advice from the night shift....and those with young kiddos at home

kmarie724 · Mar 31, 2012

You'll need someone to watch your kids during the day so you can sleep. If you are breastfeeding, you will need to either have to wake up to nurse the baby or wake up to pump to keep your milk supply up. I worked nights for a shift time after my now 3 year old DD was born. I slept at my mom's house and she would watch the baby and wake me up when needed to nurse. I pumped 2 or 3 times during the night while I was working.

~PedsRN~, BSN, RN · Mar 31, 2012

I'm fortunate in that I have older children (my youngest is 8) - so they are in full time school. And when they aren't in school, my husband works full time from home. :)

I really think you have to be made for night shift. :) I can sleep anywhere and thru anything. To prepare for a shift, I usually stay up the night before fairly late (1am, 2am) and then sleep until as late as I possibly can the next morning. Then I'm up, go to work, come home and hop into bed. On nights that I work back to back - of course I sleep until about 4 and then I'm up and back to the hospital. On my nights off I will wake myself up a bit earlier, and then go to bed at a decent time that night and sleep thru the night to get back on the land of the living schedule. Does any of that make sense? :)

melmarie23, MSN, RN · Mar 31, 2012

You'll need someone to watch your kids during the day so you can sleep. If you are breastfeeding, you will need to either have to wake up to nurse the baby or wake up to pump to keep your milk supply up. I worked nights for a shift time after my now 3 year old DD was born. I slept at my mom's house and she would watch the baby and wake me up when needed to nurse. I pumped 2 or 3 times during the night while I was working.

we have a sitter, so that is taken care of. I'll have to get up to pump the days that the kids are there while I am home sleeping.

GitanoRN, BSN, MSN, RN · Apr 1, 2012

unquestionably, you seem to be doing a great job with your schedule. needless to say, it is common to question yourself if this is affecting your household. as long as you get a proper amount of rest, and you pump your baby's milk beforehand you're good to go. lastly, while you're awake make those moments count with your loved ones before heading out to work, and you won't feel that you're neglecting them, wishing you the best always and congrats on your new addition to your family:yeah:

DeLana_RN, BSN, RN · Apr 1, 2012

Thanks for the advice, I'm new to night shift and have young kids (early elementary school) as well. Staying up all night, no problem. I just wish I could make myself go to bed earlier on the days I have to return to work! (Because my husband and I coordinate shifts, I have to work all 3 in a row).

Oh, well, I guess it'll take a while to get into a routine.

DeLana :)

melmarie23, MSN, RN · Apr 4, 2012

well I got the job. Its effective at the end of this month. So I will finish my per diem schedule (which this month has been full time hours, ha) and be on the night schedule after that.

Music in My Heart · Apr 4, 2012

hi all!
i am a per diem on a ldrp unit. my director recently approached me about a full time night position they just posted (internally...for our unit only. they are looking for a per diem or part timer to fill the slot). after talking it over with my husband, i decided to apply (one major reason for doing so is that now i can get on the wait list to go to days eventually). told my manager on thursday that i had done so.
anyway, we work 12s, so this would be 7p-7a. 3 shifts a week plus 1-2 on calls a month. do able, right?
i should mention that i have a 15 month old son at home, and am due with our second son at the end of july. the only thing i worry about is this taking away time from them. i am not sure if thats rational or not, but it does give me some anxiety. other than that, i know my body will adjust. well, it's hardly optimal, imo, but for many/most of us, it's not really optional to work ft. of course it will be taking time away from your kids but i'm also of the strong opinion that quality-over-quantity counts, too. part of that quality comes from the additional money that the job creates... and the security of not being entirely dependent upon one's spouse to provide.
so any words of wisdom should i end up getting the position? how do you all manage the whole work at night, sleep during the day? how about time with your kids? foil over the windows in your bedroom so that it's dark-as-midnight during the day while you sleep. get earplugs or a noise generator. make sure your room is warm/cool enough to sleep comfortably.
you may find two sleep-shifts per day works better than one long one in terms of being awake when are the kids. block out time for them on your calendar.
thanks in advance!
-melmarie23

buen suerte...

melmarie23, MSN, RN · Apr 5, 2012

thanks music! I appreciate the advice.