2013

My hubby went back to work today, and even the thought of it made me emotional yesterday. Our baby is going through a little growth spurt, so he's clingy and hungry at night. He's averaging about 1.5 to 2 hours between feedings. We originally stuck to our routine last night, but around midnight my hubby moved into the spare bedroom. He gets up for work at 5:30 AM, so I understand. When he would hear me changing a diaper he would check in on me to make sure I was ok. Also, he loves to take LO when he is home, so I know I will get a break when he's home (around 4:30). It's been easier than I thought to go it alone. So far I've showered, done my make up, folded laundry, and I'm about to throw another load in when this piglet finishes this feeding. Baby wearing is where it's at. Also, his vibrating bouncy seat distracted him long enough for me to get some chores done. Good luck! Don't over think it, and haul ass when those little eyes close if you have things to do. I agree with maybe putting your baby in a near by room so you can catch some nap time

BlessUrHeart29 · November 2013

On a good night, LO eats around midnight/1am and then goes down for a decent stretch. So I feed him up until that point, then DH takes the next night feeding, whenever LO wakes up. Of course I still get up to pump, but it's a little less dramatic to pump.

The thing we are still trying to figure out is when he is fussy or just wide awake after a feeding. Generally whoever is less miserably tired takes one for the team and stays up with him. Teamwork makes the dream work!

emmylou78 · November 2013

I'm doing this on my own. I BF mostly so at night I just line everything up by my bed that I might need. She sleeps beside me. She cries, i wake up and haul her in my bed to feed. Change her then hold her until she goes back to sleep. Repeat every 3 hours until daylight. I'm lucky to get a nap sometime in the afternoon. When it's all you got, you make do. I subsist mostly on cereal and snacks at the moment, but it's do-able on your own! You adjust, just might take a few days.

Izzies · November 2013

My hubby went back to work today. We had originally planned to keep sleeping arrangements the same but our LO does not sleep at night so I stayed in the living room last night. It worked really well and I plan on doing give same tonight. DH checked on us several times throughout the night but I don't want him getting up to help. His job is extremely dangerous and I'd rather he sleep so he is safer at work.
Unfortunately LO and I have a stomache bug so I have not accomplished anything yet today but its not as bad as I had feared! Hopefully we will get into a groove soon!

hartsl01 · November 2013

Even with dh home, I do motn feedings/ changing. We've gotten into a routine and its just easier that way. I haven't napped during the day but I do go to bed earlier with ds at night that way I can get up with him. It's rough at first, but your body will adjust quickly.

muffyvonmuff · November 2013

DH leaves at 1 for work and doesn't get home till midnight, he has a big commute. So I feel you but you eventually work into a routine. I feel like we just got things figured out and now I'm back at work to mess everything up.

Mae208 · November 2013

My advice is to just take it easy and don't stress yourself out! You can do it, it will just take a while to adjust. Don't try to be super woman, just take it one day at a time and sleep when you can.

megs1409 · November 2013

DH went back to work today as well. Since we came home from the hospital we have split the night into shifts. He takes the shift from when we go to bed to 2am and I take everything after that. This way he still gets a solid 5 hours of sleep before he has to get up to go to work, plus whatever he got from when we went to bed until when the LO wakes up before 2am. I'm somewhat able to "sleep in," although when DH gets up to go to work at 6-7am, I'm normally awake after that. I'm trying to go to bed early, so I get a good amount of sleep from bedtime until it's my shift at 2am.

Inn2 · November 2013

My DH went back today. We still haven't figured it all out, but part of that is because I have a cold and cough all night and I'm also having surgery complications. Hopefully, Dr. visit today, can figure out why I'm in so much pain (and the suspicious painful upper stomach bulge is not a hernia) and fix me up. Then, we will get this night time figured out! Right now, the plan is that I'll take him all night and DH will help in evenings. Saving grace is that he is able to still work at home, since I can't bend or lift, suddenly. Sleep is over-rated!

BerryBabies13 · November 2013

I'm jealous of all you ladies whose DHs take night shifts! I EBF (though I'm not opposed to pumping, I just don't have a decent one yet), so I'm up every 3 hours at night while DH sleeps soundly. Eesh!
He went back to work 3 days after DD was born (she's 3w3d now), so I've gotten kind of used to it... I still feel like I'm just lucky to make breakfast in the morning, though. Bonus points if I put a load of laundry in the washing machine (chances are it'll be until after DH gets home that it goes in the dryer, though.) I usually nap when baby naps since I don't really sleep at night - the downside being that NOTHING gets done.

Christine&Chris · November 2013

DH went back today as well. I EBF so I do a lot of the night, but we're all in the same room still. If Maddie's having a tough time going back to bed, Dh will take over and get her back down. I have a 2 year old so I don't get much, if any, rest during the day. You just learn to operate on less sleep...

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