• Inquiries
  • About
  • Travel With Me
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Bloglovin
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

Cotten Tales

  • MY GIRLS
    • DOROTHY
    • FRANCES
  • MOCO FIXER
  • STITCH FIX

Night Shift

Pregnancy

10 Feb

41_Cotten-57_final

This comes as a shock to most people, but my husband and I have been on a strict schedule for the last 15 months. An “arrangement,” if you will. And since I’m seeing the light at the end of the tunnel on the need for this agreement (please, God), I thought maybe I should share our experience.

You see, we take turns.

Before Dorothy was born, we planned that I would breastfeed. This meant that I planned to wake up with the baby all night, every night. That’s what mommy’s are supposed to do, right? I was as ready as any naive new mother for the lack of sleep I was about to see in my life – meaning, I wasn’t prepared in the slightest.

And then, three days into this motherhood gig, it became very apparent that breastfeeding was just not going to happen for us. Before my husband could even peer through the haze of exhaustion, I had already assigned feeding “shifts.” And being the smart man that my husband is, he didn’t argue with the crazy, hormone-driven, sleep deprived new mom who just had her gut cut open.

At the beginning, we broke up the night. I would take first and third shifts, and he would take second and fourth (And yes, you childless readers, there are really that many shifts or more each night. Proceed with caution.). The next night we would rotate. As Dorothy got older, our schedule lessened to one person taking the night shift and the other waking up for the day in the wee morning hours. Now that she sleeps through the night, most nights, we alternate.

If she sleeps 14 hours on my night? Hallelujah. If she wakes up five times on my husband’s night? Sorry ’bout ya.

I live for Courtny’s night.

21e01255d0d99a86b26b17dcde2810ac

When my husband goes away for a week for work, he already knows he gets night shift the whole next week when he gets home. Conveniently, our daughter knows when daddy’s away and sleeps terribly the whole time. If it’s his birthday? I’ll cover his shift. Is one of us sick? Then they’re off the hook. Wake me up on my morning to sleep past 6 a.m.? Prepare to die.

It really is like our bargaining chip. “Happy Valentine’s Day, honey! For your gift, I’ll wake up with the baby tomorrow!” This is married life, people.

What’s funny to us is how many people find our arrangement odd. Yes, my husband works and I stay at home, but both of us need our sleep to function in our designated roles. Maybe our self-imposed schedule makes me a bad SAHM, or makes Courtny look like a saint – regardless, it works for us.

And if momma’s happy rested, everyone’s happy.

—

Does anyone else alternate nights with their husband? Do you wake up with the baby every single time (God bless you, if you do)? What sleep arrangement works for your family?

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

Related

3 Comments

Previous Post: « Things I’m Loving Lately… | Friday 5
Next Post: Who Doesn’t Love An Old Window? | All About That JUNK »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Johanna says

    February 10, 2015 at 3:45 pm

    I love this i breast fed all 3 of my children my first baby for 7mths but my husband was a saint even though he had a full time job and i was a SAHM he still did rotation with me . In a way it made our marriage stronger and the bond with our children more precious . There only little once and i already miss it. My first born will be 8 this year and it seems like just yesterday i was going through tue stages you are going through now.

    Reply
  2. Val says

    February 10, 2015 at 4:17 pm

    When I nursed it was all on me and by the time we switched to bottles both were sleeping most nights all the way through but now having two kids…it seems more nights than not SOMEONE wakes up from a dream or needs to potty or just restless…. So at this point we kinds have assigned children. I handle Nae and Tom generally handles Jay. I really believe in husbands helping too. I think you guys have a good gig going there!! Bottom line- always just do what works for you all. No questions asked is my stand point!

    Reply
  3. Amber Stegner says

    February 10, 2015 at 11:35 pm

    I breastfeed, and since getting his first round of shots, Jay has gone from giving me six straight hours a night to waking up every two to three hours to feed. My husband usually occupies the baby in the mornings to give me a little extra sleep.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Hey there, I'm Samantha. Recovering SAHM, and aspiring competitive dance mom. I have a passion for travel, am known to say it like it is, and I most certainly do not have it all together. Currently on a journey toward self love and discovery. Join me. 2021 | Bloom

Latest from Instagram

Definitely not over the @iddancecomp photos from l Definitely not over the @iddancecomp photos from last weekend. 💜🕺
Just like that, Biddy Ball is over. 😢 We’re S Just like that, Biddy Ball is over. 😢 We’re SO proud of Frances for trying something new, developing as a player each week, and even scoring her first basket in the last minute of her last game! 🏀 We’ll miss our Tuesday and Thursday night games, until next year! #francesbelle
“Play it again, play it again, play it again… “Play it again, play it again, play it again… “ 🎶
Raising ballers. 🏀 Raising ballers. 🏀
That’s a wrap on @artisticdanceexchange! Dorothy That’s a wrap on @artisticdanceexchange! Dorothy received a scholarship toward the national convention in Orlando this summer, and was invited to perform in the junior opening number. 

Long drives, early mornings, and endless hours taking residence in hotel lobbies with my fellow dance parents. We survived Convention month - on to Competition season!
Another weekend, another dance convention. 🩰 Do Another weekend, another dance convention. 🩰 Dorothy had a blast learning in the @activateyourartistry Pre-Pro level, dancing with middle schoolers. One more convention to go… this month. 😜
Follow on Instagram

Follow Me

  • Bloglovin
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Get $25 for Your Stitch Fix!

Stitch Fix

Categories

  • MY GIRLS
  • MOCO FIXER
  • STITCH FIX
Definitely not over the @iddancecomp photos from l Definitely not over the @iddancecomp photos from last weekend. 💜🕺
Just like that, Biddy Ball is over. 😢 We’re S Just like that, Biddy Ball is over. 😢 We’re SO proud of Frances for trying something new, developing as a player each week, and even scoring her first basket in the last minute of her last game! 🏀 We’ll miss our Tuesday and Thursday night games, until next year! #francesbelle
“Play it again, play it again, play it again… “Play it again, play it again, play it again… “ 🎶
Raising ballers. 🏀 Raising ballers. 🏀
That’s a wrap on @artisticdanceexchange! Dorothy That’s a wrap on @artisticdanceexchange! Dorothy received a scholarship toward the national convention in Orlando this summer, and was invited to perform in the junior opening number. 

Long drives, early mornings, and endless hours taking residence in hotel lobbies with my fellow dance parents. We survived Convention month - on to Competition season!
Another weekend, another dance convention. 🩰 Do Another weekend, another dance convention. 🩰 Dorothy had a blast learning in the @activateyourartistry Pre-Pro level, dancing with middle schoolers. One more convention to go… this month. 😜
Natural. Talent. 😂 #biddyball #basketball #funn Natural. Talent. 😂 #biddyball #basketball #funny
Day 1 of @shine_dance_convention! Intensives in Br Day 1 of @shine_dance_convention! Intensives in Broadway Jazz, Lyrical/Contemporary, Hip Hop, Jazz and Tap, plus a Masquerade Ball to end the night. 

We’re tired. 😅
Merry Christmas Eve from the Cotten sisters! ❄️ #dbunny #francesbelle
"Today’s special moments are tomorrow’s memori "Today’s special moments are tomorrow’s memories." —Genie, Aladdin 💙

Copyright © 2023 · Cotten Tales & Samantha Cotten

 

Loading Comments...