What are your schedules like with a newborn?

Question

I'm curious to know what are your schedules like when you came back from the hospital? Did your husband take a long leave? I know most spouses can only take about one week's leave..just want to know people's experiences adjusting with newborn. I will be staying overseas for a year cos my husband's doing masters. I'm already getting a lot of comments from family members insisting i should come home and deliver the baby, the reason being "it will be easier, family can take care of you. you cant handle a newborn alone. you shouldnt be left alone. you will be hormonal and you shouldnt burden your husband". I feel really discouraged and i know this is an asian thing where the culture for when a woman has a baby, traditionally its normal for her to have her mom or mom inlaw take care of her. but for me i dont have that option as i'm away from home or due to some other reasons.

Answer

None of this should be a burden to your husband. He knew what he was signing up for when he got you pregnant! So that is a poor argument on your family's part. So their solution is to separate your new family and he won't be able to see the baby? Makes no sense. You may be a new mother, but I'm sure you aren't going in completely clueless either. You need to do what makes you happy. Whether that means staying overseas with your husband or going back home to be with your family.

Answer

I think if it's that big of a deal for them they come stay with you. Separating your family is nonsense.

Answer

You'll be fine! My husband had to go back to work pretty quickly, plus we were remodeling a house at the time.

I would shower and get dressed (sometimes a clean pair of pajamas ☺️) before he left for the day. Have snacks and drinks ready to go next to my recliner in the living room. The first few weeks it's a cycle of eat, sleep diaper every two hours, not necessarily difficult, just very tiring. Nap when the baby naps and don't worry about house cleaning. I watched a lot of Netflix! 😉 Be sure that you are feeding your self and keep up your fluid intake, just like when you were pregnant. I kept a plastic organizer close with diapers and changing supplies, and a few extra sleepers also.

Answer

Whenever he wants to eat I'm going to feed him in the beginning. I'm staying at home with this baby so I'll let him set the schedule.

Answer

Also i'm not trying to sound ungrateful when my family offer to help, i totally understand they're just really excited and want to help but demanding i fly back and cause so much other risks like my hubby might not be able to witness the birth, being away from the baby, just for the sake of wanting to care for me and the newborn.. i think its unreasonable. they keep bringing this up and i kept telling them firmly, we are delivering the baby overseas and we will learn to manage ourselves.. having a newborn is the time when the couple should be together.. not separated.

Answer

Your husband shouldn't feel burdened by your baby. Whether he's doing his masters or working a full-time job or whatever life brings, he's still a dad. My fiancé had a week off of work when my daughter was born, but even when he went back to work he was still helping me in the middle of the night and doing whatever else he could to make life easier for me.

If you feel like you need somebody to be with you, have somebody come be with you. There's nothing wrong with that. However, don't feel like just because your family thinks you need somebody that you will need somebody or that you should be going home. Yes taking care of a newborn is hard, but you can do it. If your husband helps and maybe if you have some friends who are willing to bring you a meal here and there, or watch your baby while you take a nap, that's really all you will need. Even if you don't, you will be fine on your own either way. You'll figure out your own schedule with the baby, you'll sleep when she or he sleeps and everything will be totally fine.

Answer

My husband went back to work the day after we came home from the hosp. The first 2 wks were very tough adjusting but the only way you're gonna figure out what works for you and your husband is by doing it together. I have family who come up once a week to babysit for a couple hours while I nap or go shopping or to the doctors. My husband takes the baby every afternoon while I nap. You'll figure it out.

Answer

It's not too bad once you get into a routine. You'll be tired but your body will adjust BUT you will need some help whether it's your husband or someone else. I was waking up every two hours on the hour to feed and change my newborn and I was too tired to safely look after myself and my baby so during the daytime my family would watch the baby for about 5 hours so I could sleep. That made it so much easier and I felt 100x better.

The newborn stage doesn't last forever though, by 3 months my son was only waking every 4 hours at night instead of 2 and by 4 months he slept through the night for the first time.

What are your schedules like with a newborn?

Let’s Glow

Glow is here for you on your path to pregnancy

25+ million

4.8 stars

20+

Getting Pregnant

Pregnancy

1st Year (Baby & You)

Baby Products